Tanier spinach, Tahitian taro

Definitely on my list of best greens for Florida! It is low maintenance - I haven't had any insect or disease problems. And its texture...Read More is a lot nicer than many perennial summer greens. Grows best in moist rich soils. Along the edge of a compost pile (or on top of one) is good for me since I have sandy soil low in nutrients. It will grow pretty much wherever all those regular "elephant ears" grow but be sure to keep them separated since this one can be eaten while most of the decorative ones will cause a horrid throat itch or worse.

This plant is part of my edible landscaping, -this one "suposedly" does not have the calcium crystals that irritate the mouth and throat ...Read More[making the others inedible before cooking] Only the youngest leaves still rolled up and emerging can be eaten raw, --this is a great cooked vegetable, and the leaves can be eaten with very little boiling time , if using as a cooked vegetable leaves of any age can be used, they are very good and I have experienced no mouth or throat irritation. The leaves can be used to wrap food for steaming ,or baking, but are a little tender so a tougher outer layer should be used, [foil ,Iliuaua Taro leaf, banana leaves, tumeric, or Ti leaves work well]. -- it is a little more prone to pest damage, so I spray it with a water hose to remove pests. [and--it has a good taste]
Taste Test for Tannier Spinach, [Xanthosoma brasiliense]
The leaves are easy to cook like Bunn Long, about 5 to 10 min in salty water is enough, the flavor is noticeable and quite good, the literature on this plant said it was edible raw, The young leaves before they unwrap, can be eaten raw in a salad,-but,- as soon as they start to un-wrap they will give you the "itch"[I have discovered] the root has never made any tubers of any size so I will say that they are not worth trying. [The other Xanthosoma's, White and Purple, Malanga, are great root crops and mine produced about 6 pounds /plant this year.]
The great advantage for Tannier spinach is that it will make leaves to eat all year and keep going unless frozen, this time of year [fall and winter] good Taro leaf is hard to find, --so this is a great plant for those who like the leaf for greens, and for wrapping food in for steaming--
Michael Porter