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Taxon  Report  
Colocasia esculenta  (L.) Schott
Taro root
Colocasia esculenta is a perennial herb that is not native to California.
Cal-IPC rating: moderate
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Observation Search
~53 records in California
redone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
Genus: Colocasia
Family: Araceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Monocot
Jepson eFlora section: monocot

Toxicity: Do not eat any part of this plant.
Information about  Colocasia esculenta from other sources
USDA PLANTS Profile (COES)

Photos on Calflora

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Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

[www.invasive.org] Ecological Threat, Africa native: Colocasia esculenta can tolerate a wide range of wet to dry sites. It easily invades wetland edges, swamps, blackwater streams and riverine forests. Colocasia esculenta can form dense stands outcompeting native plants. It is native to Africa and was first brought to the Americas as a food crop for slaves. (contributed by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 03/29/2024).