Also known as : Coco yam 'Illustris', Dasheen 'Illustris'
Taro 'Illustris' is a show-stopping plant with striking purple-black foliage heartily contrasted by its vibrant green veins. Its roots are edible and widely used in cooking across many cultures. Additionally, the plant's aesthetic value is widely recognized, and it's often incorporated into both indoor and outdoor designs.
Planting Time
Late spring, Early summer
Care Guide for Taro 'Illustris'
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Watering Care
Moisture-loving, keep the soil moist but do not let water accumulate.
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Common Pests & Diseases About Taro 'Illustris'
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Common issues for Taro 'Illustris' based on 10 million real cases
Treat and prevent plant diseases.
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Dark blotch
Dark blotch is a fungal disease affecting 'Taro 'Illustris'', leading to reduced vigor and aesthetic value. It primarily manifests as irregular dark spots on leaves and may progress to affect overall plant health.
Nutrient deficiencies
A lack of nutrients will cause a widespread yellowing of the leaves. The yellowing may begin at the base or top of the plant.
Solutions: There are several easy ways to remedy the nutrient deficiencies in soils. Use a water-soluble fertilizer. Fertilizers will include most or all of the macro and micro-nutrients the plants need to thrive. Adding some fertilizer to the soil will make those nutrients available and can combat deficiencies. Regularly apply organic fertilizer pellets. Organic fertilizers such as animal manures and bonemeal can supply plants with all the nutrients that they need to grow strong and healthy. Apply compost. Though not as finely tuned as artificial fertilizer, compost can nevertheless be rich in important nutrients and should be applied to the soil regularly. Apply nutrients via foliar application. In addition to supplementing the soil with nutrients, foliar fertilizer can be applied directly to the plant's leaves. Nutrients offered via foliar application are often taken up even quicker than those put in the soil, so the foliar application can be great for swiftly addressing specific deficiencies.
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Solutions: Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover. Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes. If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray. Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs. Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Solutions: If the yellowing and drying of leaves and flowers is a natural progression due to age, nothing can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible.
Dark blotch
Overview
Symptom
Causes
Treatment
Prevention
Active Period
What is Dark blotch Disease on Taro 'Illustris'?
Dark blotch is a fungal disease affecting 'Taro 'Illustris'', leading to reduced vigor and aesthetic value. It primarily manifests as irregular dark spots on leaves and may progress to affect overall plant health.
Symptom Analysis
In 'Taro 'Illustris'', dark blotch causes irregular dark patches on leaves, often leading to premature leaf drop, reduced photosynthesis, and stunted growth.
What Causes Dark blotch Disease on Taro 'Illustris'?
1
Fungi
Dark blotch is caused by certain fungi that thrive in wet, humid conditions, infiltrating the leaf tissues and disrupting normal plant functions.
How to Treat Dark blotch Disease on Taro 'Illustris'?
1
Non pesticide
Remove affected areas: Carefully prune infected leaves and dispose of them properly to reduce fungal load.
Improve air circulation: Spacing plants adequately and ensuring good air flow can help reduce moisture on leaf surfaces.
2
Pesticide
Fungicidal sprays: Apply fungicides specifically labeled for fungal leaf spots, following the manufacturer's directions.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
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Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Nutrient deficiencies
A lack of nutrients will cause a widespread yellowing of the leaves. The yellowing may begin at the base or top of the plant.
Overview
Nutrient deficiencies can be seen in many different ways on plants. Basically, the lack of nutrients will inhibit plant growth, produce weak stems and leaves, and leave plants open to infection from pests and diseases. Plants use the nutrients from the soil to help them with photosynthesis. This, in turn, produces healthy plant growth. Plants that lack adequate amounts of nutrients will look lackluster and unhealthy. Eventually, if this is not addressed, it will cause the plants to die. The most important nutrients that plants need are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Additionally, plants require small amounts of micronutrients such as iron, boron, manganese, zinc, copper, and molybdenum.
Symptom Analysis
A common sign that plants are experiencing nutrient deficiencies is the yellowing of leaves. This may be an overall yellowing or leaves that are yellow but still have green veins. These leaves will eventually brown off and die.
Another sign is the loss of plant vigor. The plants may not be growing as well as they should or their growth may be stunted.
Below are some common symptoms that appear when plants are lacking in nutrients.
Nitrogen (N): Inner, older leaves yellow first. If the deficiency is severe, yellowing progresses outward to newer growth.
Potassium (K): Leaf edges may turn brown and crinkly, with a yellowing layer forming just inside of the edge. Older leaves tend to be impacted first.
Phosphorus (P): Lack of vigorous growth. Plants will appear stunted.
Zinc (Zn): Yellowing tends to occur first at the base of the leaf.
Copper (Cu): Newer leaves begin to yellow first, with older leaves yellowing only if the deficiency becomes severe.
Boron (B): Newer leaves are impacted first. Foliage may also become particularly brittle in cases of boron deficiency.
Disease Cause
There are several factors that can lead to nutrient deficiencies, a situation where plants are not receiving the nutrients that they need. This could be because they are planted in nutrient-deficient soils, or that the soil's pH is too high or low. Incorrect soil pH can lock up certain nutrients, thus making them unavailable to plants. Lack of soil moisture can also be a problem, because plants need water to be able to absorb the nutrients from the soil.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Symptom Analysis
Scars form when the plant repairs wounds. They can be the result of people or pets passing by and scraping the plant. Once the underlying issue is resolved, the plant will heal but a scar may remain.
Pests and pathogens can also cause scarring. Insects may attack the plant for a meal, resulting in extensive scarring when a few invaders turn into an infestation. Diseases such as fungus and bacteria can weaken the plant, causing brown spots, mushy areas, or blisters that lead to scars.
Scars occur on stems when a leaf or bud has been lost and the plant has healed. The harder tissue is like a scab that protects a wound.
On other occasions, scars can signal problems from environmental conditions, such as overexposure to sunlight or heat. It might surprise you to know that plants can suffer from sunburn, even desert dwellers like cactus!
Solutions
Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover.
Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes.
If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray.
Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs.
Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Prevention
Preventing some sources of scarring is easier than others, but all start with careful attention to your plants once you decide to bring them home.
Review specific guidelines for your plant, including soil drainage, watering, and fertilizer requirements.
Inspect plants before planting and use sterile pots and fresh potting soil or media to limit transfer of fungi or bacteria.
Once established, check your plants regularly for signs of scarring or the presence of pests, as it is better to catch problems as early as possible.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Overview
Regardless of the type of plant or where it is grown, at some point, it will begin to aged yellow and dry. This is a natural, unavoidable process that happens when the plant has completed all of the steps in its life.
Annual plants go through this process at the end of a single growing season. Perennial plants live for multiple years, if not tens or hundreds of years, but will still ultimately exhibit these symptoms.
Symptom Analysis
When plants have progressed through their natural developmental stages and are nearing the end of their lifecycle, they begin showing signs of decline. Leaves will start to yellow and droop, and over time they turn papery brown and dry.
Once completely dry, the leaves begin to fall from the plant until the entire plant has dried out.
Disease Cause
At the end of its life, genetic coding within the plant increases the production of ethylene, a phytohormone that controls senescence or natural aging and death. Cell division stops, and the plant begins catabolizing resources to use in other parts of the plant.
As this happens, the tissues begin yellow and drying until the entire plant is desiccated and perishes.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants and unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scan the QR code with your phone camera to download the app
More Info on Taro 'illustris' Growth and Care
Feedback
Common Pests & Diseases
Dark blotch
Dark blotch is a fungal disease affecting 'Taro 'Illustris'', leading to reduced vigor and aesthetic value. It primarily manifests as irregular dark spots on leaves and may progress to affect overall plant health.
Read More
Yellow edges
Yellow edges is a common disease affecting Taro 'Illustris', resulting in discoloration and potential growth hindrance. Prompt identification and treatment are crucial for maintaining plant health.
Read More
Leaf rot
Leaf rot in Taro 'Illustris' is a destructive disease causing premature leaf decay and compromised plant vigor. It affects especially the aesthetic value and growth of Taro 'Illustris', limiting its ornamental and culinary usage.
Read More
Leaf wilting
Leaf wilting in Taro 'Illustris' often signals distress, generally due to insufficient water uptake or infections. This results in drooping, yellowing leaves, reducing the plant's aesthetic and health.
Read More
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About
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Pests & Diseases
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Taro 'Illustris'
Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris'
Also known as: Coco yam 'Illustris', Dasheen 'Illustris'
Taro 'Illustris' is a show-stopping plant with striking purple-black foliage heartily contrasted by its vibrant green veins. Its roots are edible and widely used in cooking across many cultures. Additionally, the plant's aesthetic value is widely recognized, and it's often incorporated into both indoor and outdoor designs.
Planting Time
Late spring, Early summer
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Common Pests & Diseases About Taro 'Illustris'
Feedback
Common issues for Taro 'Illustris' based on 10 million real cases
Plant disease auto-diagnose & prevention
AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.
