Blue taro, violet-stemmed taro, blue ape

This robust stemless plant grows from a large rhizome, which sends up several large leaves 20 to 70 cm long and 15 to 45 cm wide. They are arrowhead-shaped and borne on a 30 to 85 cm long leaf stalk. The young leaves have a powdery coating (bloom) on the underside. The flowers are grouped in a spike surrounded by a special leaf, the spathe, which is green at the base and white at the tip. The flesh of the rhizome is purplish.