As we try to come up with things to do to make our days productive this Pandemic, a lot of people are leaning towards Gardening. Here in the Philippines, people are becoming crazy with a certain plant. It has large leaves which resembles an Elephant’s ear.
Badjang, as we call it here in the Philippines, scientifically called Alocasia macrorrhizos, is a species of flowering plant in the arum family that it is native to rainforests of Island Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland and has long been cultivated here in the Philippines, many Pacific islands, and elsewhere in the tropics. It is also famous as Giant Taro.
The giant taro was originally domesticated in the Philippines, but are known from wild specimens to early Austronesians in Taiwan. From the Philippines, they spread outwards to the rest of Island Southeast Asia and eastward to Oceania where it became one of the staple crops of Pacific Islanders. They are one of the four main species of aroids (taros) cultivated by Austronesians primarily as a source of starch, the others being Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, Colocasia esculenta, and Cyrtosperma merkusii, each with multiple cultivated varieties. Their leaves and stems are also edible if cooked thoroughly, though this is rarely done for giant taro as it contains higher amounts of raphides which cause itching.
Most of us here in the country are familiar with Gretchen Fullido as she graced our television screens to bring us the latest celebrity news in the segment Star Patrol on ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol. She is also known as a model, host, and a triathlete.
There is, however, another side to Fullido that has piqued the interest of many: she’s a plant mom as well!
Using her official Facebook page, the anchor posted photos of her plant babies that she has been growing over the years. One particular variety that caught the eye of many because of its size and pleasing appearance is Fullido’s alocasia (Alocasia marorrhizos) which she named ‘Cher.’
Moreover, Manny Pacquiao’s wife, Jinkee, took to Instagram to share a photo featuring one of her latest plant obsessions, coupled with a positive reminder: “When you woke up this morning, God gave you a gift called ‘today.’ Always remember how precious this gift is because you can never get back the time that has gone by.”
The photo was also cross-posted on her Facebook page, and that was where the comments started pouring in. Plantitas and plantitos were quick to identify the plant as a variegated alocasia plant or “elephant ear” plant. But instead of the gratitude that Jinkee wanted to inspire, these plant-obsessed netizens ended up feeling green with envy for the gigantic, big-leafed specimen—albeit playfully, of course!
Aubrey Miles, one of the Actress here in the Philippines is also one of those who is fond of Planting. Her husband Troy Montero shares the same passion.
Taro has a lot of benefits to our health. Taro root is an excellent source of dietary fiber and good carbohydrates, which both improve the function of your digestive system and can contribute to healthy weight loss. Its high levels of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin E also help to maintain a healthy immune system and may eliminate free radicals.
Taro leaves are the heart-shaped leaves of the taro plant (Colocasia esculenta), commonly grown in subtropical and tropical regions.
While generally known for its edible, starchy root, the leaves of the taro plant also serve as a staple food in various cuisines.
While consuming cooked taro leaves may offer some health benefits, it’s important to note that the raw leaves are poisonous before cooking.
I myself personally is trying to keep a Badjang. Keeping my fingers crossed, I hope to witness its greatness one day.
Cheerio!
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