Download the App for Free
Dark blotch
Dark blotch is a fungal disease affecting 'Taro 'Illustris'', leading to reduced vigor and aesthetic value. It primarily manifests as irregular dark spots on leaves and may progress to affect overall plant health.
Learn More About the Dark blotch
Nutrient deficiencies
A lack of nutrients will cause a widespread yellowing of the leaves. The yellowing may begin at the base or top of the plant.
Solutions: There are several easy ways to remedy the nutrient deficiencies in soils. Use a water-soluble fertilizer. Fertilizers will include most or all of the macro and micro-nutrients the plants need to thrive. Adding some fertilizer to the soil will make those nutrients available and can combat deficiencies. Regularly apply organic fertilizer pellets. Organic fertilizers such as animal manures and bonemeal can supply plants with all the nutrients that they need to grow strong and healthy. Apply compost. Though not as finely tuned as artificial fertilizer, compost can nevertheless be rich in important nutrients and should be applied to the soil regularly. Apply nutrients via foliar application. In addition to supplementing the soil with nutrients, foliar fertilizer can be applied directly to the plant's leaves. Nutrients offered via foliar application are often taken up even quicker than those put in the soil, so the foliar application can be great for swiftly addressing specific deficiencies.
Learn More About the Nutrient deficiencies
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Solutions: Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover. Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes. If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray. Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs. Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Learn More About the Scars
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Solutions: If the yellowing and drying of leaves and flowers is a natural progression due to age, nothing can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible.
Learn More About the Aged yellow and dry
Dark blotch
Overview
Symptom
Causes
Treatment
Prevention
Active Period
What is Dark blotch Disease on Taro 'Illustris'?
Dark blotch is a fungal disease affecting 'Taro 'Illustris'', leading to reduced vigor and aesthetic value. It primarily manifests as irregular dark spots on leaves and may progress to affect overall plant health.
Symptom Analysis
In 'Taro 'Illustris'', dark blotch causes irregular dark patches on leaves, often leading to premature leaf drop, reduced photosynthesis, and stunted growth.
What Causes Dark blotch Disease on Taro 'Illustris'?
1
Fungi
Dark blotch is caused by certain fungi that thrive in wet, humid conditions, infiltrating the leaf tissues and disrupting normal plant functions.
How to Treat Dark blotch Disease on Taro 'Illustris'?
1
Non pesticide
Remove affected areas: Carefully prune infected leaves and dispose of them properly to reduce fungal load.
Improve air circulation: Spacing plants adequately and ensuring good air flow can help reduce moisture on leaf surfaces.
2
Pesticide
Fungicidal sprays: Apply fungicides specifically labeled for fungal leaf spots, following the manufacturer's directions.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Nutrient deficiencies
A lack of nutrients will cause a widespread yellowing of the leaves. The yellowing may begin at the base or top of the plant.
Overview
Nutrient deficiencies can be seen in many different ways on plants. Basically, the lack of nutrients will inhibit plant growth, produce weak stems and leaves, and leave plants open to infection from pests and diseases. Plants use the nutrients from the soil to help them with photosynthesis. This, in turn, produces healthy plant growth. Plants that lack adequate amounts of nutrients will look lackluster and unhealthy. Eventually, if this is not addressed, it will cause the plants to die. The most important nutrients that plants need are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Additionally, plants require small amounts of micronutrients such as iron, boron, manganese, zinc, copper, and molybdenum.
Symptom Analysis
A common sign that plants are experiencing nutrient deficiencies is the yellowing of leaves. This may be an overall yellowing or leaves that are yellow but still have green veins. These leaves will eventually brown off and die.
Another sign is the loss of plant vigor. The plants may not be growing as well as they should or their growth may be stunted.
Below are some common symptoms that appear when plants are lacking in nutrients.
Nitrogen (N): Inner, older leaves yellow first. If the deficiency is severe, yellowing progresses outward to newer growth.
Potassium (K): Leaf edges may turn brown and crinkly, with a yellowing layer forming just inside of the edge. Older leaves tend to be impacted first.
Phosphorus (P): Lack of vigorous growth. Plants will appear stunted.
Zinc (Zn): Yellowing tends to occur first at the base of the leaf.
Copper (Cu): Newer leaves begin to yellow first, with older leaves yellowing only if the deficiency becomes severe.
Boron (B): Newer leaves are impacted first. Foliage may also become particularly brittle in cases of boron deficiency.
Disease Cause
There are several factors that can lead to nutrient deficiencies, a situation where plants are not receiving the nutrients that they need. This could be because they are planted in nutrient-deficient soils, or that the soil's pH is too high or low. Incorrect soil pH can lock up certain nutrients, thus making them unavailable to plants. Lack of soil moisture can also be a problem, because plants need water to be able to absorb the nutrients from the soil.
