Taro

*Colocasia esculenta*

How to know it

Very large heart shaped leaves on thick upright stalks, growing from a corm below ground. Often planted near water or in damp corners. The leaves can reach the size of a small umbrella.

What it does

The corm is a staple starch across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. The leaves are also cooked in several regional dishes. The leaf surface is so water repellent that drops form perfect beads and run off, which is where the term lotus effect comes from.

Safety

Raw taro contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause serious mouth and throat irritation. It must be cooked thoroughly. Never let children taste it raw, and say why.

Two things to do with children

Pour water onto a taro leaf and watch it bead and run. Then try the same on a lemongrass leaf and a banana leaf. Comparing three surfaces makes the property visible rather than magical.

Use a taro leaf as an umbrella in a rain shower. Children remember this one.