Hey all! Today I’m showcasing Taro, the wonder plant of Polynesia. Taro is an edible, starchy tuber and a staple crop of the Hawaiians. It’s also a great example of a plant which is propagated through root division.
If we run through our Intuitive Plant Dialogue we see that though taro has an obvious leaf, there is no seed, flower or fruit. As it’s not woody and upright and there are no baby plants popping up around the base, we then ask if there’s really all that much happening above ground. And with taro, there is not. So this leads us to conclude that the root is where most of the action is taking place, and that taro will probably be propagated best through root division. Let’s dig some up and take it over to our Plant Propagation Station.
If you have to hold onto your taro root for a day or two before planting just make sure that it is kept in a shady spot, and water it some if it’s dry out. To propagate, simply break off a piece of the root and plant. Taro prefers sites that are wet or damp year-round, so if you need some time to get your site ready you can plant it in a bag or tray for the time being and keep it nice and damp. However if you already have a wetland site you can go ahead and directly plant your new taro there. Prune some of the rootlets off, and plant more deeply than with other types of propagation. Bam! You’re on your way to poi balls.


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