Особенности и тайна Цветочного Таро. Растение taro

Таро фрукт |medsovet103.ru

Таро — это растение, которое часто встречается в Юго-Восточной Азии. Это растение имеет общее с картофелем, так что некоторые районы могут называть его «картофель тропиков», поскольку таро выращивается в тропическом регионе. В некоторых местностях коренных жителей таро было исключительной пищей в диетическом питании. Корень таро содержит что много крахмала, как рис или другая еда. Поэтому большое количество таро фруктов также используется в качестве пищи в азиатском обществе.

Таро — растение, которое выращивается в полу-экзотическом и уникальном месте. От растущего растения таро используются листья и корень (клубни). Отличный вкус заставляет многих людей испытывать желание выращивать эти растения. Несмотря на родину этого фрукта таро из Юго-Восточной Азии, растение уже популярен среди иностранных государств, таких как Западная Африка.

Потребление таро корня не должно употребляться в сыром виде, так как оно может повредить здоровье. Эти фрукты должны быть полностью приготовлены для съедобности и приятного ощущения во рту.

Таро фрукт не только хорош во вкусе, но также имеет некоторые преимущества для здоровья тела. Здесь мы увидим, каковы преимущества для здоровья фрукта таро?

Польза для здоровья таро фрукта

Таро — это здоровые растения, в которых есть, разнообразные минералы и витамины. Среди них калий, кальций, витамин B, витамин E, витамин C, магний, марганец, медь. Листья таро состоят из большого количества витамина А, витамина С, клетчатки и белка. Количество питательных веществ в таро очень много и это растение дает массу преимуществ для здоровья.

Снижение артериального давления

Корень таро содержит много калия, который является основным минералом, отвечающим за обеспечение нормализации крови, чтобы получить благоприятное воздействие на кровяное давление. Потребление таро замечательно для тех, кто является пожилым, наряду с теми, кто подвергается риску артериального давления.

Не содержит глютен

Таро — это фрукт, лишенный клейковины. Но это растение содержит фито-качественное питание, такие как антиоксиданты и клетчатка. 

Уменьшить риск сердечных заболеваний

Преимущества здоровья таро также связаны с сердцем. Таро фрукт— это здоровая пища без холестерина и мало количества жира. Это основная причина, по которой таро полезен для сердечных пациентов. Те люди, которые предпочитают потреблять таро, обычно имеют меньше возможностей для сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний.

Корень таро содержит существенный уровень калия, который является еще одним из жизненно важных минералов. Калий не только облегчает передачу здоровой жидкости между мембранами и тканями по всему телу, но и помогает устранить стресс и давление на кровеносные сосуды и артерии (по Милости Аллаха).

Расслабляя вены и кровеносные сосуды, можно снизить артериальное давление и снизить нагрузку на сердечно-сосудистую систему. Калий на самом деле даже был связан с повышенной когнитивной функцией из-за того, что нервные связи могут быть увеличены при снижении артериального давления и повышении передачи жидкости между нервными мембранами.

Жареный таро фрукт со свежими огурцами

Похудеть

Таро — это фрукт, который хорош для потери веса из-за того, что он состоит из малого количества жира и содержит много клетчатки. Итак, не забудьте ввести таро в свой рацион.

Низкое содержание натрия

Таро — это клубень с низким содержанием натрия, для тех из вас, кто хочет уменьшить потребление натрия, таро подходит для Вас. Таро составляет всего 1% от ежедневных потребностей натрия. Почему соль должна быть предотвращена? Избыточная соль в организме может вызвать проблемы со здоровьем, такие как проблемы с почками, высокое кровяное давление и повреждение клеток крови в организме.

Много клетчатки

Кроме того, таро для здоровья преимущества хватает изо дня в день потребности в клетчатке. Эти фрукты могут удовлетворить потребность в каждодневных волокнах приблизительно 27%. Кроме того, волокно является исключительным средством, особенно для здоровья, связанного с желудочно-кишечным трактом, таким как толстая кишка, желудок и т. д. Потребление пищевых продуктов с высоким содержанием клетчатки может снизить риск развития рака толстой кишки, избежать накопления холестерина в организме.

Говоря о раке, корень таро также играет важную роль для антиоксидантной активности в нашем организме. Высокий уровень витамина А, витамина С и других фенольных антиоксидантов, обнаруженных в корнях таро, увеличивает нашу иммунную систему и помогает избавиться от опасных абсолютно свободных радикалов из нашей системы.

Свободные радикалы являются опасным побочным продуктом клеточного метаболизма, который может заставить здоровые клетки мутировать и развиваться в раковые клетки. Криптоксантин, который содержится в корнях таро, напрямую связан с уменьшением шансов развития как рака легких, так и рака полости рта.

Пища с низким гликемическим индексом

Таро фрукт является едой с низкогликемическим пищевым индексом, которые могут понизить уровень сахара в крови в печени медленно. Преимуществом является снижение уровня глюкозы в крови, а также снижение веса. Он идеально подходит для тех, у кого диабет. Высокое содержание клетчатки в корне таро помогает сохранить чувство полной и необратимой потери веса.

Пищевая клетчатка может также помочь уменьшить шансы установления диабета, поскольку она регулирует выделение инсулина и глюкозы в организме. Если у вас есть достаточный уровень волокна, который обеспечивает корень таро, вы можете справиться с гликемическим уровнем и снизить шансы на установление диабета. Если у вас диабет, то богатые клетчаткой продукты, такие как корень таро, могут помочь предотвратить скачки глюкозы крови, которые могут быть настолько опасны.

Избежать усталости

Корневые добавки таро поставляются в качестве продуктов для спортсменов, потому что они состоят из продуктов с низким гликемическим индексом. Эти продукты уменьшат усталость и заставят тело оставаться в форме в течение дня.

Таро фрукт содержит аминокислоты и омега-3

Корень таро является хранилищем для аминокислот. Более 17 видов аминокислот, обнаруженных в корне таро, и это необходимо для здоровья. Среди них омега-3 и омега-6, который является важным компонентом для здоровья сердца и защиты от рака.

Преимущества для омолаживания

Японский таро фрукт — это высокая концентрация продуктов гиалуроновой кислоты. Это важнейшее вещество в организме для регенерации клеток. Кроме того, таро также состоящая из гиалуроновой кислоты, приносит пользу, чтобы держать ваше тело молодым в течение всего года.

С витамином Е и витамином А наша кожа хорошо защищена, когда мы включаем корень таро в нашу диету. Оба этих важных витамина работают, чтобы избавиться от кожных заболеваний и улучшить общее состояние системы, что позволяет предположить, что наши травмы и угри заживают быстрее, морщины могут быть уменьшены, и здоровое сияние может быть возвращено на кожу. 

Пищеварительное здоровье

Одной из наиболее важных функций корня таро в рационе является его роль в пищеварении. Высокий уровень клетчатки, обнаруженный в корне таро (одна порция включает 27% ежедневного потребления пищевых волокон), делает его очень важным для поддержания нашего здоровья желудочно-кишечного тракта. Клетчатка помогает добавлять массу в движения кишечника, тем самым помогая перемещению пищи через пищеварительный тракт и помогая в улучшении пищеварения.

Это может помочь предотвратить особые условия, такие как избыток газа, вздутие живота, спазмы, запоры, а также диарея. Здоровая, регулируемая кишечная система может значительно повысить общее состояние здоровья и снизить шансы многих видов рака.

Листья таро фрукта

Улучшает зрение

Как было указано выше, таро фрукт включает в себя различные антиоксиданты, включая бета-каротин и криптоксантин. Эти антиоксиданты могут также помочь улучшить зрение, предотвращая нападение свободных радикалов на глазные клетки и вызывая дегенерацию желтого пятна или катаракту.

Здоровая иммунной системы

Обильное содержание витамина С в таро очень полезно для повышения устойчивости организма. Витамин C полезен в качестве антиоксиданта, который полезен для избавления от полностью свободных радикалов в организме (вызывает повреждение клеток), так что иммунная система организма улучшается и сопротивляется из-за легкой болезни, такой как кашель, лихорадка и холод.

Возможно, наиболее важным элементом корня таро для здоровья является его функция в иммунной системе организма. В каждой порции содержится действительно высокий уровень витамина С, что стимулирует иммунную систему к образованию белых кровяных телец, которые защищают организм от инородных патогенов и представителей. Кроме того, витамин С функционирует как антиоксидант, который частично предотвращает развитие таких заболеваний, как болезни сердца и рак.

Стимуляция кровяной системы

Минеральное содержание корня таро имеет множество полезных применений, однако двойное присутствие железа и меди в корне таро делает его очень важной пищей, чтобы избежать анемии и увеличить поток по всему телу. Железо и медь необходимы для производства красных кровяных телец, которые приводят кислород в системы и клетки нашего организма.

Уменьшая свои шансы на анемию (нехватка железа) и увеличивая циркуляцию крови в организме, вы можете ускорить общий метаболический процесс, рост новых клеток и основную оксигенацию организма, что постоянно является прекрасной идеей сохранить органы и системы работающих на оптимальном уровне.

Последнее слово

Преимущества для здоровья таро фрукта включают его способность улучшать пищеварение, понижать уровень глюкозы в крови, избегать определенных видов рака, защищать кожу, улучшать зрение, улучшать кровообращение, снижать кровяное давление, помогать иммунной системе организма и предотвращать болезни сердца. А также поддерживает здоровье мышц и нервов.

Единственная серьезная проблема с корнем таро — исключительно высокое содержание калорий. Каждые 100 граммов включает 112 калорий, что может стать проблемой для людей, пытающихся сбросить вес. В нем больше углеводов по объему, чем в картофеле, поэтому его преувеличение с корнем таро может вызвать проблемы с весом, если вы не проявляете осторожности. Ешьте корень таро в небольших количествах, чтобы получить преимущества для здоровья, не пакуя килограммы.

Удачи! Хороших выходных.

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Colocasia esculenta - Wikipedia

Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Colocasia
Species:	C. esculenta
Colocasia esculenta(L.) Schott
Alocasia dussii Dammer Alocasia illustris W.Bull Aron colocasium (L.) St.-Lag. Arum chinense L. Arum colocasia L. Arum colocasioides Desf. Arum esculentum L. Arum lividum Salisb. Arum nymphaeifolium (Vent.) Roxb. Arum peltatum Lam. Caladium acre R.Br. Caladium colocasia (L.) W.Wight nom. illeg. Caladium colocasioides (Desf.) Brongn. Caladium esculentum (L.) Vent. Caladium glycyrrhizum Fraser Caladium nymphaeifolium Vent. Caladium violaceum Desf. Caladium violaceum Engl. Calla gaby Blanco Calla virosa Roxb. Colocasia acris (R.Br.) Schott Colocasia aegyptiaca Samp. Colocasia colocasia (L.) Huth nom. inval. Colocasia euchlora K.Koch & Linden Colocasia fonstanesii Schott Colocasia gracilis Engl. Colocasia himalensis Royle Colocasia neocaledonica Van Houtte Colocasia nymphaeifolia (Vent.) Kunth Colocasia peltata (Lam.) Samp. Colocasia vera Hassk. Colocasia violacea (Desf.) auct. Colocasia virosa (Roxb.) Kunth Colocasia vulgaris Raf. Leucocasia esculenta (L.) Nakai Steudnera virosa (Roxb.) Prain Zantedeschia virosa (Roxb.) K.Koch

Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corms, the root vegetables most commonly known as taro. It is believed to be one of the earliest cultivated plants.[4]Linnaeus originally described two species which are now known as Colocasia esculenta and Colocasia antiquorum of the cultivated plants that are known by many names including eddoes, dasheen, taro and madumbi, but many later botanists consider them all to be members of a single, very variable species, the correct name for which is Colocasia esculenta.[5][6]

Taro () commonly refers to the plant Colocasia esculenta, the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the Araceae family which are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, and petioles.

Colocasia esculenta is thought to be native to Southern India and Southeast Asia, but is widely naturalised.[7][8] It is a perennial, tropical plant primarily grown as a root vegetable for its edible starchy corm, and as a leaf vegetable. It is a food staple in African, Oceanic and Indian cultures and is believed to have been one of the earliest cultivated plants.[4]Colocasia is thought to have originated in the Indomalaya ecozone, perhaps in East India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and spread by cultivation eastward into Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands; westward to Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean Basin; and then southward and westward from there into East Africa and West Africa, where it spread to the Caribbean and Americas. It is known by many local names and often referred to as "elephant ears" when grown as an ornamental plant. At around 3.3 million metric tons per year, Nigeria is the largest producer of taro in the world.

This plant and its root is generally called taro, but it has different names in different countries like for instance eddoe, or malanga. In the Philippines and Haiti, it is usually called gabi, abi or avi. In Java the plant received the name of tales, which became taro in Tahiti, ndalo in Fiji, talo in Samoa, in Egypt it is called colcas (قلقاس), kalo in Hawaii and amateke in Rwanda.[9]:23

Taxonomy[edit]

The specific epithet, esculenta, means "edible" in Latin.

Taro is related to Xanthosoma and Caladium, plants commonly grown as ornamentals, and like them it is sometimes loosely called elephant ear.

Description[edit]

The plant has rhizomes of different shapes and sizes. Leaves are up to 40 × 24.8 cm and sprout from the rhizome. They are dark green above and light green beneath, triangular-ovate, sub-rounded and mucronate at the apex, with the tip of the basal lobes rounded or sub-rounded. The petiole is 0.8–1.2 m high. The path can be up to 25 cm long. The spadix is about three fifths as long as the spathe, with flowering parts up to 8 mm in diameter. The female portion is at the fertile ovaries intermixed with sterile white ones. Neuters grow above the females, and are rhomboid or irregular oblong in shape. The male portion is above the neuter. Leaves are synandrium lobed, with six or eight cells. The appendage is shorter than the male portion.

Distribution and habitat[edit]

Taro was probably first native to the lowland wetlands of Malaysia, where it is called taloes. Estimates are that taro was in cultivation in wet tropical India before 5000 BC, presumably coming from Malaysia, and from India further transported westward to ancient Egypt, where it was described by Greek and Roman historians as an important crop.

In Australia, Colocasia esculenta var. aquatilis is native to the Kimberley region of Western Australia; variety esculenta is naturalised in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.

In Turkey, Colocasia esculenta is locally known as gölevez and mainly grown on the Mediterranean coast, such as the Alanya & Anamur district of Antalya.

In the southeastern USA, this plant is recognized as an invasive species.[10][11][12][13]

Cultivation[edit]

Taro can be grown in paddy fields where water is abundant or in upland situations where water is supplied by rainfall or supplemental irrigation. Taro is one of the few crops (along with rice and lotus) that can be grown under flooded conditions. This is due to air spaces in the petiole, which permit underwater gaseous exchange with the atmosphere. For a maximum dissolved oxygen supply, the water should be cool and flowing. Warm, stagnant water causes basal rotting. For maximum yields, the water level should be controlled so that the base of the plant is always under water.

