Elephant ear
Xanthosoma undipes

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A large herb. It grows 2-3 m high and spreads 2-3 m wide. It keeps growing from year to year. The stem can be 2 m long. The leaves are broadly heart shaped. They are 0.5-2 m long. The leaf stalks are 100 cm long. The large bract around the flower is egg shaped and 8 cm long. It is yellowish-green inside. The tubers are acrid and yellow fleshed. The fruit develop as hundreds or fleshy, many seeded green fruits along the stalk.

There are 57 Xanthosoma species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It needs warm humid conditions. It needs moist humus rich soil. In Costa Rica it is common in wet regions above 1,000 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 10-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America (country/location of origin), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic (country/location of origin), Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, French Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti (country/location of origin), Honduras, Lesser Antilles, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, South America, Suriname, Venezuela, West Indies (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The tubers can be eaten only after drying and cooking. As well they can be boiled and fermented and used to make an alcoholic drink. Caution: Alcohol is a cause of cancer.

Edible parts

Tubers, root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Oreja de elefante

Synonyms

Alocasia undipes K. Koch & C. D. Bouche; Xanthosoma jacquinii Schott;