coco yam, wild taro
(Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott)

Overview

Appearance

Colocasia esculenta is a perennial forb that originates from a large corm and can grow to 4 ft. (1.5 m) in height.

Foliage

Leaves, supported by 3 ft. (1 m) long petioles, are arrowhead shaped, up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) long and 1.6 ft. (0.5 m) wide, peltate and velvety on the upper surface.

Flowers

Flowering seldom occurs outside of the native range. Flowers, when present, are small and densely crowded at the apex of a fleshy stalk.

Fruit

Plants spread vegetatively through rhizomes, stolons, offshoot corms or vegetative fragments. Fruit are small berries, but are rarely produced.

Ecological Threat

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. In 1910, Colocasia esculenta was also promoted as an alternative crop to potatoes by the USDA. There are similar native species and some similar exotic species but in all of these similar species their petioles attach to the margin of the leaf blades rather than in the middle as with Colocasia esculenta.

Resources

• Invasive Species Management Plans for Florida - University of Florida - Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Alabama Invasive Plant Council
• Alachua County Cogongrass Initiative
• Apalachicola Invasive Working Group
• California Invasive Plant Council
• Florida Invasive Plant Council - Plant List - Category I
• Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council - Category 3
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• South Carolina Exotic Pest Plant Council
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References