Flooded cultivation has some advantages over dry-land cultivation: higher yields (about double), out-of-season production (which may result in higher prices), and weed control (which flooding facilitates). On the other hand, in flooded production systems taro requires a longer maturation period, investment in infrastructure, and higher operational costs, and monoculture is likely.

Like most root crops, taro and eddoes do well in deep, moist or even swampy soils where the annual rainfall exceeds 2,500 mm. Eddoes are more resistant to drought and cold. The crop attains maturity within six to twelve months after planting in dry-land cultivation and after twelve to fifteen months in wetland cultivation. The crop is harvested when the plant height decreases and the leaves turn yellow. These signals are usually less distinct in flooded taro cultivation.

Harvesting is usually done by hand tools, even in mechanized production systems. First, the soil around the corm is loosened, and then, the corm is pulled up by grabbing the base of the petioles. The global average yield is 6.2 tonnes/hectare but varies according to the region. In Asia, average yields reach 12.6 tonnes/hectare.[15]

Taro's primary use is the consumption of its edible corm and leaves. In its raw form, the plant is toxic due to the presence of calcium oxalate,[16][17] and the presence of needle-shaped raphides in the plant cells. However, the toxin can be minimized and the tuber rendered palatable by cooking,[18] or by steeping in cold water overnight.

Corms of the small round variety are peeled and boiled, sold either frozen, bagged in its own liquids, or canned. The leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals. It is also sold as an ornamental aquatic plant.

It is also used for anthocyanin study experiments especially with reference to abaxial and adaxial anthocyanic concentration.[19]

The corms, which have a light purple color due to phenolic pigments,[20] are roasted, baked or boiled, and the natural sugars give a sweet nutty flavor. The starch is easily digestible, and since the grains are fine and small it is often used for baby food. Young taro leaves and stems can be eaten after boiling twice to remove the acrid flavor, and the leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C and contain more protein than the corms.

Azores[edit]

In the Azores taro is known as inhame or inhame-coco and is commonly steamed with potatoes, vegetables and meats or fish. It is also consumed as a dessert after first being steamed and peeled, then fried in vegetable oil or lard, and finally sprinkled with sugar. Taro grows in the fertile land of the Azores, as well as in creeks that are fed by mineral springs. Through migration to other countries, the inhame is found in the Azorean diaspora.

Bangladesh[edit]

In Bangladesh taro is a very popular vegetable known as kochu (কচু) or mukhi (মুখি). It is usually cooked with small prawns or the ilish fish into a curry, but some dishes are cooked with dried fish. Its green leaves, kochu pata (কচু পাতা), and stem, kochu (কচু), are also eaten as a favorite dish and usually ground to a paste or finely chopped to make shak – but it must be boiled well beforehand. Taro stolons or stems, kochur loti (কচুর লতি), are also favored by Bangladeshis and cooked with shrimp, dried fish or the head of the ilish fish.[21] Taro is available, either fresh or frozen, in the UK and US in most Asian stores and supermarkets specialising in Bangladeshi or South Asian food. Also, another variety called maan kochu is consumed and is a rich source of vitamins and nutrients. Maan Kochu is pasted and fried to prepare a delicious food known as Kochu Bata.

Brazil[edit]

In Lusophone countries, inhame (pronounced [ĩ ˈ ȷ̃ɐ̃mi], [ˈ ȷ̃ɐ̃mi] or [ĩˑˈɲɐ̃mi], literally "yam") and cará are the common names for various plants with edible parts of the genera Alocasia, Colocasia (family Araceae) and Dioscorea (family Dioscoreaceae), and its respective starchy edible parts, generally tubers, with the exception of Dioscorea bulbifera, called cará-moela (pronounced [kɐˈɾa muˈɛlɐ], literally, "gizzard yam"), in Brazil and never deemed to be an inhame. Definitions of what constitutes an inhame and a cará vary regionally, but the common understanding in Brazil is that carás are potato-like in shape, while inhames are more oblong.

In the "broad" lower class Brazilian Portuguese of the hotter and drier Northeastern region, both inhames and carás are called batata (literally, "potato"). For differentiation, potatoes are called batata-inglesa (literally, "English potato"), a name used in other regions and sociolects to differentiate it from the batata-doce, "sweet potato", ironic names since both were first cultivated by the indigenous peoples of South America, their native continent, and only later introduced in Europe by the colonizers.

Taros are often prepared like potatoes, eaten boiled, stewed or mashed, generally with salt and sometimes garlic as a condiment, as part of a meal (most often lunch or dinner).

Chinese cuisine[edit]

China[edit]

Taro (simplified Chinese: 芋头; traditional Chinese: 芋頭; pinyin: yùtou; Cantonese Yale: wuhtáu), is commonly used as a main course as steamed taro with or without sugar, as a substitute for other cereals, in Chinese cuisine in a variety of styles and provinces steamed, boiled or stir-fried as a main dish and as a flavor-enhancing ingredient. In Northern China, it is often boiled or steamed then peeled and eaten with or without sugar much like a potato. It is commonly braised with pork or beef. It is used in the dim sum cuisine of southern China to make a small plated dish called taro dumpling as well as a pan-fried dish called taro cake. It can also be shredded into long strips which are woven together to form a seafood birdsnest.

Taro cake is a delicacy traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year celebrations. As a dessert, it can be mashed into a purée or used as a flavoring in tong sui, bubble tea, ice cream, and other desserts such as Sweet Taro Pie. McDonald's sells taro-flavored pies in China.

Taro is mashed in the dessert known as taro purée.

Taiwan[edit]

In Taiwan, taro – yùtóu (芋頭) in Mandarin, and ō͘-á (芋仔) in Taiwanese – is well-adapted to Taiwanese climate and can grow almost anywhere with minimal maintenance. Before the Taiwan Miracle made rice affordable to everyone, taro was one of the main staple in Taiwan. Nowadays taro is used more often in desserts. Supermarket varieties range from about the size and shape of a brussels sprout to longer, larger varieties the size of a football. Taro chips are often used as a potato-chip-like snack. Compared to potato chips, taro chips are harder and have a nuttier flavor. Another popular traditional Taiwanese snack is taro ball, served on ice or deep-fried.

Cook Islands[edit]

Taro is the pre-eminent crop of the Cook Islands and surpasses all other crops in terms of land area devoted to production. The prominence of the crop in the Cook Islands has also led to it being a staple of the population′s diet. Taro is grown across the country, but the method of cultivation depends on the nature of the island it is grown upon. Taro also plays an important role in the export trade of the country.[22] The root is eaten boiled, as is standard across Polynesia. Taro leaves are also eaten as a delicacy, cooked with coconut milk, onion, and meat or fish.[citation needed]

Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama[edit]

In Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama, taro is eaten in soups, as a replacement for potatoes, and as chips. It is known locally as malanga (also malanga coco) in Costa Rica, quiquizque in Nicaragua, and as "otoe" in Panama.

East Africa[edit]

In Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, taro is commonly known as arrow root, ggobe, or nduma and madhumbe in some local Bantu languages. It is usually boiled and eaten with tea or other beverages, or as the main starch of a meal. It is also cultivated in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

Egypt[edit]

In Egypt, taro is known as qolqas (Egyptian Arabic: قلقاس‎, IPA: [ʔolˈʔæːs]). The corms are larger than what would be found in North American supermarkets. After being peeled completely, it is cooked in one of two ways. It is cut into small cubes and cooked in broth with fresh coriander and chard and served as an accompaniment to meat stew, or it may be sliced and cooked with minced meat and tomato sauce.[23]

In the army, the black dish (الطبخة السودا al-ṭabkha al-sawda) is a combination of eggplants and unpeeled taro halves.[citation needed]

Europe[edit]

Taro was consumed by the early Romans in much the same way the potato is today. They called this root vegetable colocasia. The Roman cookbook Apicius mentions several methods for preparing taro, including boiling, preparing with sauces, and cooking with meat or fowl. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the use of taro dwindled in Europe. This was largely due to the decline of trade and commerce with Egypt, previously controlled by Rome. It is still important to note the Taro because when the Spanish and Portuguese sailed to the new world, they brought taro along with them. Taro has remained popular in the Canary Islands.[24] Recently[when?] there has been renewed interest in exotic foods and consumption is increasing.

Cyprus[edit]

In Cyprus, taro has been in use since the time of the Roman Empire. Today it is known as kolokasi (κολοκάσι), which comes from the Ancient Greek name κολοκάσιον ("kolokasion") for lotus root. It is usually sauteed with celery and onion with pork or chicken, in a tomato sauce – a vegetarian version is also available. "Baby" taro is called "poulles" on the island, and after being sauteed the vessel is decaramelised with dry red wine and coriander seeds, then served with freshly squeezed lemon.

Greece[edit]

In Greece, taro grows on Icaria. Icarians credit taro for saving them from famine during World War II. They boil it until tender and serve it as a salad.

Spain[edit]

Taro root is consumed in the south of Spain. Taro is called ñame (which normally designates yams) in Canarian Spanish and is a common crop in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands (Canary Islands, Spain).

Fiji[edit]

Taro (dalo in Fijian) has been a staple of the Fijian diet for centuries, and its cultural importance is celebrated on Taro Day. Its growth as an export crop can be said to have begun in 1993 when the taro leaf blight (Phytophthora colocasiae[25]) decimated the taro industry in neighboring Samoa. Fiji filled the void and was soon supplying taro internationally. Almost 80% of Fiji's exported taro comes from the island of Taveuni where the taro beetle species (Papuana uninodis) is absent. The Fijian taro industry on the main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu faces constant damage from the beetles. The Fiji Ministry of Agriculture and the Land Resources Division of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) are researching pest control and instigating quarantine restrictions to prevent the spread of the pest. Taveuni now exports pest damage-free crops.

Hawaii[edit]

Kalo is the Hawaii name for the Taro plant. The local crop plays an important role in Hawaiian culture, mythology, and cuisine. Kalo is a traditional staple of the native cuisine of Hawaii. Some of the uses for taro include poi, table taro (steamed and served like a potato), taro chips, and luau leaf (to make laulau)). In Hawaii, kalo is farmed under either dryland or wetland conditions. Taro farming in the Hawaiian Islands is challenging owing to the difficulties of accessing fresh water. Kalo is usually grown in "pond fields" known as loʻi. Cool, flowing water yields the best crop. Typical dryland or "upland" varieties (varieties grown in watered but not flooded fields) in Hawaii are lehua maoli and bun long, the latter widely known as "Chinese taro". Bun long is used for making taro chips. Dasheen (also called "eddo") is another dryland variety of C. esculenta grown for its edible corms or just as an ornamental plant. A contemporary Hawaiian diet consists of many tuberous plants, particularly sweet potato and kalo.

The Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service determined the 10-year median production of kalo in Hawaii to be about 6.1 million pounds (2,800 t).[26] However, 2003 taro production in Hawaii was only 5 million pounds (2,300 t), an all-time low since record-keeping started in 1946. The previous low of 1997 was 5.5 million pounds (2,500 t). Despite generally growing demand, production was even lower in 2005—only 4 million pounds, with kalo for processing into poi accounting for 97.5%.[27] Urbanization is one cause driving down harvests from the high of 14.1 million pounds (6,400 t) in 1948, but more recently, the decline has resulted from pests and diseases. A non-native apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) is a major culprit along with a plant rot disease traced to a newly identified species of Fungus in the genus Phytophthora that now affects kalo crops throughout Hawaii. Although pesticides could control both problems to some extent, pesticide use in the loʻi is banned because of the opportunity for chemicals to migrate quickly into streams, and then eventually the sea.[26][27]

Important aspects of Hawaiian culture revolve around kalo cultivation and consumption. For example, the newer name for a traditional Hawaiian feast (luau) comes from the kalo. Young kalo tops baked with coconut milk and chicken meat or octopus arms are frequently served at luaus.[citation needed]

By ancient Hawaiian custom, fighting is not allowed when a bowl of poi is "open". Similarly, it is also considered disrespectful to fight in front of an elder and one should not raise their voice, speak angrily, or make rude comments/gestures. An "open" poi bowl is connected to this concept because Hāloa (kalo) is the name of the firstborn son of the parents who begat the entire human race under Hawaiian legend. Hawaiians identify strongly with kalo. In fact, the Hawaiian term for family, ʻohana, is derived from ʻohā, the shoot or sucker which grows from the kalo corm. The reason being: as young shoots grow from the corm of the kalo plant, so people, too, grow from their family.[28]

Loʻi[edit]

A loʻi is a patch of wetland dedicated to growing kalo (taro). Hawaiians have traditionally used water irrigation systems to produce kalo. Wetland fields produce ten to fifteen times more kalo per acre than dry fields.[29] Wetland-grown kalo need a constant flow of water, and to get this water, fields are usually positioned between the mauka (mountains) and makai (sea). A lo'i specifically denotes wetland kalo growing, not dry land.

The loʻi is part of an ahupuaʻa, a division of land from the mountain to the sea. Ahupuaʻa means "pig altar," and was named for stone altars with pig head carvings that marked the boundaries of each Hawaiian land division. Ideally, an ahuapuaʻa has all necessities in its borders. From the mountains, materials such as wood are provided for thatching roofs and twining rope. The uplands produce crops like sugar cane and sweet potatoes, while the lowlands provide taro and fish. This system typically satisfies the large populations in each ahupuaʻa.[30]

When kalo was brought to Hawaiʻi, there were about 300 varieties (about 100 remain). The kalo plant takes seven months to grow until harvest, so lo`i fields are used in rotation and the soil can be replenished while the loʻi in use has sufficient water. The stems are typically replanted in the lo`i for future kalo harvests. Once harvested, kalo is incorporated into many foods. The leaves are used to make laulau, the corm poi or paʻiʻai, but in order for the plant to be edible, the leaves and the corm must be steamed. Both of these plant parts contain calcium oxalate, which can be harmful if consumed in high amounts. The leaves or furry corms are even known to cause irritation of the skin and pruritus when touched.[31]

History[edit]

One mythological version of Hawaiian ancestry cites the taro plant as an ancestor to Hawaiians. Legend joins the two siblings of high and divine rank: Papahānaumoku ("Papa from whom lands are born", or Earth mother) and Wākea (Sky father). Together they create the islands of Hawaii and a beautiful woman, Hoʻohokukalani (The Heavenly one who made the stars).[32]

The story of kalo begins when Wakea and Papa conceived their daughter, Hoʻohokukalani. Daughter and father then conceived a child together named Hāloanakalaukapalili (Long stalk trembling), but it was stillborn. After the father and daughter buried the child near their house, a kalo plant grew over the grave:[33]

The stems were slender and when the wind blew they swayed and bent as though paying homage, their heart-shaped leaves shivering gracefully as in hula. And in the center of each leaf water gathered, like a mother’s teardrop.[34]

The second child born of Wakea and Hoʻohokukalani was named Hāloa after his older brother. The kalo of the earth was the sustenance for the young brother and became the principal food for successive generations. Now, as man continues to work the wetlands for this sacred crop, he remembers Haloanaka, the ancestor that nourishes him.[35]

India[edit]

In India, taro or eddoe is a common dish served in many ways.

