Taro
Taro is a vegetable in the Araceae family. It grows best in full sun to part shade with high moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 8-11. Plants reach harvest about 200–280 days after planting.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸Taro200–280 days
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Corm (not currently in seed catalog). Use: Starchy edible corm and leaves (MUST be cooked - raw parts are toxic). Harvest: Lift corms 7-9 months after planting.
Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a tropical wetland plant grown for its starchy corm and edible leaves, both of which must be thoroughly cooked to break down calcium oxalate. Grown from corms; loves heat and constant moisture. Hardy zones 8-11.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Colocasia esculenta|Hardiness zones: 8-11|Propagation: corms/huli|Sun needs: Full sun to part shade|Water needs: High|Mature height: 3-6 feet|Spacing: 24 inches|Harvest: Lift corms 7-9 months after planting
Plan your taro planting
Add taro to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Most keep best refrigerated; storage crops prefer a cool, dry spot.
- Freeze: Blanch briefly, cool, then freeze — keeps color and texture.
- Can: Pressure-can low-acid vegetables; water-bath only pickled/acidified ones.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for taro yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.