Taro Plants (Colocasia esculenta)
Taro is a lush, warm-climate food plant with big, heart-shaped leaves and underground corms that can be harvested once mature. It grows particularly well in Queensland and other subtropical to tropical gardens, especially in damp or regularly watered areas where other crops struggle. These organic bare-root taro plants are sold ready for planting and are a great option for edible gardens, permaculture systems, or anywhere you want productive plants with a tropical feel.
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Description
If you love plants that look lush and earn their spot in your garden, taro is a great one to grow. It’s a classic warm-climate food plant with big, heart-shaped leaves and underground corms that can be harvested once the plant matures. It’s also surprisingly tough, especially in wetter areas where other crops struggle.
These organic bare-root taro plants are grown in Australia and sold as planting-ready roots. The variety shown produces white corms with purple speckling, which is a nice bonus once you get to harvest stage. Taro suits Queensland and other subtropical to tropical gardens particularly well, especially if you’ve got damp soil, seasonal rain, or a spot that stays moist most of the year.
What’s included
Bare-root taro plants supplied ready for planting. Leaves may be trimmed back before shipping to help the plants handle transport and establish more easily once planted. Make sure you check the seller's listing for exact details!
Available pack sizes:
3 plants – a good starting point
6 plants – ideal for a small patch
9 plants – great for food forests or shared gardens
12 plants – best for larger plantings or wet areas
Why taro is worth growing
Taro is super easy to grow once established. It grows quickly, fills space well, and produces reliably in the right conditions.
- Each plant can produce multiple corms over time
- Works well in food gardens, permaculture systems, and ornamental plantings
- Handles moisture far better than most vegetables
It’s one of those plants that is genuinely suited to warm, humid gardens.
Eating and using taro
The corms are cooked and used much like potatoes – boiled, roasted, mashed, or added to soups and stews. Thinly sliced and fried, they make excellent chips. The leaves are also used in cooking, but they must be thoroughly cooked. Raw taro leaves are not edible.
Taro has been grown as a staple food in many parts of the world for good reason – it’s filling, productive, and dependable.
Planting and care
- Plant in partial to full sun.
- Likes consistently moist soil.
- Can handle wet ground once established.
- Space plants 30–45 cm apart.
- Mulch (affiliate link) well to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Shoots usually appear within a couple of weeks, with full leafy growth following soon after.
Keep water up while plants are settling in, then feed with compost or an organic fertiliser every 6-8 weeks. Corms are typically ready to harvest after 7-12 months, once the leaves start to yellow and die back.
