Agricultural Information:

Plant Family: Araceae
Scientific name: Colocasia esculenta

Taro is a tropical plant with large, heart-shaped leaves and an underground stem called a corm. The plants origin is unclear since it has been cultivated for so long but likely comes from Southeast Asia and South India.

The taro plant needs to be grown outdoors in warm weather with enough space in order to produce corms to eat. However, it is also commonly grown indoors for its dramatic, tropical leaves.

Taro must be eaten fully cooked to neutralize toxins. The corm can be prepared by boiling, mashing, roasting, or frying and the leaves are cooked into stews or used as wraps. It is a staple food in many Pacific Island, Asian, African, and Caribbean cuisines and has a mild, starchy flavor similar to a potato.

Information about plants as they relate to torah and mitzvot has been generously provided by Mercaz Torah VeHa’aretz Institute.