Tony Moody
NSW Agriculture

Colocasia esculenta

Chinese: Woo tau | Fijian: Dalo | Japanese: Sato-Imo

There are two principal varieties of colocasia. The type favoured in Eastern Mediterranean, Chinese and Fijian cuisine produces smaller tubers up to tennis ball size, which are often barrel shaped or roundish. The skin is purplish brown to brown and the flesh white. This is called eddo in the Caribbean. Polynesian consumers prefer the more massive variety whose tubers are more often shaped like large fat carrots, and their yellowy skin scrapes pink. This is called dasheen in the Caribbean. There is another species, not grown in Australia, called Tannia or New Cocoyam, Xanthosoma spp, which is even larger and particularly favoured in Tonga.

Growing conditions: Frost free—Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Taro leaves are also sold in the market, as a wrapper for steamed food. The picture shows the leaves of the Polynesian variety.