Colocasia esculenta

Taro has been cultivated as a food in many countries within the tropical belt, subtropics, or in countries with a warm climate.  Because of its widespread cultivation many varieties and cultivars have been developed.  As an example the early Polynesians had several hundred different forms cultivated for size, shape, leaves, stalks, texture, color, or use.  Taro was further differentiated into wetland or upland types.  The plants contain calcium oxalate crystals and thorough cooking is required to neutralize the crystals' activity.  The cooked corms are high in carbohydrates, provides minerals, and vitamins A and B while the leaves are a good source of minerals and vitamins A, B, and C.

Taro was the staple of the Hawaiians and when baked and pounded into a dough-like paste called aipaa would store for several months if properly wrapped in leaves of ti.  Aipaa was the food taken on journeys.  Aipaa diluted with water forming a soft paste was called poi. Today taro production is very limited.  There are small plantings of the wetland type for commercial poi production and upland taro is confined to the Chinese taro for fresh marketing or for taro chips.