It is called Arvi in Urdu/Hindi in Central & North India, which is often mispronounced as Arbi.

It is called कचु(kachu) in Sanskrit.[36]

In Mizoram, it is called bäl; the leaves, stalks and tubers are eaten as dawl bai. The leaves and stalks are often traditionally preserved to be eaten in dry season as "dawl rëp bai".[37][38]

In Assam, a north-eastern state of India, taro is known as "kosu" (কচু). Various parts of different types of such plants are eaten by making different dishes. The leave buds called "Kosu loti" (কচু লতি) are cooked with sour dried fruits called "Thekera" (থেকেৰা) or sometimes with Tamarind or Elephant apple alone or with a little amount of pulses and sometimes, fishes. Similar dishes are prepared from the long root-like structures called "Kosu thuri". A fried dish with sour objects is also made from its flower (Kosu kala). Soupy dishes are made from solid roots which sometimes is also boiled and taken sometimes with salt as snacks or home-made fast food.

In Manipur, another north-eastern state of India, taro is known as "pan".The kuki tribes called it "bal". Boiled "bal" is snacked as lunch along with chutney or hot chili-flakes besides cooked as a main dish along with smoked or dried meat, beans, mustard leaves. They also sundried the leaves and keep it for future use as broth and hodge-podge. It is widely available and is eaten in many forms, either baked, boiled, and cooked into a curry with Hilsa fish or with fermented soybeans called "Hawai-zaar". The leaves are also used in a special traditional dish called "utti", cooked with peas.

In Himachal Pradesh, a northern state in India, taro is known as ghandyali in Mandi district. The dish called patrodu is made from the leaves of the ghandyali. Also in the capital Shimla, a pancake-style dish, called patra or patid, is made using gram flour.

A tall-growing variety of taro is extensively used on the western coast of India to make patrode, patrade, or patrada, literally a "leaf-pancake". In Dakshin Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, it is used as a morning breakfast dish, either made like fritters or steamed. In the state of Maharashtra, the leaves, called alu che paana, are de-veined, rolled with a paste of gram flour, tamarind paste, red chili powder, turmeric, coriander, asafoetida, and salt, and then steamed. These can be eaten whole or cut into pieces, or shallow fried and eaten as a snack known as alu chi wadi. Alu chya panan chi patal bhaji a lentil and colocasia leaves curry, is also popular. In Goan cuisine as well as the Konkani cuisine Taro leaves are very popular.

In the Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, the leaves of the plant are used to make patra a dish with gram flour, tamarind and other spices.

Sindhis call it kachaloo; they fry it, compress it, and re-fry it to make a dish called tuk which complements Sindhi curry.

In Kerala, a state in southern India, taro corms are known as ചേമ്പ് കിഴങ്ങ് chembu-kizhangu. Taro is used as a staple food, as a side dish, or as an ingredient in various side dishes like sambar. As a staple food, it is steamed and eaten with a spicy chutney of green chilies, tamarind, and shallots. The leaves and stems of certain varieties of taro are used as a vegetable in Kerala.

In other Indian states, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, taro corms are known as sivapan-kizhangu (seppankilangu or cheppankilangu), chamagadda, or in coastal Andhra districts as chaama dumpa in Telugu, and it can be cooked in many ways, such as deep-fried in oil for a side item with rice, or cooked in a tangy tamarind sauce with spices, onion, and tomato.

In the East Indian state of West Bengal, taro roots are thinly sliced and fried to make chips called kochu bhaja. The stem is used to cook a very tasty Kochur saag with fried hilsha fish head or boiled chhola (chickpea), often eaten as a starter with hot rice. The roots are also made into a paste with spices and eaten with rice. The most popular dish is a spicy curry made with prawn and taro roots.

In Mithilanchal region of Bihar, taro root is known as अडुआ and its leaves are called अड़िकंच के पात. A curry of taro leaves is made with mustard paste and आमिल (sun-dried mango pulp used for a sour taste in daal, curry and sour gravy).

In the eastern Indian state of Odisha, taro root is known as saru. Dishes made of taro include saru besara (taro in mustard and garlic paste). It is also an indispensable ingredient in preparing the heart of Odia cuisine, the dalma, where vegetables are cooked with dal. Sliced taro roots, deep fried in oil and mixed with red chili powder and salt, are known as saru chips.

In the north Indian state of Uttarakhand and neighboring Nepal, taro is considered a healthy food cooked in a variety of ways. The delicateGaderi taro of Kumaun, especially from Lobanj region is much sought after. Most commonly it is boiled in tamarind water till tender, then cubes are diced out, which are stir-fried in mustard oil with methi (fenugreek) leaves. Boiling it in salty water in iron cooking pots until it becomes like porridge, is another technique. The young leaves called gaaba, are steamed, then sun-dried and stored for later use. For another use, the taro leaves and stems are used raw as an ingredient for pickles. Crushed leaves and stems are mixed with de-husked urad dal – black lentils and then dried as small balls called badi. The stems may also be sun-dried and stored for later use. On one special day, women worship saptarshi ("seven sages") and eat only rice with taro leaf vegetable.

Jamaica[edit]

In Jamaica, taro is known as coco, cocoyam and dasheen. Corms with flesh which is white throughout are referred to as minty-coco. The leaves are also used to make callaloo.

Japan[edit]

A similar plant in Japan is called satoimo (里芋、サトイモ, literally "village potato"). The "child" and "grandchild" corms (cormels, cormlets) which bud from the parent satoimo, are called koimo (子芋) and magoimo (孫芋), respectively, or more generally imonoko (芋の子). Satoimo has been propagated in Southeast Asia since the late Jōmon period. It was a regional staple before rice became predominant. The tuber, satoimo, is often prepared through simmering in fish stock (dashi) and soy sauce. The stalk, zuiki (ja), can also be prepared a number of ways, depending on the variety.[39]

Korea[edit]

In Korea, taro is called toran (Korean: 토란: "earth egg"), and the corm is stewed and the leaf stem is stir-fried. Taro roots can be used for medicinal purposes, particularly for treating insect bites. It is made into the Korean traditional soup toranguk (토란국). Taro stems are often used as an ingredient in yukgaejang (육개장).

Lebanon[edit]

In Lebanon, taro is known as kilkass and is mainly grown along the Mediterranean coast. The leaves and stems are not consumed in Lebanon and the variety grown produces round to slightly oblong tubers that vary in size from a tennis ball to a small cantaloupe. Kilkass is a very popular winter dish in Lebanon and is prepared in two ways: "kilkass with lentils" is a stew flavored with crushed garlic and lemon juice and ’il’as (Lebanese pronunciation of قلقاس) bi-tahini. Another common method of preparing taro is to boil, peel then slice it into 1 cm thick slices, before frying and marinating in edible "red" sumac. In northern Lebanon, it is known as a potato with the name borshoushi (el-orse borshushi). It is also prepared as part of a lentil soup with crushed garlic and lemon juice. Also in the north, it is known by the name bouzmet, mainly around Menieh, where it is first peeled, and left to dry in the sun for a couple of days. After that, it is stir-fried in lots of vegetable oil in a casserole till golden brown, then a big amount of wedged, welted onions are added, in addition to water, chickpeas and some seasoning. These are all left to simmer for a few hours, and the result is a stew-like dish. It is considered a hard to make delicacy, not only because of the tedious preparation but the consistency and flavour that the taro must reach. The smaller variety of taro is more popular in the north due to its tenderness.

Maldives[edit]

Ala was widely grown in southern atolls of Addu Atoll, Fuvahmulah, Huvadhu Atoll, and Laamu Atoll and is considered a staple even after rice was introduced. Ala and olhu ala are still widely eaten all over Maldives, cooked or steamed with salt to taste and eaten with grated coconut along with chili paste and fish soup. It is also prepared as a curry. The roots are sliced and fried to make chips and are also used to prepare varieties of sweets.[40]

Nepal[edit]

Taro is grown in the Terai and hilly regions of Nepal. The root (corm) of taro is known as pindalu (पिँडालु) and petioles with leaves are known as karkalo (कर्कलो) and also as Gava (गाभा). Almost all parts are eaten in different dishes. Boiled corm of Taro is commonly served with salt, spices, and chilies. Taro is a popular dish in the hilly region. Chopped leaves and petioles are mixed with Urad bean flour to make dried balls called maseura (मस्यौरा). Large taro leaves are used as an alternative to an umbrella when unexpected rain occurs. Popular attachment to taro since ancient times is reflected in popular culture, such as in songs and textbooks. Jivan hamro karkala ko pani jastai ho (जिवन हाम्रो कर्कलाको पानी जस्तै हो) means, "Our life is as vulnerable as water stuck in the leaf of taro".

Taro is cultivated and eaten by Tharu people in the Inner Terai as well. Roots are mixed with dried fish and turmeric, then dried in cakes called sidhara which are curried with radish, chile, garlic and other spices to accompany rice. The Tharu prepare the leaves in a fried vegetable side-dish that also shows up in Maithili cuisine.[41]

Philippines[edit]

Taro is called gabi in the Philippines and is widely available throughout the archipelago. Its adaptability to marshland and swamps make it one of the most common vegetables in the Philippines. The leaves, stems, and corms are all consumed and form part of the local cuisine. A popular recipe for taro is laing; the dish's main ingredients are taro leaves (at times including stems) cooked in coconut milk, and salted with fermented shrimp or fish bagoong.[42] It is sometimes heavily spiced with red hot chilies called siling labuyo. Another dish in which taro is commonly used is the Philippine national stew, sinigang, although radish can be used if taro is not available. This stew is made with pork and beef, shrimp, or fish, a souring agent (tamarind fruit, kamias, etc.) with the addition of peeled and diced corms as thickener. The corm is also prepared as a basic ingredient for ginataan, a coconut milk and taro dessert.

Pakistan[edit]

In Pakistan, taro or eddoe or arvi is a very common dish served with or without gravy; a popular dish is arvi gosht, which includes beef, lamb or mutton. The leaves are rolled along with gram flour batter and then fried or steamed to make a dish called Pakora, which is finished by tempering with red chilies and carrom (ajwain) seeds. Taro or Arvi is also cooked with chopped spinach. The dish called "Arvi Palak" is the second most renowned dish made of Taro.

Papua New Guinea[edit]

The Taro corm is a traditional staple crop for large parts of Papua New Guinea, with a domestic trade extending its consumption to areas where it is not traditionally grown. Taro from some regions has developed particularly good reputations with (for instance) Lae taro being highly prized.

Among the Urapmin people of Papua New Guinea, taro (known in Urap as ima) is the main source of sustenance along with the sweet potato (Urap: wan). In fact, the word for "food" in Urap is a compound of these two words.[43]

Polynesia[edit]

Considered the staple starch of traditional Polynesian cuisine, taro is both a common and prestigious food item that was first introduced to the Polynesian islands by prehistoric seafarers of Southeast Asian derivation. The tuber itself is prepared in various ways, including baking, steaming in earth ovens (umu or imu), boiling, and frying. The famous Hawaiian staple poi is made by mashing steamed taro roots with water. Taro also features in traditional desserts such as Samoan "fa'ausi", which consists of grated, cooked taro mixed with coconut milk and brown sugar. The leaves of the taro plant also feature prominently in Polynesian cooking, especially as edible wrappings for dishes such as Hawaiian laulau, Fijian and Samoan "palusami" (wrapped around onions and coconut milk), and Tongan "lupulu" (wrapped corned beef). Ceremonial presentations on occasion of chiefly rites or communal events (weddings, funerals, etc.) traditionally included the ritual presentation of raw and cooked taro roots/plants. The Hawaiian laulau traditionally contains pork, fish, and lu'au (cooked taro leaf). The wrapping is inedible ti leaves (Hawaiian: lau ki). Cooked taro leaf has the consistency of cooked spinach and is therefore unsuitable for use as a wrapping.

Samoa[edit]

In Samoa, the baby talo leaves and coconut milk are wrapped into parcels and cooked, along with other food, in an umu. The parcels are called palusami or lu'au. The resulting taste is smoky, sweet, savory and has a unique creamy texture. The root is also baked (Talo tao) in the umu or boiled with coconut cream (Faálifu Talo). It has a slightly bland and starchy flavor. It is sometimes called the Polynesian potato.

Sri Lanka[edit]

Many varieties are recorded in Sri Lanka, several being edible, others being toxic to humans and therefore not cultivated. Edible varieties (kiri ala, kolakana ala, gahala, sevel ala) are cultivated for their corms and leaves. Sri Lankans eat corms after boiling them or making them into a curry with coconut milk. The leaves of only one variety (kolakana ala) are eaten.

Suriname[edit]

In Suriname, the taro root is called aroei by the native Indians and is commonly known as "Chinese tayer". The variety known as "eddoe" is also called Chinese tayer. It is a popular cultivar among the maroon population in the interior, also because it is not adversely affected by high water levels. The "dasheen" variety, commonly planted in swamps, is rare, although appreciated for its taste. The closely related Xanthosoma species is the base for the popular Surinamese dish, pom.

Thailand[edit]

In Thai cuisine, taro Thai: เผือก (pheuak) is used in a variety of ways depending on the region. Boiled taro is readily available in the market packaged in small cellophane bags, already peeled and diced, and eaten as a snack. Pieces of boiled taro with coconut milk are a traditional Thai dessert.[44] Raw taro is also often sliced and deep fried and sold in bags as chips (เผือกทอด). As in other Asian countries, taro is a popular flavor for ice cream in Thailand.[45]

Tonga[edit]

Lū is lea faka-Tonga for the edible leaves of the talo/taro plant, as well as the traditional dish made using them. This meal is still prepared for special occasions and especially on Sāpate (Sunday). The dish consists of chopped meat and onions with coconut milk wrapped in a number of lū talo/taro leaves. This is then wrapped traditionally in a lū siaine/banana leaf (nowadays, aluminum foil is often used) and put in the ʻumu to cook. It has a number of named varieties, dependent on the filling:

• Lū pulu – lū with beef, commonly using imported kapapulu (corned beef)
• Lū sipi – lū with lamb
• Lū moa – lū with chicken
• Lū hoosi – lū with horse meat

Trinidad & Tobago[edit]

The leaves of the taro plant are used to make the Trinidadian variant of the Caribbean dish known as callaloo (which is made with okra, dasheen/taro leaves, coconut milk or creme and aromatic herbs) and it is also prepared similarly to steamed spinach. The root of the taro plant is often served boiled, accompanied by stewed fish or meat, curried, often with peas and eaten with roti, or in soups.

Turkey[edit]

Taro (Turkish: gölevez) is grown in the south coast of Turkey, especially in Mersin, Bozyazı, Anamur and Antalya. It is boiled in a tomato sauce or cooked with meat, beans and chickpeas. It is often used to substitute potato.

