Re: Xanthosoma saggitifolia (malanga) or "Taro"? (fwd)

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 1998.06.12 at 13:40:42(2279) Dear Judy, As you may have recently read on Aroid-l, there have been many discussions on these commercially available edible Aroids, and there is a page http://www.i2i-2000.com/~lkallus/aroids/plnthome/htm where you can at least get the names used in the ethnic stores, but the Winn Dixies and Publix`s pose a problem, as they are generally staffed by "gringas and gringos" who know nothing about these exotic foods. If you like I could look back at the many letters and forward them to you, let me know. +More The elongate tubers of "malanga" (NOT taro, which will be more egg-shaped and larger) with the pink tip will either be X. violacium, OR a new (to us) species that grows with green leaves; it originates (is grown) in Costa Rica, while "true" X. violacium which is a beautiful plant has been purchased in Jamaican stores as "red co co". The two tubers seem identical, while the plants are very different. The one with the green tip is probably "true" X. sagittifolia (commercially grown in S. Florida) and the tubers are generally more "bumpy", and the areas around the bumps whitish, than the ones with pink tips. I have seen all of them easily grown by potting them point-up with just the tip of the point exposed. >Hi Aroiders, I just returned from Harris-Teeter, Concord NC. Their Xanthosoma saggitifolia (malanga) is being sold as Taro for about $2.69 per pound. One of these “Taro’s” had a purple skin around a tiny emerging bud. Another “Taro” had a tiny green bud. While I was examining the

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