Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a tropical plant grown primarily as a root vegetable for its edible starchy corm, and as a leaf vegetable. It is one of the world's most widely consumed staple foods in tropical areas. The plant is also known as dasheen, eddo, or cocoyam in different regions. In Hebrew, it is called טארו (Taro) or קולוקסיה (Koloksia). The plant is native to Southern India and Southeast Asia but is now cultivated in tropical areas around the world, including the Caribbean, Africa, Oceania, and parts of the Americas. Taro is a perennial plant that thrives in moist, shady conditions and is often grown near water sources. The corm and leaves are used in various culinary traditions, but they must be cooked thoroughly to neutralize potentially toxic compounds. Taro is a significant part of the diet in many cultures and is also used in traditional medicine.
Species of plant
Taro is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and petioles. Taro corms are a food staple in African, Oceanic, East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian cultures.