United States Mainland[edit]

In American Chinatowns, people often use taro in Chinese cuisine, though it is not as popular as in Asian and Pacific nations. Since the late 20th century, taro chips have been available in many supermarkets and natural food stores. In the 1920s, dasheen[nb 1], as it was known, was highly touted by the Secretary of the Florida Department of Agriculture as a valuable crop for growth in muck fields.[47]Fellsmere, Florida, near the east coast, was a farming area deemed perfect for growing dasheen. It was used in place of potatoes and dried to make flour. Dasheen flour was said to make excellent pancakes when mixed with wheat flour.

Venezuela[edit]

In Venezuela, taro is called ocumo chino or "chino" and used in soups and sancochos. Soups contain large chunks of several kinds of tubers, including ocumo chino, especially in the eastern part of the country, where West Indian influence is present. It is also used to accompany meats in "parrillas" (barbecue) or fried cured fish where yuca is not available. Ocumo is an indigenous name; chino means "Chinese", an adjective for produce that is considered exotic. Ocumo without the Chinese denomination is a tuber from the same family, but without taro's inside purplish color. Ocumo is the Venezuelan name for malanga, so ocumo chino means "Chinese malanga". Taro is always prepared boiled. No porridge form is known in the local cuisine.

Vietnam[edit]

In Vietnam, there is a large variety of taro plants. One is called khoai môn, which is used as a filling in spring rolls, cakes, puddings and sweet soup desserts, smoothies and other desserts. Taro is used in the Tết dessert chè khoai môn, which is sticky rice pudding with taro roots. The stems are also used in soups such as canh chua. One is called khoai sọ, which is smaller in size and more delicious than Khoai môn, and of course, more expensive than khoai môn. Another commun taro plant grows roots in shallow waters and grows stems and leaves above the surface of the water. This taro plants have saponin-like substances that make enduring feelings of hot and itch in the mouth and throat. Northern farmers used to plant them to cook the stems and leaves to feed their hogs for their fast re-growth from roots. After the cooking, the saponin in the soup of taro stems and leaves is reduced to the level the trained hogs can eat. Nowadays, this practice is no longer popular in Vietnam agriculture. These taro plants are commonly called khoai ngứa, which literally means "itchy potato".

West Africa[edit]

Taro is consumed as a staple crop in West Africa, particularly in Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. It is called cocoyam in Nigeria, Ghana and Anglophone Cameroon, macabo in Francophone Cameroon, and ede in Igbo language. Cocoyam is often boiled, fried, or roasted and eaten with a sauce. In Ghana, it substitutes for plantain in making fufu when plantains are out of season. It is also cut into small pieces to make a soupy baby food and appetizer called mpotompoto. It is also common in Ghana to find cocoyam chips (deep-fried slices, about 1 mm thick). Cocoyam leaves, locally called kontomire in Ghana, are a popular vegetable for local sauces such as palaver sauce and egusi/agushi stew.[48] It is also commonly consumed in Guinea and parts of Senegal, as a leaf sauce or as a vegetable side, and is referred to as jaabere in the local Pulaar dialect.

West Indies[edit]

Taro is called dasheen,[46] in contrast to the smaller variety of corms called eddo, or tanya in the English speaking countries of the West Indies, and is cultivated and consumed as a staple crop in the region. There are differences amongst the roots mentioned above: taro or dasheen is mostly blue when cooked, tanya is white and very dry, and eddoes are small and very slimy.

In the Spanish speaking countries of the Spanish West Indies taro is called ñame, the Portuguese variant of which (inhame) is used in former Portuguese colonies where taro is still cultivated, including the Azores and Brazil. In Puerto Rico and Cuba, and the Dominican Republic it is sometimes called malanga or yautia. In some countries, such as Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Dominica, the leaves and stem of the dasheen, or taro, are most often cooked and pureed into a thick liquid called callaloo, which is served as a side dish similar to creamed spinach. Callaloo is sometimes prepared with crab legs, coconut milk, pumpkin, and okra. It is usually served alongside rice or made into a soup along with various other roots.

Toxicity[edit]

Taro contains oxalic acid which forms raphides. It is reduced to safe levels by steeping cubed taro roots in cold water overnight and disposing of the water. Calcium oxalate is highly insoluble and contributes to kidney stones. It has been recommended to avoid consuming calcium-rich foods like milk together with taro.[49]

• 

  Several small loʻi (pondfields) in which kalo (taro) is being grown in the Maunawili Valley on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. The ditch on the left in the picture is called an ʻauwai and supplies diverted stream water to the loʻi.

• 

  Taro leaf-stems (petioless) for sale at a market in California, 2009

Similar plants[edit]

Similar taro variety is known as eddoe or Colocasia antiquorum. Other species of taro include giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos), swamp taro (Cyrtosperma merkusii), and arrowleaf elephant's ear (Xanthosoma sagittifolium).

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ The word dasheen originated in Trinidad and is said to be a corruption of de la Chine or da Chine, i.e. taro de la Chine.[46]

1. ^ T. K. Lim (3 December 2014). Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants: Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer. pp. 1036 pages. ISBN 978-94-017-9511-1. :454–460
2. ^ "Colocasia esculenta (L. ) Schott". Retrieved 15 February 2015. 
3. ^ Umberto Quattrocchi (19 April 2016). CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology (5 Volume Set). CRC Press. pp. 3960 pages. ISBN 978-1-4822-5064-0. :1060–1061
4. ^ a b Country profile: Samoa, New Agriculturist Online new-agri.co, accessed June 12, 2006
5. ^ Albert F. Hill (1939), "The Nomenclature of the Taro and its Varieties", Botanical Museum Leaflets, Harvard University, 7 (7): 113–118 
6. ^ "Colocasia esculenta". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 24 April 2015. 
7. ^ Kolchaar, K. 2006 Economic Botany in the Tropics, Macmillan India
8. ^ "Colocasia esculenta". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 19 February 2015. 
9. ^ Dastidar, Sayantani Ghosh (December 2009). COLOCASIA ESCULENTA: AN ACCOUNT OF ITS ETHNOBOTANY AND POTENTIALS (PDF). The University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved 25 August 2017. 
10. ^ "Invasive Plants to Watch for in Georgia" (PDF). Georgia Invasive Species Task Force. Retrieved 11 August 2015. 
11. ^ Colocasia esculenta. Texasinvasives.org
12. ^ Colocasia esculenta, Florida Invasive Plants
13. ^ Colocasia esculenta, University of Florida
14. ^ Faostat UN Food & Agriculture Organisation
15. ^ FAO: Taro cultivation in Asia and the Pacific, 1999 Archived 2011-08-07 at the Wayback Machine.
16. ^ Weird Foods from around the World Archived April 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
17. ^ ASPCA: Animal Poison Control Center: Toxic Plant List
18. ^ The Morton Arboretum Quarterly, Morton Arboretum/University of California, 1965, p. 36.
19. ^ Hughes, Nicole M; Carpenter, Kaylyn L; Keidel, Timothy S; Miller, Charlene N; Waters, Matthew N; Smith, William K (2014). "Photosynthetic costs and benefits of abaxial versus adaxial anthocyanins in Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito'". Planta. 240 (5): 971–981. doi:10.1007/s00425-014-2090-6. 
20. ^ McGee, Harold. On Food and cooking. 2004. Scribner, ISBN 978-0-684-80001-1
21. ^ "Kochu! (You can say that again...)". The Daily Star. 2016-07-26. Retrieved 2017-12-16. 
22. ^ FAO. "Taro Cultivation in Asia and the Pacific". Retrieved 6 June 2016. 
23. ^ "Colcasia قلقاس". egyptian-cuisine-recipes.com. 
24. ^ In the Canary Islands it is known as "ñame" and it is often used in thick vegetable stews, like "potaje de berros" (cress potage). http://www.culturatradicionalgc.org/Gastronomia-Tradicional/Primer-Plato/Potaje-de-Berros.html
25. ^ Taro leaf blight caused by Phytophthora colocasiae, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, p. 2.
26. ^ a b Viotti, 2004
27. ^ a b Hao, 2006
28. ^ "Taro: Hawaii's Roots". earthfoot.org. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. 
29. ^ Lilikala Kameʻeleihiwa, Hawaii: Center of the Pacific (Acton, MA: Copley Custom Textbooks, 2008), 57.
30. ^ Lilikala Kameʻeleihiwa, Hawaii: Center of the Pacific (Acton, MA: Copley Custom Textbooks, 2008), 56.
31. ^ Anthony, Daniel. Personal Interview. 2012
32. ^ Beckwith, Martha Warren. "Papa and Wakea." Hawaiian Mythology. (Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 1976). 94.
33. ^ "A Brief History of Taro in Hawai`i ." Hawaiian kalo. Bishop Museum, n.d. Web. 18 Apr.2013. <http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/botany/taro/key/HawaiianKalo/Media/Html/history.html>.
34. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-08-04. Retrieved 2012-02-07. , Heard, Barbara H. "HALOA." Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2011.
35. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-02-07. , "Taro Creation Story ? Hawaii SEED." Welcome to Hawai'i SEED ? Hawaii SEED. Hawaii Seed, 2011. Web. 07 Nov. 2011.
36. ^ The Cross Name Index to Medicinal Plants, Four-Volume Set By Anthony R. Torkelson. Page Number 1694.
37. ^ http://www.misual.com/2008/11/09/ei-leh-in-lam-bawk-aw/
38. ^ http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/humayunpur-a-mini-north-eastern-food-hub-in-safdarjung-1724305
39. ^ The Japan Times Online
40. ^ Romero-Frias, Xavier. "Eating on the Islands". HIMĀL Southasian. 26 (2): 69–91. 
41. ^ "Mithila Cuisine". mithilacuisine.blogspot.com. 
42. ^ "Laing, gabi". Flickr. 
43. ^ Robbins, Joel (1995). "Dispossessing the Spirits: Christian Transformations of Desire and Ecology among the Urapmin of Papua New Guinea quick view". Ethnology. 34 (3): 212–213. 
44. ^ "Real Estate Guide Plano – Hottest Deals On Market". Real Estate Guide Plano. Archived from the original on 2011-09-13. 
45. ^ "How to Make Coconut and Taro Ice Cream – A Thai Classic Dessert". Pinterest. 18 March 2013. 
46. ^ a b Robert A. Young. "The Dasheen: A Root Crop for the Southern States." Circular 127-C. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry, 17 May 1913. p. 26.
47. ^ "The dasheen: a tropical root crop for the South / [by W.H. Hodge]." HathiTrust Digital Library. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1954. Retrieved 15 February 2016. 
48. ^ ghanaian cuisine
49. ^ Hossain RZ, Ogawa Y, Morozumi M, Hokama S, Sugaya K (May 2003). "Milk and calcium prevent gastrointestinal absorption and urinary excretion of oxalate in rats". Frontiers in Bioscience. 8: a117–125. doi:10.2741/1083. PMID 12700095. 

Further information[edit]

• Hao, Sean. 2006. "Rain, pests and disease shrink taro production to record low". Honolulu Advertiser, February 2, 2006, p. C1.
• "The Future of Kalo" Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine Vol.11 No. 5 (August 2006).
• "Powered by Poi" Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine Vol.11 No.4 (July 2007)
• Stephens, James M. 1994. Dasheen – Colocasia exculenta (L.) Schott. Fact Sheet HS-592 from a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. May 1994. edis
• Taro climate at Green-Seeds.com (taro growing methods)
• Taveuni Taro at fijitaro.com (Fiji taro industry history)
• Viotti, V. 2004. Honolulu Advertiser, March 16, 2004.
• Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai‘i. Revised edition. Vol. 2. Univ. of Hawei‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press. p. 1357.
• Cho, John J, Yamakawa, Roy A., and James Hollyer. 2007. Hawaiian Kalo, Past and Future. Sustainable Agriculture

001. 8 p. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/SA-1.pdf.

External links[edit]

en.wikipedia.org

Herbal Tarot — Таро Трав (Растений, Травяное, Цветочное)

INTRODUCTION TO TAROTThe complete seventy-eight-card tarot pack is divided into two sections: twenty-two Major Arcana and fifty-six Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana cards, also known as Triumphs, Atouts and Greater Arcana, comprise allegorical cards numbered from I to XXI plus an unnumbered card known as The Fool. The Minor Arcana, or Lesser Arcana, are divided into four suits: swords, wands, cups and pentacles. Each of the four suits has four court cards-king, queen, knight and page, and ten pip cards numbered ten through ace.The Major Arcana of the Herbal Tarot are:0    The Fool    XI    JusticeI    The Magician    XII    SuspendedII    The High        Person    Priestess    XIII    DeathIII    The Empress    XIV    TemperanceIV    The Emperor    XV    PanV    The High Priest    XVI    The TowerVI    The Lovers    XVII    The StarVII    The Chariot    XVIII    The MoonVIM    Strength    XIX    The SunIX    The Hermit    XX    JudgmentX    Medicine Wheel    XXI    The WorldThe sequence of the Herbal Tarot follows that of the Rider-Waite Tarot, by Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith. Waite assigned number VIM to Strength and XI to Justice. By contrast, traditional tarot decks designate VIII Justice and XI Strength. Anyone familiar with the Rider-Waite Tarot will be able to transcribe their understanding to the Herbal Tarot.In addition to their Major and Minor Arcana titles, the cards of the Herbal Tarot are also titled with the names of herbs. The herbs are assigned to the cards according to intuitive understandings based on astrological correspondences of the cards, symbolic aspects of traditional herbal uses, and sometimes an herb’s folklore or biological action. There are literally hundreds of useful herbs. The seventy-eight chosen for the Herbal Tarot represent a cross section of some of the more common ones available.

HERBS AND THE TAROT«As above, so below; as within, so without» applies to the order of nature. Everybody has experienced the spiritual and psychological weakness that accompanies disease and ill health. Depression can be attributed to a stagnant liver, excessive giddiness to congested heart energy, excessive sympathetic feelings and longings to a weak spleen and pancreas, grief and sadness to an imbalance of lung and colon energy, and insecurity and paranoia to weakness of the kidneys and adrenal glands. These correspondences are all made according to traditional herbology. Herbs as the sacraments of nature are used not only to effect internal physiological changes, but spiritual and psychological transformations as well.A few examples of the wholistic use of herbs can be given. To invoke strength, one would take a tonic such as ginseng or astragalus (The Fool and The Magician cards, respectively). To break old ties with the past one might consider a purifying or detoxifying herb such as cascara bark (four of pentacles). Creativity can be stimulated with dong quai (The Empress). To enhance motivation in worldly pursuits one might use cinnamon (king of wands).The Herbal Tarot is designed to integrate the healing properties of traditional herbs with the tarot. Thus, it is a useful introduction both to the ancient arts of herbalism and to occult mysticism. Tarotcards can be used in study and meditation to effect powerful changes on the unconscious level. Herbs, when joined with the tarot, can provide a symbolic material manifestation to accompany a specific divination. This will encourage communication with the subconscious for which tarot cards are especially powerful.Herbs should not be used for treatment of disease unless one has thoroughly studied and learned their properties and uses. However, the novice can safely use herbs in a symbolic or ritualistic way.For example, it is traditional in many parts of the world for herbalists to work shamanistically, ritually gathering and preparing herbs and giving them in a pouch to the person who seeks help. These herbal talismans, which are worn on the underclothing or as a special necklace, can be reminders of aspects that one wishes to change or ward off as well as of positive qualities that one is trying to foster. This is a safe way of reinforcing spiritual indications given in a reading of the Herbal Tarot.One can also ritually bury herbs in the ground to clear a certain energy or influence from one’s life. A small amount of the herb burned or boiled allows its scent and energy to permeate a certain space. Burning a dried herb and ritualistically wafting the smoke over a person or an object or in an environment is the origin of the use of incense. The method is used to purify, cleanse and strengthen. Herbs might have been traditionally burned in a special sea shell, such as an abalone shell, or in the hollow of a rock.