Solutions
There are several easy ways to remedy the nutrient deficiencies in soils.
Use a water-soluble fertilizer. Fertilizers will include most or all of the macro and micro-nutrients the plants need to thrive. Adding some fertilizer to the soil will make those nutrients available and can combat deficiencies.
Regularly apply organic fertilizer pellets. Organic fertilizers such as animal manures and bonemeal can supply plants with all the nutrients that they need to grow strong and healthy.
Apply compost. Though not as finely tuned as artificial fertilizer, compost can nevertheless be rich in important nutrients and should be applied to the soil regularly.
Apply nutrients via foliar application. In addition to supplementing the soil with nutrients, foliar fertilizer can be applied directly to the plant's leaves. Nutrients offered via foliar application are often taken up even quicker than those put in the soil, so the foliar application can be great for swiftly addressing specific deficiencies.
Prevention
There are several easy ways to prevent nutrient deficiencies in plants.
Regular fertilizing. Regular addition of fertilizer to the soil is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent deficiencies.
Proper watering. Both over and under watering can adversely impact a plant's roots, which in turn makes it harder for them to properly take up nutrients.
Testing the soil's pH. A soil's acidity or alkalinity will impact the degree to which certain nutrients are available to be taken up by plants. Knowing the soil's pH means it can be amended to suit the needs of the individual plants.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Scars
Any light-colored markings that appear on stems but which do not enlarge or multiply are simply scars that have healed.
Symptom Analysis
Scars form when the plant repairs wounds. They can be the result of people or pets passing by and scraping the plant. Once the underlying issue is resolved, the plant will heal but a scar may remain.
Pests and pathogens can also cause scarring. Insects may attack the plant for a meal, resulting in extensive scarring when a few invaders turn into an infestation. Diseases such as fungus and bacteria can weaken the plant, causing brown spots, mushy areas, or blisters that lead to scars.
Scars occur on stems when a leaf or bud has been lost and the plant has healed. The harder tissue is like a scab that protects a wound.
On other occasions, scars can signal problems from environmental conditions, such as overexposure to sunlight or heat. It might surprise you to know that plants can suffer from sunburn, even desert dwellers like cactus!
Solutions
Each source of scarring requires a different approach to help your plant recover.
Protect the trunk and leaves from physical damage like scrapes.
If pests or disease are the cause of scarring, isolate the plant from others to avoid further spread. Some pests can be removed with organic remedies such as a soft cloth and soapy water solution or diluted isopropyl alcohol spray.
Stop sunburn by moving your plant away from direct sunlight and making sure it has the water it needs.
Frequent leaf or bud loss may be due to insufficient light or nutrients.
Prevention
Preventing some sources of scarring is easier than others, but all start with careful attention to your plants once you decide to bring them home.
Review specific guidelines for your plant, including soil drainage, watering, and fertilizer requirements.
Inspect plants before planting and use sterile pots and fresh potting soil or media to limit transfer of fungi or bacteria.
Once established, check your plants regularly for signs of scarring or the presence of pests, as it is better to catch problems as early as possible.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
Aged yellow and dry
Natural aging can cause leaves to turn yellow and dry out.
Overview
Regardless of the type of plant or where it is grown, at some point, it will begin to aged yellow and dry. This is a natural, unavoidable process that happens when the plant has completed all of the steps in its life.
Annual plants go through this process at the end of a single growing season. Perennial plants live for multiple years, if not tens or hundreds of years, but will still ultimately exhibit these symptoms.
Symptom Analysis
When plants have progressed through their natural developmental stages and are nearing the end of their lifecycle, they begin showing signs of decline. Leaves will start to yellow and droop, and over time they turn papery brown and dry.
Once completely dry, the leaves begin to fall from the plant until the entire plant has dried out.
Disease Cause
At the end of its life, genetic coding within the plant increases the production of ethylene, a phytohormone that controls senescence or natural aging and death. Cell division stops, and the plant begins catabolizing resources to use in other parts of the plant.
As this happens, the tissues begin yellow and drying until the entire plant is desiccated and perishes.
Solutions
If the yellowing and drying of leaves and flowers is a natural progression due to age, nothing can be done to slow or stop the process. Once hormones within the plant begin the process of senescence, it’s irreversible.
Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent plants from dying of “old age.” To help prolong their life, and put off symptoms of aged yellow and dry for as long as possible, take care of them by giving them enough water, fertilizing them appropriately, and making sure they get enough sunlight.
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants unlimited guides at your fingertips...
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