Chinese Taro
4.8 out of 5 (13 experiences)
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
About Chinese Taro
Alocasias, commonly known as Elephant Ears, are some of the most common houseplants although their leaves can reach enormous sizes when grown outdoors! 🐘 They typically only support a few leaves at a time (more, when they get more sun!) so don't be concerned if you see an old leaf begin to retire after a new one emerges. They grow out of underground corms which are similar to bulbs, so next time you repot keep an eye out for baby Alocasias! They contain calcium oxalate crystals so be sure to keep them out of reach if you have children or pets! ⚠️
Taxonomy
Alocasia cucullata
Alocasia
Araceae
Alismatales
Also known as
Hooded Dwarf Elephant Ear, Chinese Ape, Buddha's Hand, 'hooded dwarf', Alocasia, Hooded Dwarf Elepant Ears, Alocasia calcutta and Alocasia rugosa
How to care for Chinese Taro
How often to water your Chinese Taro
every 9
Chinese Taro needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Chinese Taro in your home
a window
Chinese Taro may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Chinese Taro in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Chinese Taro
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Chinese Taro after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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Plant is losing a lot of leafs and remaining leafs have unusual spots please help!  My plant up until now has had no problems with putting out new leaves and looking healthy. However, recently she has lost so many leaves and her remaining leaves have some spots that I do not recognise. I repotted recently to try and fix the problem but nothing seems to help what’s going on? 
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Burned Leaves & Arms going everywhere Infant Gardner here. I have a Chinese Taro that I left in the sun for too long a while back. I was wondering if I should do anything to help the burnt ends. Also, she’s been growing great and was wondering if there is anything I can do to help her arms not go everywhere. Thanks!
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My boyfriend moved my plant outside thinking it would help growth while I was out and when I got home ALL the leaves were dropping down. It was thriving and now everyone is sad. Please help. Not sure if I can save it or just start new 😪 #ChineseTaro
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How fast does Nithin grow an how big will it get? Thank you #ChineseTaro
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I repotted this plant in a bigger pot few months back. Since then it's growth has been super slow. Any ideas what to do? #ChineseTaro
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Chinese Pax leaves turning yellow Hi! I have a Chinese Pax and every few days or once a week a leaf starts turning yellow… is this overwatering?
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For the 2 month my alocasia have lost 3 leaves. The stem wrinkles then the leave drops. There is no roots rotten. Any ideas as why stem wrinkles? #ChineseTaro
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Help I thought this was a monstera borsigiana ? Any thoughts ? It is very young plant so maybe I am wrong but the leaves are flat shiny
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What do you think? I think it’s dying… 😂
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My Taro is drooping…. It’s seems very healthy, do I need to make a pole to support it? Or is this normal? #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #ChineseTaro #HappyPlants #PlantAddict #GregGang
Care Summary for Chinese Taro
Chinese Taro
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 3ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Large, lush leaves 6
Fast grower 5
Survivor 4
Browns easily 1
03/05/2022
Encountered this unique boy on a trip, it grows soo fast, you could easy find a new leave coming up overnight. Looks so majestic✨
Fast grower
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
10/30/2021
Noticed they love sticky 70% and up but this is not a deal breaker as long as we keep up with our watering.
Not to be mistaken with other Alocasias, these guys were discovered in the rocky portions of the rainforest, specifically in ultramafic sites.
I tried to mimic the substrate by making it more airy than the usual fluffy loamy Alocasia substrate, using more minerals as I think they rely more on a low and steady supply of Calcium/Magnesium more than Nitrogen, based on where they are found. Watering with ph adjusted to 5.7-6.5 (do not acidify all the time and check the soil if acidity builds up) to make those calcium bioavailable.
They will survive in any soil. Part of the hobby for me is mimicking and nerding out on their natural habitat so yeah 😂
Browns easily
Survivor
08/20/2021
Lives in my downstairs toilet and is sometimes forgotten about!! Can last without watering for a while
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
05/29/2021
Textured and plump leaves, you can’t help touch it every time you see it. Exquisite dark green foliage.
05/21/2021
This baby requires a lot of water but man is she pretty. She’s been growing fast with new leaves coming out of no where. She does attract bugs but minimal. Love the luscious leaves, looks absolutely tropical.
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
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