THE MAJOR ARCANAThe Major Arcana represent the greater path of the spirit and as such the herbs on the cards are suggested to aid the soul to reach awakening and realization. The astrological correspondence of each Major Arcana card is given in parentheses.

0 The Fool: Ginsenggenus PanaxGinseng is the herb of cosmic energy. It is a tonic and demulcent. The root is used for all deficiencies and weaknesses. (Uranus)Symbolically used for: Lack of sufficient motivation and drive. A cold, deficient and weakened state. Problems assimilating food and ideas. Personal support.Divinatory Meanings: Detached innocence. No responsibilities or cares. Freedom to roam and enjoy. Unfettered energy.Reverse Meanings: Irresponsibility. Carelessness. Flightiness. Extravagance. Folly.

I The Magician: AstragalusAstragalus hoantchyeAstragalus is an herb of creativity. It is a digestive and a diuretic. The root is used to increase energy and aid assimilation and digestion. It is also the most powerful herbal immune tonic known. (Mercury)Symbolically used for: Poor assimilation of food and ideas. Weakness, fatigue, sluggishness. Tendency to be cold.Divinatory Meanings: Creativity. Unlimited possibilities. Ability to do whatever one imagines or decides.Reverse Meanings: A person who is too busy, too outwardly directed, selfish.

II The High Priestess: PeonyPaeonia albifloraePeony is the herb of intuition. An antispasmodic and emmenagogue, peony is commonly used in gynecology. The root promotes internal circulation and relieves spasms. (Moon) Symbolically used for: Tension. Nervousness. Worry. Holding back to the detriment of one’s self-expression. Tendency to menstrual cramps. Divinatory Meanings: Intuition. Mystery. Inability to express oneself outwardly. Inner knowledge. Wisdom. The yin, or feminine, principle. Beauty and grace.Reverse Meanings: Shyness. Timidity. Inhibition. Lack of self-esteem.

III The Empress: Dong QualAngelica sinensiseDong quai is the supreme tonic for women, and is called female ginseng. It is an emmenagogue and a tonic for blood and hormones. It regulates the menses, relieves cramping, and aids fertility. (Venus) Symbolically used for: Emotional and physical coldness. Lack of warmth and compassion for others. Poor circulation. Lack of creativity. Divinatory Meanings: Mother nature. A person pregnant with ideas. New life and possibilities. Abundance and fruitfulness. Reverse Meanings: Inability to concentrate. Flightiness.

IV The Emperor: AtractylodesAtractylodes albaeThe root of atractylodes is used both for increasing the power of digestion and for increasing energy. It is a carminative, a diuretic, and a tonic, and it reduces abdominal bloating and gas. (Aries, ruled by Mars)Symbolically used for: Difficulty in assimilating ideas or situations. Weak digestion and elimination. Tendency towards heaviness or bloating. When one is bogged down on any level. Divinatory Meanings: Power of organization. Protection. Greatness and importance achieved. Dominion. Reverse Meanings: Inflexible, blocked person. Egoistic, difficult personality.

V The High Priest: SageSalvia officinaliseSage leaves heal and strengthen in treatment of acute as well as chronic diseases. The leaves are burned as incense in Native American religious rituals. Carminative, aromatic, they can be used in cooking to prevent gas and indigestion. (Taurus, ruled by Venus)Symbolically used for: Contacting the spiritual side of one’s nature. Exorcising demons, ghosts and negative feelings. Sage can be used on a daily basis for purification by lighting a few dry leaves in a large sea shell and wafting the smoke over oneself and in one’s environment.Divinatory Meanings: Inner guidance. Spiritual guidance. Guru. Teacher. That which stimulates inner awakening and growth. Reverse Meanings: Blind obeisance. Empty rituals. Actions without any inner sense of purpose or meaning.

VI The Lovers: ParsleyPetroselinum crispumeThe root of parsley is considered aphrodisiac and it counteracts impotence. Both the leaves and root are used as a diuretic and digestant. (Gemini, ruled by Mercury)Symbolically used for: Lack of love and attraction for others. Self-centeredness. Tendency to anger and stress, and thus urinary tract infections.Divinatory Meanings: Magnetisim and attraction. Desire. Relationship. Beauty. Working things out. Reverse Meanings: Blind lust. Superficial attraction. Selfish use of others.

VII The Chariot: CyperusCyperus rotund useCyperus regulates the energy of the whole body. It is used for moodiness, gas, symptoms that come and go, and menstrual irregularities. (Cancer, ruled by the Moon, exalts Jupiter) Symbolically used for: Trouble regulating one’s energy. Swings in moods from depression to joy. Trouble digesting food. Cyperus is not for an individual with dryness and a tendency toward hyperactiveness.Divinatory Meanings: Direction from within. Knowledge of inner powers and strengths. Ability to regulate one’s life to manifest the highest potential. Triumph. Will.Reverse Meanings: Overbearing personality. Stubbornness. Insensitivity. Cruelty. Hostility.

VIII Strength: CayenneCapsicum annumCayenne stimulates the circulation of blood and energy, raises vitality, counteracts putrefaction and gas, and stops bleeding. (Leo, ruled by the Sun) Symbolically used for: Coldness. Lack of vitality. Blockages on all levels. Isolation. Divinatory Meanings: Power. Strength. Courage to face outer challenges. A person who is a «mover.» Reverse Meanings: Bullishness. Quarrelsome person. One who is injurious to others. Overpowering person.IX The Hermit: LicoriceGlycyrrhiza glabrae Licorice is called the peacemaker herb because itcalms the mind. It is a demulcent, a tonic, an antipoison, an aperient, and it is useful for ulcers, indigestion and food poisoning. (Virgo, ruled by Mercury)Symbolically used for: Difficulty feeling at peace with oneself. Quarrelsomeness. Nervousness. Irritability. Licorice is not for one who has a tendency toward fluid retention and high blood pressure. Divinatory Meanings: A light bearer for others. Enlightenment. Teaching by example. Inner attainment. Humility.Reverse Meanings: Hiding. Holding back oneself from others. Self-delusion. False humility. Darkness and withdrawal.

X Medicine Wheel: Slippery ElmUlmus fulvaeSlippery elm is a demulcent, a nutritive tonic, and an emmenagogue. It is used for ulcers, for healing wounds, and for treating irritated throat and lungs. (Jupiter)Symbolically used for: Healing. Uniting. Comfort and soothing. Difficulty accepting food or any further outer experiences.Divinatory Meanings: The wheel of fortune. Cycles. Influences from all aspects of life. Strength in pure being. A wholistic outlook.Reverse Meanings: Going in circles. Aimlessness. Lack of focus.

XI Justice: Plantaingenus PlantagoPlantain adjusts heat and body metabolism, and is an anti-inflammatory, a diuretic, an alterative. It is used as a poultice for infections, wounds and injuries, and as a tea for bladder infections and hepatitis. (Libra, ruled by Venus) Symbolically used for: Making adjustments in order to feel more at ease with various conditions and situations. Someone who is easily angered, inflamed and irritated. Relaxing and adjusting.Divinatory Meanings: Adjustment. Making things right. Correct allotment of time, finances andattention.Reverse Meanings: Lack of compassion. A stickler for principles. Fussiness.

XII Suspended Person: Kelp genus FucusNeptune, god of the sea, rules this card. Kelp is a demulcent and a dissolvent of tumors. It can stimulate the thyroid, remove goiters and stimulate metabolism. (Neptune)Symbolically used for: Hardening toward life. Lack of compassion. Harshness and callousness in dealing with others.Divinatory Meanings: Finding one’s own way. Returning to the source. Initiation. Spiritual breakthroughs. Inner commitment. Reverse Meanings: Lack of self-knowledge. Inverted perspective of reality. Inability to organize priorities. False starts.

XIII Death: Elder FlowersSambucus nigraeElder was traditionally planted in cemeteries in Europe and parts of the U.S. as a protection against negative spirits. The flowers are an alterative and diaphoretic. They are made into tea for colds and fevers, and to purify the blood, remove putrefaction, and clearthe skin. (Scorpio, ruled by Mars or Pluto) Symbolically used for: Clearing the past. Letting go of old ways of being. Protecting oneself from possible karmic reactions to past deeds. Divinatory Meanings: Rebirth. The end of the old, the beginning of the new. Letting go of the past and things no longer needed.Reverse Meanings: Alarmism. Fear of impending doom and crises. Lack of enthusiasm and feeling.

XIV Temperance: Echinaceagenus EchinaceaEchinacea is an herb of purification that stimulates the body’s innate defenses. It «tempers» heat, and as a tonic it regulates all inflammatory processes. This herbal antibiotic can be used every two hours for any infected, inflamed condition. (Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter)Symbolically used for: Achieving strength through purity; beauty emanates from one who is pure in heart. Protecting oneself from heated and angry situations.Divinatory Meanings: To strengthen oneself against harmful outside influences. Fortification. Testing oneself. Strength gained from challenges. Reverse Meanings: Taking dangerous and foolish chances. A gambler. Vulnerability. Risk.

XV Pan: LobeliaLobelia inflataLobelia is an antispasmodic, a stimulant, an expectorant and a nauseant. It is used for asthma, lung problems, relieving spasms, nervous tension and cramps, and to induce vomiting. (Capricorn, ruled by Saturn)Symbolically used for: Breaking up old patterns. Letting go of cares and worries. More playfulness. Divinatory Meanings: Playfulness. Frivolity. Make believe. Getting loose. Lightening up. Reverse Meanings: Revulsion. Betraying one’s own secrets and speaking foolishly. Hanging on to things that have little truth or reality.

XVI The Tower: GarlicAllium sativume Garlic’s strong odor will cut through most block- ages and obstacles, thus it is the herb of breakthroughs. A stimulant, an aromatic, a carminative, a tonic and an emmenagogue, it is used for digestive and circulatory problems and lung and bronchial infections. (Mars)Symbolically used for: Personal breakthroughs in relationships. Becoming more attentive to others. More tolerance and flexibility. Divinatory Meanings: Being knocked off one’s position of arrogance. Making humble. Preparing the way for true realization. Awakening to the truth. Reverse Meanings: Harshness. Misery. Distress. Adversity and crises.

XVII The Star: Skullcapgenus ScutellariaSkullcap calms the mind and heart and prepares the way for meditation. A nervine and an alterative, it relaxes the nerves and counteracts addictions. (Aquarius, ruled by Saturn or Uranus) Symbolically used for: The need to look inward more, to focus on that which is subtle within oneself, in order to find inner peace. Divinatory Meanings: Meditation. Distant vision. Goals. Dreams.Reverse Meanings: Dreaminess. Not being in the moment. Separateness. Nothing to do or focus on.

XVIII The Moon: Lemon BalmMelissa officinaliseLemon balm is calming and relaxing, and counteracts moodinessand melancholy. Diaphoretic, cooling, it is used as a tea to induce sweating and treat colds and reduce fevers. (Pisces, ruled by Neptune) Symbolically used for: One who is brooding and melancholy. Longing for the past, and trouble accepting the present.Divinatory Meanings: Cool, reserved person. Instinctual feelings. Evolution.Reverse Meanings: Negative feelings. Depression. Moodiness. Lack of warmth and genuine feelings.

XIX The Sun: AngelicaAngelica archangelicaAngelica is a stimulant, a carminative, an emmena-gogue, a tonic. It warms the blood and promotes circulation, and counteracts rheumatic problems and body stiffness. (Sun)Symbolically used for: A cold, withdrawn person. Tendency to stay inside a lot, not exposing oneself to the light of the sun. An antisocial person who is withdrawn and morose.Divinatory Meanings: Warmth. Openness. Friendliness. Happiness. Earthly joy and contentment. Reverse Meanings: Boisterous, insensitive person. Lack of compassion for others. Conceit. Aggression. Moods ranging from excessive joy to violent anger.

XX Judgment: GoldensealHydrastis canadensiseGoldenseal is the bitter brew one must take for overindulgence and self-abuse, since bitterness is detoxifying and cleansing. It is an alterative, a tonic, a cholagogue, and is used as an antibiotic, to dry up mucus discharges, and to purify the blood and lymphatic system. (Pluto)Symbolically used for: An extremely overindulgent person. One who eats too many sweets. Craving for extremes of pleasure and fun at the expense of one’s own well-being.Divinatory Meanings: Renewal. Changes. Awakening to the truth. New possibilities. Reverse Meanings: Facing the consequences of one’s actions. A time of personal reckoning. Strong considerations and decisions to be made about the future.XXI The World: ComfreySymphytum officinaliseDemulcent, vulnerary (promotes healing), tonic, and alterative, comfrey is used both internally and externally to unite torn flesh and broken bones. The tea of the leaf is a cooling alterative against fevers and lung infections. The root is taken as a demulcent for ulcers, internal injuries, bleeding, as well as to moisten and strengthen the lungs. (Saturn) Symbolically used for: Healing. Pulling things together both within oneself and in one’s outer circumstances.Divinatory Meanings: To unite. To join together. To encompass the whole. Supreme feeling of union, healing and success.Reverse Meanings: Premature assumptions of union and friendship. Making light of genuine differences. Trying to unite and bring together before conditions are appropriate. Stagnation. Inertia.

THE MINOR ARCANASUIT OF SWORDSSwords symbolize the air element and, thus, emotions, and its herbs affect the nervous system as well as the respiratory system. The swords symbolize the search for truth and the battle with oneself that is often foolishly played out against others on the stage of life. Cutting and severing, swords are used to sweep away the fragments of falsehood until the whole is finally realized. The swords represent a stormy path of pain, suffering, reversals and sickness, and realization after hard trials and tests, many of which are unconsciously created by our inner attitudes.

King of Swords: St. Johnswort Hypericum perforatumeVulnerary. Nervine. Astringent. Expectorant. Calmative. Used for nerve injuries, insomnia, bed-wetting, stomachache, colic and uterine cramps. Divinatory Meanings: A fanatical seeker of truth. The apex of integrity in all worldly pursuits. A strong character with a piercing glance. Reverse Meanings: Tendency to undue harshness and cruelty. One who has experienced the pain of deep sadness and betrayal and tends to distrust others. A profound need to appear righteous at all costs.

