Is Giant Taro (Alocasia) Poisonous? Learn These Facts Before Growing It

Is Giant Taro (Alocasia) poisonous? As a common houseplant, Giant Taro helps remove dust from the air, making it highly popular with many people. But many people often ask whether Giant Taro is poisonous. To help everyone understand clearly whether Giant Taro is poisonous, let us look at what the experts say about this question. The white sap in the roots and stems of Giant Taro is poisonous, and the “water” it drips is also poisonous. If it touches the skin, it can cause itching or severe irritation; if it gets into the eyes, it can cause severe conjunctivitis, or even blindness. The red berries of Giant Taro are also highly toxic.

First, let us get to know Giant Taro! Its scientific name is Alocasia macrorrhizos. Its distinguishing feature is that when the soil has a high water content, water drips down from the leaf tips or leaf edges, which is why it is also called “Dripping Guanyin”. Giant Taro is a very common green houseplant, but because it is a tropical plant, it generally does not bloom in the north. However, if the temperature and other conditions at home are suitable, it will bloom as well. It is not demanding about soil, but it grows best in well-drained, organic-rich sandy loam or humus loam. Since Giant Taro naturally loves warm, humid and semi-shaded environments and is not cold-tolerant, the potting soil must be kept moist during the growing season.

Experts remind flower lovers that the white sap in the stems of Giant Taro is poisonous, and the water it drips is also poisonous. Touching or accidentally ingesting the sap will cause discomfort in the throat and mouth, and a burning sensation in the stomach. Special care should be taken to prevent young children from ingesting it by mistake. However, Giant Taro is not a carcinogenic plant.

Precisely because Giant Taro is poisonous, skin contact with its sap will cause itching or severe irritation, and eye contact with the sap can cause severe conjunctivitis, or even blindness. Accidentally eating its stems and leaves will cause symptoms of nausea and pain, and in severe cases can cause suffocation, leading to cardiac paralysis and death. Therefore, contact with Giant Taro should be minimized, and families with small children had best not grow it.

Experts believe that the proper attitude toward poisonous plants is: keep an appropriate distance, do not play with or stroke them at will, and do not hold their branches, leaves or fruit in the mouth. Although Giant Taro is poisonous, as long as we keep an appropriate “distance” from it, its benefits still outweigh its drawbacks.