Colocasia esculenta (Wild Taro) is native to Southeast Asia and was used as a crop for its underground tubers. The tubers were used as vegetables or made into various other kinds of food. In Florida, Taro can be found along the coastlines or in wetlands and the plant can grow up to 4 feet tall. Because of this, they are able to disperse easily through flooding or streams. The large leaves the plant produces can block the sun from other plant species and prevent their overall growth and development. This plant can create a dense population in one area, preventing the growth of any other plant species. Many residents of Florida use Taro for curb appeal, not knowing that they are invasive to the area. This continues the issue as they are highly invasive and when residents continue to plant them, it is only contributing to the problem and adds more issues to the current environment in Florida. Taro is quite easily removed by cutting down the stems and pulling out the corm from the soil. However, it is recommended to be careful when cutting the stems and leaves as they contain oxalic acid, which can be harmful to humans by causing irritation.
https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/colocasia-esculenta/ Comments are closed.
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AuthorsHello! We are three students trying to inform the public on the invasive species of South Florida. |