Queen of Swords: Lady’s SlipperCypripedium pubescenseNervine. Tonic for hysteria, pain, all nervous afflictions and premenstrual syndrome. Divinatory Meanings: A serious woman, over thirty-five, who is unswervingly faithful to her goals-quite often at all costs. On the more positive side, she is eminently capable of upholding executive positions.Reverse Meanings: Cutting, unsympathetic person. One suffering from past injuries in relationships. Distrustful person.

Knight of Swords: Wild Cherry BarkPrunus serotinaeExpectorant. Astringent. Antispasmodic for coughs. Digestant. Used for all chronic and acute bronchial and lung affections. Divinatory Meanings: The arch defender of truth, willing to risk and suffer all for the sake of honesty and righteousness. Idealism. Bravery. Elimination of all excess and unclarity.Reverse Meanings: Ambitious person who is secretly manipulative for personal gains at the expense of others.

Page of Swords: DillAnethum graveolensAntispasmodic. Carminative. Aromatic. Used in tea or alcohol for digestive upsets and colic in small children, also for nervousness caused by digestive upset.Divinatory Meanings: One under the age of thirty-five. A child, infant or pet who is adventuresome, independent, wild and obstinate. Tendency to move swiftly toward a goal, sweeping all obstacles away. Reverse Meanings: Untrustworthy person. Spy. Opportunist.

Ten of Swords: Ephedragenus EphedraDiaphoretic. Stimulant. Antirheumatic. Emmenagogue. Used for all upper respiratory affections and acute rheumatic problems.Divinatory Meanings: One who is crippled and overcome by grief and sadness. Desolation. Desperation. No room for more pain.Reverse Meanings: Having reached the bottom of misfortune, a profound resolve to embark upon a completely new path.

Nine of Swords: ValerianValeriana officinaliseNervine. Antispasmodic. Tonic. Warming stimulant in some cases. Used for nervousness, pain, insomnia.Divinatory Meanings: Solitude. Lamentation. Grief Sickness.Reverse Meanings: Self-examination causing delay in the course of one’s normal pursuits.

Eight of Swords: Black CohoshCimicifuga racemosaeAntispasmodic. Nervine. Emmenagogue. Tonic. Used for neurological afflictions, epilepsy, chorea, to alleviate pain, for the liver, hepatitis, childbirth and premenstrual pains and cramps. Promotes menses.Divinatory Meanings: Cramped. Locked in. Publicly restrained or held back.Reverse Meanings: Being totally in the moment. Involvement in present concerns.

Seven of Swords: Wood BetonyBetonica officinaliseNervine. Aperient. Cordial. Used for all nervous afflictions.Divinatory Meanings: Stealth. Trying to evade consequences of wrongdoing. Attempting to outsmart destiny.Reverse Meanings: Private agendas. Unforthrightness. A person who cannot be trusted.

Six of Swords: VervainVerbena officinalis Alterative. Hepatic. Bitter. Antispasmodic. Used for nervousness and irritability caused by congested liver and gall bladder, and for premenstrual tension.Divinatory Meanings: Retreat. Exile. A person who tries everything to avoid the truth. Reverse Meanings: Willingness to salvage whatever remains and begin anew.

Five of Swords: [European] MistletoeViscum albumeNervine. Antispasmodic. Regulates blood pressure. Treats cancer. Calms the nervous system. (North American mistletoe has contrary properties. The berries of all mistletoe are extremely toxic.) Divinatory Meanings: Realization of defeat. Need to regain composure and inner peace after the fray. Realization that there are no winners in war. Reverse Meanings: The turning point in one’s life, when one can either become honest with oneself or go deeper into deception.

Four of Swords: MulleinVerbascum thapsuseExpectorant. Demulcent. Anti-inflammatory. Anti-spasmodic. Used for all upper respiratory complaints. Relieves mucus congestion. Topically relieves pain. Mild calmative. Divinatory Meanings: Healing from the wounds of battle. Rest before the final onslaught. Reverse Meanings: Recuperation and rest.

Three of Swords: Pleurisy RootAsclepias tuberosaeExpectorant. Demulcent. Anti-inflammatory. For pleurisy and pneumonia, clears mucus from the lungs and bronchioles.Divinatory Meanings: The most violent assault upon the ego. The final thrust. Cardiorespiratory disease. The attack upon the stronghold of feeling andenergy. Division. Rupture. Complete severance from the past, attachments and relationships. Reverse Meanings: Letting go of injury and pain.

Two of Swords: PassionflowerPassiflora incarnataeNervine. Antispasmodic. For insomnia, nervousness, irritability, stress and other nervous complaints.Divinatory Meanings: Silent equilibrium with outer and innerstruggles. The point of balance leading to self-acceptance and inner peace. Acceptance of one’s weaknesses with one’s strengths. Reverse Meanings: Juggling with the truth. The last hold out-«maybe I will or maybe I won’t.» Acting as if the outcome of a decision is more important to someone other than oneself.

Ace of Swords: ChamomileAnthemis nobiliseCalmative. Antispasmodic. Digestant. Mild aperient. Used for all feelings of stress, nervous tension, indigestion, colic, irregular bowels, cramps. High in easily assimilable calcium. Divinatory Meanings: Victory. Attainment of complete self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Inner peace and contentment. Reverse Meanings: Tyranny. Disaster. Violent temper. Self-destruction.

SUIT OF WANDSWhile the swords tend to represent innerstruggles, the wands signify struggles between the self and the world. Thus, the expression of the suit is outward, competitive and dispersing. Being dominated by the element fire, the suit of wands is symbolized by herbs that relate directly to energy and blood, including warming stimulants, carminatives and hemostatics (herbs that control bleeding). The suit of wands symbolizes aspirations, personal development, and so on, and affect the heart and the circulatory system.As in the other suits, the ten is really the beginning or lowest point, and so it is represented by a seemingly defeated and overburdened figure. The prickly ash tree is assigned to it both because of its forest setting and because the bark, taken as a tea, is one of the most dispersing and circulating herbs in the Herbal Tarot. Thus, in this case, the herb represents a remedy for the dilemma expressed by the card.The five, the midway point, is represented by turmeric, which is an herb that imparts an attractive yellowish color to food and aids digestion and circulation. It is symbolized by a playful game invoking many qualities and energies, as suggested by the different races holding up their wands. The competition here is lighter than on the previous cards.The highest card in the suit, the enlightened fulfillment of the path, is the ace, symbolized by yarrow, a beautiful wayside herb used for detoxification and circulation as well as to relieve cramps, stop bleeding and aid perspiration. Yarrow is good for many complaints such as colds, flu, fever and menstrual cramps. It has been used in many folk traditions as a charm and as a talisman for divination. The Chinese used the yarrow stalks with the I Ching divination system. The lowly wayside herb represents triumph through humility, a fulfillment, in a sense, in the suit of competition.

King of Wands: CinnamonCinnamomum zeylanicumeStimulant. Astringent. Carminative. Aromatic. Used for coldness, poor digestion, raising general body metabolism.Divinatory Meanings: A warm, competitive individual. A passionate man and an ardent lover. A passionate «macho» personality. Reverse Meanings: An individual with a hardened exterior but a yielding inner nature.

Queen of Wands: Raspberry LeafRubus idaeusAstringent. Aids pelvic circulation in female reproductive organs. Aids childbirth. Anti-inflammatory for fevers. Good for nausea and motion sickness.Divinatory Meanings: A warm, sensual woman. Sensuality. The need to attract creative opportunities in one’s life.Reverse Meanings: Manipulative person. Self-love. Snobbishness. A teaser.

Knight of Wands: AconiteAeon it urn nape 11 usePOISONOUS. Aconite must be used only in a special detoxified form, which is available at Chinese pharmacies, or in minute homeopathic doses. Metabolic stimulant. Excellent for low metabolism, coldness, arthritic and rheumatic complaints. Divinatory Meanings: The quest for passion and experience. Hot-bloodedness. Reverse Meanings: Impetuousness. Rushing into things too quickly.

Page of Wands: Shepherd’s-purseCapsella bursa-pastorisAstringent. Hemostatic for bleeding. Use only fresh root or tincture to control bleeding. Divinatory Meanings: A young figure who is dreaming of more romantic adventures. A new dawn. Reverse Meanings: Failure to act in a timely fashion. Lost opportunities.

Ten of Wands: Prickly Ash BarkZanthoxylum americanumeStimulant. Alterative. Used for circulatory problems, coldness, arthritis, rheumatic disorders, stiffness. Also used to detoxify the blood. Divinatory Meanings: Burdensome oppression. Moving from necessity rather than choice. Reverse Meanings: Temporary troubles. Need to get away.

Nine of Wands: Bayberry BarkMyrica californicaetStimulant. Astringent. Used for colds, flus and to promote circulation while at the same time toning and contracting flaccid tissues. The powder is used externally as a dentifrice for receding gums. Divinatory Meanings: A stand off. The first recognition of what one is to do, what is really needed. Reverse Meanings: Sitting down or retreating in the face of obstacles.

Eight of Wands: SassafrasSassafras albidиmeStimulant. Alterative. Demulcent. Diuretic. Aromatic. For blood purification, skin eruptions, sores, boils, cancer, urinary problems. Divinatory Meanings: Struggle. Giving one’s all. Tackling obstacles on several sides, simultaneously.Reverse Meanings: Hit and run. Sending several possibilities forward but failing to stand firm and follow through.

Seven of Wands: Wild GingerAsarum canadenseEmmenagogue. Stimulant. Antirheumatic. For delayed menses, poor blood circulation, rheumatic complaints.Divinatory Meanings: Confrontation. Struggle. Standing up for one’s intentions. Reverse Meanings: Recognition that one is outnumbered. Lack of inner potential.

Six of Wands: HawthornCrataegus oxycanthaeHeart tonic. Expectorant. Promotes blood circulation, digestion and appetite. Forall heart problems. Divinatory Meanings: Temporary gains. Battle of words and strategies. A pause in the struggle. Reverse Meanings: Resting on one’s laurels. Assumptions.

Five of Wands: TurmericCurcuma longaStimulant. Mild emmenagogue. Digestant. Carminative for circulatory problems caused by liver disorders. Excellent tonic for women to regulate menses.Divinatory Meanings: Commitment. Determination to play and win.Reverse Meanings: Posturing and fooling around. Lack of commitment.

Four of Wands: Fennel SeedFoeniculum vulgareAromatic. Carminative. Mild stimulant. Aids digestion, eliminates gas and congestion of the gastrointestinal tract.Divinatory Meanings: Agreement. Relief. Satisfaction of all parties involved. A balancing of opposing spirits and wills.Reverse Meanings: Taking things too lightly. Not using caution in the light of previous difficulties.

Three of Wands: SaffronCrocus sativuseStimulant. Diaphoretic. Carminative. Emmenagogue. For all circulatory disorders. Promotes pelvic circulation and is also used as a flavoring agent in cooking. Should be used only in minute quantities, as one uses a spice for cooking. Divinatory Meanings: The end is in sight; only a little more is left to do. Picking up loose ends. Reverse Meanings: Resting on one’s laurels. Counting one’s chickens before they are hatched.

Two of Wands: BasilOcimum basilicumCarminative. Diaphoretic. Anti-inflammatory. The royal herb for all Italian cooking, thus the assignment is of a sophisticated nobleman looking over the world. Basil can also be taken as a tea for stomach upset, gas, colds and fevers. Divinatory Meanings: Assessment. Evaluation. Recognition of one’s full potential. Genuine appreciation of one’s own manifested powers and capacities.Reverse Meanings: Fear of completion. Reluctance to move on and take full responsibilities. Looking rather than participating.

Ace of Wands: YarrowAchillea millefoliumeDiaphoretic. Astringent. Vulnerary. Antispasmodic. Used to promote surface circulation and sweating for colds, flus and fevers. Yarrow will also relieve internal congestion and thus relieve menstrual cramps.Divinatory Meanings: Victory. As the wise saying goes, «Before enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water, after enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water.» Fulfillment in simple things: clouds, sunlight and nature. Reverse Meanings: False start. Pessimism. Cancellation of plans. Decadence.

SUIT OF CUPSCups represent the water element-our relationships with others-and include urinary tonics and aphrodisiacs, since the urinary and reproductive organs represent the body’s watery aspects.

King of Cups: Saw Palmettogenus SabalTonic. Nutritive. Promotes the development of all glands in the body. Said to increase muscles and flesh, enlarge mammary glands of women. Used to promote potency and fertility in men and women, also to treat prostate disorders. Divinatory Meanings: A loving man, sensitive, spiritual and radiant. A visionary with leanings towards business, law, divinity, art, science; and inclined to satisfy the leanings of the questioner. Reverse Meanings: Preoccupation with sex as a mode of loving expression. Deviousness. Scandal. 

Queen of Cups: Lady’s Mantle Alchemilla vulgar!sAstringent. Hemostatic especially useful for invigorating and strengthening the female reproductive system. Counteracts hemorrhage and excessive menstrual bleeding.Divinatory Meanings: Beautiful, dreamy woman. A visionary.Reverse Meanings: A good but misguided woman, perhaps inclined to scandal and perversity.

Knight of Cups: Sarsaparillagenus SmitaxAlterative. Tonic. Aphrodisiac. Used for stomach, liver and skin disorders. Has definite tonic properties and will enhance male sexual energy. Divinatory Meanings: A lover. A person trying to make advances and overtures for specific propositions.Reverse Meanings: A swindler. Trickster. Inclination to duplicity. 

Page of Cups: Damiana Turnera diffusaTonic. Aphrodisiac for both men and women. Damiana is especially potent in its fresh state. Divinatory Meanings: A young, passionate youth, either male or female. A person easily aroused to action on any level, be it amorous, business-related, idealistic, aesthetic, or otherwise. Reverse Meanings: Dolt and dullard. Deception. Worthless fantasies.

Ten of Cups: MarijuanaCannabis sativaAntispasmodic. Hypnotic. In herbal tradition, called a narcotic, it lowers inhibitions and allows for free expression of sexual instincts. Its abuse, however, is disastrous to the adrenal glands and will cause deep-seated emotional disorders, including lack of will and motivation, and male impotence. It can be made into an alcoholic extract and applied topically for the relief of joint aches and pains. Divinatory Meanings: Pie in the sky. Pipe dreams. Unstable foundation.Reverse Meanings: Need to be inspired, to do something different, to break fixations.

Nine of Cups: SquawvineMitchella repensFemale tonic. Diuretic. Parturient. Astringent. Alterative. Used to treat most gynecological complaints, also infertility in women. It is taken along with raspberry leaf throughout pregnancy to prepare the womb for birth and alleviate birth pangs. Divinatory Meanings: Self-satisfaction. Hoarding. Greed. Can mean personal satisfaction for the questioner.Reverse Meanings: Contentment and abundance with only minor setbacks.

Eight of Cups: Gravel RootEupatorium purpureumeTonic. Diuretic used to help dissolve urinary stones. Treats urinary weakness and both excessive and lack of urine.Divinatory Meanings: «Accept and move on.» The need to venture into unexplored territories for deeper fulfillment.Reverse Meanings: Drifting into oblivion. Losing one’s grip on things.

