Taro is a perennial grown for its fruit. It's hardy across USDA zones 8 through 11 and stands up to deer. Its summer flowers are a modest draw for native bees, even though the fruit is the prize.
Zones
8-11
pH Range
4.3-8.2
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Taro on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether taro actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score taro against your land's real conditions.
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What Taro is
Taro grows as a perennial and reaches around four feet at maturity. It blooms yellow in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Taro
Taro grows in USDA zones 8 through 11. Taro does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.3 to 8.2, on evenly moist to well-drained ground. It needs around 3,500 growing degree days to mature, a growing season of at least 180 frost-free days, and about 0 hours of winter chill to set fruit, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
8-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.3 - 8.2
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
poorly (saturated >50% of year), well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
50°F
plant_species_v5.csv
GDD Required
3500+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
4 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Chill Hours
0+
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
180+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant taro in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Taro prefers pH 4.3 to 8.2 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Pick when the fruit is full-colored and parts easily from the stem. Local Cooperative Extension guides publish timing tables.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — taro is toxic to dogs and cats (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Taro offers low value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Taro thrives
Taro is hardy across USDA zones 8 through 11. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 8–11·Where Taro growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Taro can grow in these states:
See if Taro will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether taro actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Taro in my zone?
Taro grows in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Taro?
Most growers plant taro after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 180-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Taro need?
Taro needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Taro need?
Taro prefers soil pH 4.3 to 8.2, on evenly moist to well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Taro attract pollinators?
Yes — taro's flowers are a modest nectar source for native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Taro safe for pets?
Taro is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency.