ELEPHANT EAR

ELEPHANT EAR

LATIN NAME: ALOCASIA MACRORRHIZOS

HOMELAND: SOUTH PACIFIC

Jack Spriggins's plant reaching Heaven

Alocasia plant species, which are both an important figure of local mythologies and an important food source for cuisines, including the South Pacific Islands and Hawaii, stretching from Indonesia to New Zealand, are also noteworthy plants of alternative food sources researches made in recent years.

Alocasia plants, which are cooked from both leaves and roots in local cuisines, were introduced to Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in India in 2019 by Dr. Bakulranjan Jana was proposed as an alternative food source in the expected food crisis for future generations with a scientific article. This article was published by the International Horticultural Society ISHS with article number 1241_5 in the same year.

The alocasia plant, which is almost the main product of Hawaiian traditional cuisine, also has a value beyond food for the local people of Hawaii with its important role in the creation epic of Hawaiian Mythology.

Seen as essential for social survival and prosperity by Hawaiian locals, the alocasia plant also symbolizes Taro, the stillborn son of Wakea, the sky god in Hawaiian mythology. According to mythology, the first alocasia plant came out of the grave where the stillborn son was buried, and the name Taro has been the most used name of this plant throughout the world. Halao, the second son of the god of the sky, turned into a human and led to the emergence of the human race.

Alocasia, from which is used both roots and leaves in Malay, Pacific and Hawaiian traditional cuisines, especially in Indian Cuisine. The dish called Luau, which is made from its leaves in Hawaiian Cuisine is remarkable with its similarity to spinach at first glance.

In Arthur Rakham's picture book Jack and the Beanstalk published in 1918, the comparison of the leaves of the plant reaching Heaven to alocasia, has led to the spread of the myth that the plant in this tale is alocasia. Today, the alocasia plant is still marketed as Jak Spriggins's plant that reaches Heaven.