Seven of Cups: Juniper BerriesJuniperis communisDiuretic. Carminative. Aromatic. Juniper berries make a warming tonic diuretic and can be used for most noninflammatory urinary disorders, fluid retention, diabetes and as an aid to digestion. Divinatory Meanings: All things are possible. The realization of the impact of thoughts in creating daily reality.Reverse Meanings: Inability to control one’s thoughts. Lack of focus and self-discipline.

Six of Cups: WatermelonCitrullus vulgarisDiuretic. Refrigerant. The seeds are used to treat fluid retention and all urinary disorders. Divinatory Meanings: Childish games. Only playing at love. No serious commitment. Innocence. A temporary relationship.Reverse Meanings: Failure to recognize the importance or power of another person or of a circumstance.

Five of Cups: Horsetailgenus EquisetumDiuretic. Astringent. Alterative used for inflammatory urinary tract disorders, also for arthritic and rheumatic complaints.Divinatory Meanings: Preoccupation with loss, at the expense of recognition of one’s true assets and powers. Negativity. The idea that it isn’t real unless it hurts!Reverse Meanings: Time of appropriate grief and remorse. Knowing that there will be an end to sorrow and a hopeful future.

Four of Cups: BurdockArctium lappaDiuretic. Alterative. Nutritive. The root is used as a diuretic and alterative for skin diseases and urinary disorders. The seeds are often used for skin diseases and fevers.Divinatory Meanings: Need for some intervention in daily life, without the knowledge of where it will come from. Uncertainty as to what action to take. Strengthen and purify both within and without, and wait with watchful awareness: help is at hand! Reverse Meanings: The delusion of dualism. A partnership in which both individuals may need a new direction or are mistaken about a certain issue.

Three of Cups: TrilliumTrillium pendulumDiuretic. Astringent. Antiseptic. Emmenagogue. Expectorant. Diaphoretic. Alterative. The root is used for most feminine disorders associated with the monthly cycle, and for excess or insufficient bleeding. It is also taken during childbirth to promote normal birth, and to prevent hemorrhage and later infections. The root is used as an expectorant and a diaphoretic for upper respiratory problems, colds andflus.Divinatory Meanings: Take your choice now! Celebrate and enjoy what is before you. Perfection. Abundance.Reverse Meanings: Satisfaction with life. No responsibilities.

Two of Cups: Uva UrsiArctostaphylos uva ursiDiuretic. Astringent. Antidiabetic. Used as a urinary astringent for all genitourinary disorders. It is also taken to help restore normal blood sugar level in diabetes, and is taken after childbirth to prevent infections and help restore the womb to normal size.Divinatory Meanings: The highest relationship possible. Meeting of two in harmony. Sharing one’s gifts with others. Perfectly controlled energy flow, both within and without. If there is a problem, focus on the highest truth of your relationship and wait it out.Reverse Meanings: Obsession with one idea or perspective, at the expense of other opportunities.

Ace of Cups: LotusNelumba nuciferaThe peduncle is used as an astringent for bleeding, menorrhagia, bloody stool, retention of lochia. The stamens are used for premature ejaculation,involuntary seminal emission, nocturnal emission, frequent urination. The seeds are used for spontaneous ejaculation, vaginal discharge, insomnia, palpitations, chronic diarrhea and lack of appetite. The plume is used for nervousness, thirst, hypertension. The root is eaten as a food and is useful for strengthening the lungs and heart. Divinatory Meanings: Enlightenment. Supreme, unconditional love. Success. Fulfillment. Blessedness. Reverse Meanings: Inner joy. Contentment found in oneself. Happiness in solitude.

SUIT OF PENTACLESPentacles correspond to the earth element, thus, worldly affairs: profit and loss, business, finance, and so forth. The suit includes herbs that effect the process of nourishment, digestion, assimilation and elimination, which have to do with the earth element of the body-mind.Although when carrying out worldly affairs, one is necessarily dealing with limitation, the great spiritual teachings of the world speak about a «right way» in business and proper use of wealth and power. In the spiritual sense, having more than one needs is just as much a problem as having too little. The great secret of finances and wealth is the same as that of internal physical energies: flowing and movement. Fear and insecurity cause us to overuse our resources or to hoard them and thus there is a blockage. The result is disease in the outer as well as the inner worlds of being.

King of Pentacles: AlfalfaMedicago sativaNutritive. Tonic. Diuretic. Alterative. Alfalfa is useful for regulating weight, as a treatment for arthritis and rheumatism and as a diuretic. Divinatory Meanings: Man over thirty-five, businesslike, responsible, rigid, organized and conservative. A man of means and worldly accomplishments, wise in the way of the world. A fatherly figure. Reverse Meanings: Overbearing, aggressive, highly competitive and selfish individual. A slow, dull person.

Queen of Pentacles: MarshmallowAlthaea officinaliseDemulcent. Nutritive. Anti-inflammatory. Soothing vulnerary. Treats ulcers and sores, soothes irritations such as urinary stones. Promotes healing. It is applied as a poultice for inflamed wounds and injuries.Divinatory Meanings: Woman in charge of nurturing and caring for others. A mother or a business woman. A woman of means and accomplishments. A wise crone. Someone to turn to for advice. Reverse Meanings: Irresponsible woman. Not following through with primary responsibilities and cares. A wise stately manner that can hide inner emptiness and lack of true knowledge.

Knight of Pentacles: ElecampaneInula heleniumeDigestive. Expectorant. Carminative. Helps treat and prevent the formation of mucus in the lungs, cures coughs, aids digestion. Divinatory Meanings: Thoughts about business and finances, schemes, securities, savings, and so forth. Service, loyalty, steadfastness. A good working partner, though not very inspiring.Reverse Meanings: Aimless and worthless pursuits with no gain in sight. Squandering money. Spendthrift. Placidity. Stagnation. Inertia.

Page of Pentacles: Blue FlagIris versicoloreAlterative. Diuretic. Cholagogue. Laxative. Promotes salivation. The root is used for all chronic and acute liver disorders and for blood purification. Divinatory Meanings: A youthful, acquisitive person seeking wealth, material fortune and success. Reverse Meanings: Lack of true purpose and self-knowledge.

Ten of Pentacles: Wild YamDioscorea villosaeAntispasmodic. Diaphoretic. Used for liver and gall bladder problems, thus helping to prevent and eliminate gas.Divinatory Meanings: Moving into a time or place of abundance and opportunity. The chance for material prosperity will be more apparent. Reverse Meanings: Do not be deceived by appearances. More is not always better. The available opportunity may not be a good one, when viewed from a larger perspective.

Nine of Pentacles: Dark GrapesVitis viniferaeNutritive. Blood tonic. Diuretic. The root is a nutritive for the blood, as it is high in iron. The leaves are used as an astringent and as a mild alterative for inflammatory conditions.Divinatory Meanings: Material prosperity and wealth. Shallowness.Reverse Meanings: Threatened loss of material possessions. Possible threats and hazards.

Eight of Pentacles: GingerZingiber officinaleStimulant. Diaphoretic. Carminative. Antispas-modic. Emmenagogue. Used for gas, poorassimila-tion of food, also to relieve motion sickness and spasmodic cramps. The fresh root is made into a tea for colds and fevers.Divinatory Meanings: Willingness to start working to achieve one’s goals. A craftsman. Artists. Skill in business and other endeavors. Reverse Meanings: Wasting time in idle pursuits that have little chance of any significant rewards in the end.

Seven of Pentacles: RhubarbRheum palmatumLaxative. Astringent. The root is used to promote bowel movement, relieve blood in the stool, aid digestion.Divinatory Meanings: Hard work ahead! Need to till the soil to make room for new growth. Reverse Meanings: Work with no vision. Lack of the ingenuity and imagination needed to achieve goals.

Six of Pentacles: HopsHumulus lupulusDigestive tonic. Nervine. Relaxant. Diuretic. Hypnotic. The flowers are used to relieve nervousness, aid digestion, promote urination and relieve fevers. Divinatory Meanings: Organization. Giving each their due. Be attentive to details. Reverse Meanings: Holding back. Not giving of oneself to others.

Five of Pentacles: MugwortArtemisia vulgarisBitter digestive tonic. Cholagogue. Antispasmodic. Parasiticide. Emmenagogue. The leaves are made into alcoholic bitters and a teaspoon taken before meals to stimulate appetite. A powder or tea is also taken when fasting to eliminate intestinal parasites. Mugwort promotes menses and relieves painful spasmsand cramping. Thestrong bitterness of the herb represents a process of both internal and external purification.Divinatory Meanings: Misfortune. Being thrown back on oneself, and discovering innate capabilities. Reverse Meanings: A setback that causes real hardship, but will lead to a new path and new possibilities.

Four of Pentacles: Cascara BarkRhamnus purshianaTonic. Laxative. Cholagogue. Promotes bowel movements and the discharge of bile from the liver and generally cleanses the intestinal tract. Divinatory Meanings: Immobility. Clinging to old things that are no longer needed. Reverse Meanings: Letting things pass through without absorbing their intent and meaning.

Three of Pentacles: Gentiangenus GentianaBitter tonic. Alterative made into alcoholic bitters with similar herbs; a few drops taken in water before meals stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid to aid digestion. Gentian is also used with other herbs as a treatment for herpes and venereal disease.Divinatory Meanings: The need to assimilate more skills and to cultivate deeper concentration and understanding as a foundation to developing one’s talents.Reverse Meanings: Weakness and irritation from too much self-abuse.

Two of Pentacles: Yellow DockRumex crispuseAlterative. Blood tonic. Mild laxative used to stimulate the secretion of bile through the liver andto purify the blood and whole system. Yellow dock is also used to raise iron levels in the blood, and is particularly useful for anemia.Divinatory Meanings: Letting go internally of things no longer needed allows for the repuilding ofgenuine strength.Reverse Meanings: Weakness from an inability to use the opportunities that life has presented.

Ace of Pentacles: Whole GrainsVarious food grainsTonic. Nutritive. The basis of all sound nutrition, whole grains raise and regulate energy, and generally balance the metabolism of the body.Divinatory Meanings: Need for deep nourishment. Unsatisfied desires, cravings and yearnings-Reverse Meanings: Heaviness. Blockage. No more psychic space for further absorption.

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Таро – тропический картофель - Ароидные: от болота до аквариума

Поводом для написания этой заметки послужила случайная фотография небольшого сельского огородика, сделанная мною во время экспедиции на Борнео. Недалеко от щитового домика на деревянных сваях под парой высоких кокосовых пальм расположился навес, обвитый тыквенной ботвой, и плантация из десятка растений ананаса. В отличие от последних тыква плодоносила. Подойдя поближе к тыквам, наш проводник спросил: “выращивают ли такое чудо в России?” С первого же взгляда узнав королеву подмосковных огородов, я улыбаясь закивал и пустился в рассказы, о том какие “пузатые” и оранжевые тыквы в России, а не такие “худые” и бледные как тут. Ну а дальше, как обычно, мы отправились в джунгли… И лишь по прошествии нескольких месяцев после возвращения из экспедиции, разглядывая фотографии, я обнаружил, что между тыквой и ананасами росло растение по своему габитусу явно принадлежащее к семейству Ароидные! Вероятно, приняв его за сорняк, “слона то мы и не приметили”.

“Слоном” оказалась колоказия съедобная (Colocasia esculenta). Это растение культивируется в странах тропического климата уже несколько тысяч лет и используется в пищу. В быту колоказию называют Таро (Taro).

Едят у колоказии съедобной практически все: листья, черешки листьев и, самое главное, корневища. Последние по содержанию углеводов превосходят даже картофель. Кроме того, колоказия также богата фолиевой кислотой. Эта кислота играет важную роль во многих биохимических процессах, протекающих в организме человека, например, репликации ДНК. Интересно, что при лечении малярии многими противомалярийными препаратами происходит нарушение обмена фолиевой кислоты в организме. Учитывая, что малярия для тропических регионов является обычным делом, то колоказия может быть использована и как лекарственное растение в заменительной терапии фолиевой кислоты.

В отличие от обычного картофеля употреблять в сыром виде в пищу колоказию нельзя. Это может вызвать сильное жжение в ротовой полости. Виной всему кристаллы оксалата кальция, которые наносят микротравмы слизистым оболочкам. Оксалат кальция является продуктом метаболизма растений и способен кристаллизоваться в различной форме. Это явление в кристаллохимии называют полиморфизмом. Наиболее опасны кристаллы в виде острых мелких иголок. Именно эта форма оксалата кальция часто встречается в клетках растений семейства Ароидные, например, анубиасов (см. Анубиасы ядовиты для креветок?). Поэтому перед употреблением обязательно необходимо проводить термическую обработку колоказии с целью разрушения этих кристаллов.

Сам я “тропический картофель” никогда не пробовал, но для общего представления приведу простейший рецепт из Интернета. Итак, для приготовления отварных корневищ таро предлагается осуществить следующие процедуры:

1. Промыть корневища под проточной водой. Очистить с помощью ножа от кожуры и разрезать на четыре части.
2. Довести воду до кипения, подсолить и опустить туда приготовленные куски корневищ.
3. Кипятить на небольшом огне в течение 15 минут. Также как и в случае с обычным картофелем, проверить готовность вилкой. Слить воду.
4. Добавить небольшой кусочек сливочного масла. Блюдо готово к употреблению.

Вообщем, картофель – он и на Борнео картофель. Никаких особых премудростей и поварских навыков не требуется.

Если же говорить о колоказиях в целом, то это очень небольшой род семейства Ароидные. На настоящий момент насчитывается всего 13 видов, произрастающих в тропической и субтропической зоне от Индии до Австралии. На Борнео встречается лишь два вида – это выше упомянутая эскулента и Colocasia oresbia, причем последняя является эндемиком острова. Произрастает Colocasia oresbia на возвышенностях на высоте от 500 до 1000 метров над уровнем моря, в то время как колоказия съедобная является интродуцированным видом и культивируется лишь людьми вблизи своих жилищ.

Наиболее близкими по семейству к колоказиям являются алоказии. Они внешне настолько похожи, что различить их не просто. К тому же, насколько мне известно, алоказии также можно употреблять в пищу, не забывая при этом про оксалат кальция. Различают же их по числу семян в плодах: у колоказий в каждой ягоде много семян, тогда как у алоказий – лишь несколько. Различается также и механизм распространения семян. Алоказии имеют яркоокрашенные плоды, которые привлекают птиц. Колоказии же распространяются млекопитающими, которых привлекает аромат плодов, имеющих достаточно невзрачную окраску. Стоит отметить, что малазиец Питер Бойс также предлагает различать эти растения по особенностям строения соцветия, однако не имея под рукой хороших фотографий, мне пока не удалось понять этих различий.

Завершая данную статью, ставлю себе в блокнотик пометку, чтобы в следующий раз при посещении Юго-Восточной Азии непременно попробовать какое-нибудь блюдо из таро.

Авторы фотографий: Д. Логинов и Р. Магин.

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значение карт, галерея, особенности колоды, расклады

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Люди давно научились заглядывать за завесу тайны настоящего и будущего, предсказывать ближайшие события или всю судьбу человека. Для этого мистики и оккультисты пользуются самыми разными инструментами: руны, камни, хрустальный шар, линии на ладонях и многое другое. Но свою нишу твердо занимают карты Таро, коих разновидностей насчитывается уже больше сотни. Сегодня же речь пойдет о Таро Цветов.

Таро Цветов — необычная колода, которая все же приносит пользу

Немного истории Цветочного Таро

Цветочное Таро — это не классическая колода, созданная мастистым мистиком или тарологом. Вышли они в массовое пользование в 2003 году из-под руки итальянки Лауры Туан и талантливой художницы Антонеллы Кастелли. Эти амрахи (истинное название карт Таро) не принадлежат ни к одной классической школе. Скорее их определяют как любительские, чем профессиональные. Но утверждать, что цветочная колода используется только потехи ради ни в коем случае нельзя.

Таро Цветов, как и классическая колода, состоит из 78 амрахов: 22 Старших и 56 Младших Аркана. Но основное отличие состоит в том, что выполнены карты в совершенно необычном стиле.

Особенные отличия Цветочного Таро

Карты Таро Цветов выполнены искусным мастером живописи Антонеллой Кастанелли. На них запечатлены яркие цветы, воздушные утонченные эльфы и прекрасные дети. Каждый амрах — это погружение в лесную сказку, где все беззаботно и радостно. Общая картина создает вокруг арканов флер романтичности, позитива, мечтательности. Их задача состоит не только в предсказывании, но и в формировании положительного настроя у мастера и клиента.

Цветы занимают важное место в жизни каждого. Ими мы украшаем наше жилье, дарим в подарок, приносим извинения или признаемся в своих чувствах, да и просто вносим в наш быт яркие краски и сладкий аромат. Они как ничто другое могут передать наше настроение — грусть и радость, любовь и тоску, весну в душе и затаенный страх.

Цветы — неотъемлемая часть жизни каждого человека

Как пользоваться колодой Цветочного Таро

Арканы разговаривают на волшебном языке цветов, нежные фэйри умело раскрывают все тайны, а дети настраивают на позитивный лад. Невзирая на необычное оформление, традиционная структура в колоде сохранена. В ней присутствуют:

• старшие арканы;
• младшие арканы;
• четыре масти.

Расклады также выполняются классические, ничего нового здесь не добавлено. Масти карт обозначаются разными цветами и также соответствуют четырем основным стихиям:

• белый — стихия воздуха, масть Мечи;
• желтый — стихия земли, масть Диски;
• красный — стихия огня, масть Жезлы;
• голубой — стихия воды, масть Кубки.

Каждому аркану соответствует свой цветок. Старшие карты кроме числового значения обозначены разными цветами. Чтобы далеко не отходить от канонов тарологии, Лаура Туан присвоила амрахам знакомые всем и каждому классические имена: Императрица, Отшельник, Колесо Фортуны, Висельник и так далее. Однако для правильного трактования помимо основного значения необходимо учитывать значение изображенного на карте цветка. В этом и кроется вся сложность.

Что говорят о Цветочном Таро профессионалы

Маститые оккультисты, мистики и тарологи не воспринимают Таро Цветов всерьез, считая их любительскими, слишком легкомысленными. Однако именно гадающий вкладывает силу и смысл в магические предметы, будь то карта или вырезанные на дереве руны.

Опытному магу необязательно пользоваться какими-либо атрибутами вообще, но последние все же помогают справиться с поставленной задачей быстрее и с меньшей растратой сил. Именно потому нет разницы, пользуется ли гадающей классической колодой, или использует для расклада позитивные цветочные амрахи.

Цветочное Таро не для новичков

Невзирая на то, что дети и эльфы в пестрых цветах навевают положительные эмоции и так и просятся в руки, новичку в гадании выбирать их в качестве первой своей колоды все же не рекомендуется. И все дело в том, что в толковании раскладов необходим оперировать сразу двумя категориями:

• знание классических значений карт Таро;
• знание истинного значения каждого цветка и его цвета.

Помимо сказанного, даже опытные гадальщики могут путаться в значениях карт, так как трактовка одного и того же амраха может быть совершенно противоположной. Рассмотрим на примере.

Для доказательства вышеизложенного утверждения возьмем карту «Маг». Цветочное значение амраха — Анемон. Для несведущих — это просто красивая картинка, но значение цветок имеет глубокое и неоднозначное. С одной стороны, он указывает на быстро возникающую жгучую страсть, которая так же быстро пропадает.

В дополнение к этому смысл карты сводится к мужеству, конкуренции, борьбе. Другое значение — импульсивность и настойчивость, появление соперника или настойчивого поклонника. Толковать аркан можно как появление нового увлечения, так и расставание, прекращение старых отношений.

Карта Маг (Анемон) может говорить о скором расставании с любимым человеком

Толкование Цветочного Таро

Для ознакомления с основными способами толкования карт, ниже приведена расшифровка некоторых старших арканов:

Шут

Цветочное значение этого амраха — знакомая всем герань. На языке цветов означает тоску, беспорядок, свободу и счастье. Также учитывается классическая трактовка карты «Шут» в прямой и перевернутой позиции.

Верховная жрица

В колоде она изображена как нежный цветок камелии. Трактовать карту нужно исходя из истинного значения «Верховной жрицы» и свойств камелии. Цветок говорит о любви без ответа, терпении, развитой интуиции, плодородии и материнстве, моральной зрелости и мудрости.

Императрица

На карте изображена солнечная мимоза. Согласно цветочному языку, трактуется как духовность, платонические отношения. Но не стоит забывать и о классическом толковании амраха.

Император

Искусно переданный тюльпан расскажет гадающему об искренней любви. Также трактуется как авторитетное и стабильное положение, надежность, рост в карьере. Может указывать на супруга.

Верховный Жрец

Амраху соответствует гвоздика. Ее значение — глубокая привязанность и искренние чувства. Также символизирует духовное просвещение, мудрость, советы и помощь, защиту, ожидание, что оканчивается успешно. Может указывать на руководителя, представителя закона или врача.

Влюбленные

На старшем аркане изображены легкие эльфы и лиловая глициния. На языке цветов сигнализирует о терпеливом ожидании.

Колесница

Верхом на двух ежах изображен радостный эльф и цветок гардении. Нежные белые лепестки поведают гадающему о сильном увлечении. Также имеет значение карьеры, победоносной борьбы, успешного предприятия, увлекательного путешествия. Еще одно толкование — противоположности наконец достигают примирения.

Правосудие

Этому амраху отвечает цветок нарцисс. Имеет противоречивые значения: чувство подавленности и справедливость, заключение брака и воссоединение, дела с законом и волокита.

Правосудие — карта, имеющая неоднозначные значения. Одно из них — заключение брака

Цветы на младших арканах

Невозможно получить полную картину о раскладе без знания смысла и значений младших арканов, которые к тому же подчиняются внутренней иерархии.

Все карты этой группы разделены на масти и пронумерованы, а цифры указывают на количество изображенных на амрахах цветов.

1. Масть Жезлы: агава, амариллис, адонис, бегония, пиония, олеандр, цикламен, фуксия, рододендрон, вереск, амарант, пуансетия, гладиолус, гибискус.
2. Масть Кубки: ирисы, астры, крокус, петуния, васильки, вербена, аконит, барвинок, лаванда, незабудка, аквилегия, сирень, гортензия, горечавка.
3. Масть Денарии или Монеты: георгины, календула, одуванчик, арника, зверобой, левкой, капуцин, примула, дрок, каликант, вербаскум, нарцисс-жонкиль, лютик, асфодил.
4. Масть Мечей: магнолия, морозник, вьюнок, азалия, ландыш, фрезия, подснежник, колокольчик, тысячелистник, боярышник, жимолость, бальзамин, кала, тубероза.

Только вдумайтесь, какие прекрасные образцы собраны в Таро Цветов. Создается впечатление, что это не инструмент для гадания, но цветочно-травяная энциклопедия.

С такими картами даже отрицательный расклад не будет выглядеть мрачным.

Заключение

Загадочные и дивные цветочные карты не признаются многими тарологам. Но оттого они не теряют свои свойства. Важен вложенный в них смысл и мастерство гадающего.

Цветочное Таро — карты для раскрытия тайн эмоциональной сферы, отношений, любви, зарождающихся или, увы, загасающих чувств.

Каждому желающему погрузится в таинственный мир мистических символов и нежнейших цветов, эта колода составит свой непревзойденный букет.

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Кухня народов мира. Таро – блюдо дня

Кухня народов мира не перестает удивлять пикантными блюдами, среди которых есть и изысканные блюда, есть и экзотические. Надо признать, что вкус многие из них имеют отменный! Окунуться в традиции разных стран, в культуру народов, которых мы даже не знаем, нам помогает кухня народов мира.

В этой статье Вы узнаете, как готовят Таро в разных странах нашей планеты. Да, да   Таро – это не только гадальные карты, это ещё и съедобное растение.

Вообще это тропическое растение, лакомство жителей Африки, Индии, Египта, островов Тихого океана. В Европе оно не прижилось, но зато кулинарным шедевром «Таро» может похвастаться Казахстан.

Как готовят Таро в Азии и Океании?

Таро – это клубневое растение. Используют его на манер нашей картошки. Но у местных шеф-поваров и листья не пропадают даром.

Что можно приготовить из клубня

Во-первых, в сыром виде есть его нельзя! Клубни сильно жгут рот.

Во-вторых, из него делают всё то, что мы умудряемся делать с привычным нам картофелем. Отваривают, делают пюре, готовят на пару, запекают. Помните нашу картошку «в штанах»? С Таро проделывают тоже самое: запекают прямо в кожуре в микроволновке . Кожура  потом очень легко удаляется.

Таро тушат с луком, жарят на масле, делают чипсы. Подают к свинине. Готовят суп с кокосовым молоком, перцем чили и ломтиками клубней Таро. Или отваривают, как репу.

Также из Таро делают муку и получается превосходная выпечка.

Хочется отметить, что это растение похоже по манере использования на нашу картошку, но все-таки это не картошка. Мякоть клубней имеет терпкий вкус и специфический запах. Хотя в некоторых странах в желейные конфеты добавляют ароматизатор идентичный натуральному запаху Таро.

Хранятся очищенные клубни в холодильнике не больше недели. Вешают некоторые экземпляры по 4 кг. Удивительно то, что они тяжелее, чем кажутся по своему размеру.

Что можно приготовить из стебля и листьев

Отварные стебли напоминают по вкусу спаржу.

Но стебли заготавливают и впрок. Их чистят и сушат, а зимой добавляют в супы вместо овощей.

Листья же слегка отваривают в кипятке и заворачивают в них рис. Или просто намазывают на весь лист соус и заворачивают.

Получается что-то вроде наших голубцов.

Нет предела совершенству

Но разве люди станут ограничивать свою фантазию только кулинарными изысками? Конечно, нет! Так Таро нашлось другое применение.

Оказывается в составе этого растения очень много полезных веществ и его активно применяют в медицинских целях в достаточно широком спектре. Можно и от бессонницы, потому что в растении содержится природное снотворное.

Но и это ещё не всё. Из Таро делают спирт. На его основе производят многие «бодрящие и энергетические напитки» тех стран  .

А местные ребятишки в районах, где растет Таро, используют его широкие и кожистые листья вместо зонтиков.

Ещё из Таро делают декоративные украшения.

Чем похвастается Казахстан

В Казахстане есть блюдо, которое называется «Таро».

Это правильно обжаренное пшено (семена проса). Потом его перемешивают со сметаной или добавляют в чай с молоком.

В каких-то регионах такие семена называется таро, в каких-то тары.

Конечно, это не то тропическое растение, о котором шла речь, но это национальное блюдо казахов.

Согласитесь, все-таки приятно удивляет нас кухня народов мира.

Если статья не оставила Вас равнодушным, оставляйте свои отзывы.

Но вообще, Таро — это предсказательная система! Картошки  у нас и своей хватает 

А вот уверенности в Будущем  хватает не всегда! Кроме того, что нам важно покормить себя, нам ещё ВАЖНО:

Что о нас подумают другие люди

Что делает наш партнер, когда мы его не видим

Какие чувства к нам у нашего партнера

Что нас ждёт в будущем

Менять или не менять место работы

Куда вложить деньги

Почему именно у нас  нет денег

Любит ли нас мужчина

Если вам это тоже важно и интересно, то на все эти вопросы КАРТЫ ТАРО дают полные, развернутые, прекрасные ОТВЕТЫ!

Знаете какой навык является БЕСЦЕННЫМ?

Научиться получать все эти ответы САМОМУ!!!

Для этого вам нужно лишь этот навык получить. Идеальный вариант — обучиться на курсе Таро!

Мне важно, чтобы как можно больше людей получили РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ для СЕБЯ.

Именно поэтому я готова отдать вам Тест Драйв Курса 

«Основы Таро. ПРОСТО и ПОНЯТНО»

по ОЧЕНЬ ВКУСНОЙ цене

прямо СЕЙЧАС:

* Тест-Драйв создан для того, чтобы сэкономить ваше время на обработку

и поиск ценной и полезной информации по картам Таро

taro-v-sumochke.ru

Таро (растение)

Та́ро

Общий вид растения, Ботанический сад в Мауи

промежуточные ранги Домен:  Эукариоты Царство:  Растения Отдел:  Цветковые Класс:  Однодольные[1] Надпорядок:  Lilianae Порядок:  Частухоцветные Семейство:  Ароидные Подсемейство:  Ароидные Триба:  Colocasieae Род:  Колоказия Вид:  Та́ро

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, 1832

Arum colocasia L.[2] Arum esculentum L.basionym[3] Arum peltatum Lom.[2] Caladium esculentum (L.) Vent.[3] Colocasia antiquorum Schott[2][3] Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta (L.) Schott[3] Colocasia antiquorum var. euchlora (K.Koch & Sello) Schott ex Engl.[3] Colodium esculentum Vent.[2] Colodium colocasia (L.) Soff.[2]

Систематикана Викивидах Изображенияна Викискладе 42549 4460 1091931 t:11177 1170772-2 kew-46275

Та́ро, или Колока́зия съедо́бная, или Колока́зия дре́вняя, или Дашин (лат. Colocásia esculénta) — многолетнее растение, вид рода Колоказия (Colocasia) семейства Ароидные (Araceae).

Популярное пищевое растение Африки, Юго-Восточной Азии и других тропических регионов.

Название «таро» — таитянская форма яванского названия растения.

• Содержание
• Ботаническое описание
• Распространение
• Содержание питательных веществ
• Использование
• Культивация
• Таро в Японии
• Примечания
• Литература
• Ссылки

Содержание

• 1 Ботаническое описание
• 2 Распространение
• 3 Содержание питательных веществ
• 4 Использование
• 5 Культивация
• 6 Таро в Японии
• 7 Примечания
• 8 Литература
• 9 Ссылки

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