Taro Root
| Taro Root | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Crop |
| Seed | Taro Tuber |
| Growth Time | 10 days |
| Sell Price | 100g |
| Energy | 38 |
| Health | 17 |
Taro Root is a starchy tropical vegetable from Ginger Island, and it is as much a currency as a crop. The Island Trader accepts it for a Warp Totem back to the farm and for several pieces of island furniture and clothing. Planted next to water, Taro needs no watering and ripens faster, which makes it one of the easiest crops to keep on the island. It is the only ingredient in Poi, Leo's favourite dish, and it feeds a Fish Pond quest and a large Special Order from Caroline.
The in-game description reads: This starchy root is one of the most ancient crops.
Growing
The Island Trader on the north side of Ginger Island trades Taro Tubers for Bone Fragments, so they cost no gold. On the Island Farm, Taro grows in every season. On the home farm it only grows in Summer.
The crop rewards careful placement. A Taro Tuber planted near a body of water counts as irrigated. It then grows several days faster than a tuber planted on dry ground, and it does not need to be watered at all. A row of taro along a pond or the island farm's water edge is therefore almost free to run. Tubers planted away from water grow at the normal pace and have to be watered like any other crop.
The plant does not regrow, and each harvest needs a new tuber. Because the island farm never changes season, a taro patch there can be replanted again and again all year.
Quality Fertiliser raises the share of silver and gold roots. Speed-Gro can shorten the growth further, on top of the irrigation bonus.
Prices
Raw Taro Root earns a modest amount. Silver, gold and iridium roots sell for a quarter, a half and double the base price more, and the Tiller profession adds 10%.
As a vegetable, Taro goes into a Keg as juice or a Preserves Jar as pickles. The pickles are worth a little more than the juice and finish much sooner, so the jar is the better machine. The Artisan profession adds 40% to both. Machines ignore the quality of the input, so normal roots are the ones to process.
For many players, though, the most valuable use of Taro is the Island Trader, where a few roots buy items that gold cannot.
Sell prices by quality, with the bonus from each profession.
| Quality | Price | Tiller (+10%) |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 100g | 110g |
 Silver
|
125g | 137g |
 Gold
|
150g | 165g |
 Iridium
|
200g | 220g |
Uses
Cooking four Taro Roots makes Poi. Leo sends the recipe by mail once he reaches three hearts of friendship. Leo loves Poi, so a supply of taro is the easiest way to raise his friendship.
The Island Trader takes Taro Root as payment for several items. Five roots buy a Warp Totem: Farm, which makes the trip home from the island instant. Thirty roots buy the Tropical TV. On certain Days of the Week the trader also swaps thirty roots for the Small Cap or the Bluebird Mask.
A Blue Discus pond asks for Taro Root twice as it grows. The first quest needs three roots and the second needs ten, so a small stock of taro saves a lot of waiting when raising that fish.
Caroline's "Island Ingredients" Special Order can ask for 100 Taro Roots. The roots have to be harvested while the order is active, and the reward includes the Solar Panel crafting recipe. Planting a large irrigated patch right after taking the order is the simplest way to meet it.
At the dye pots in Emily's and Haley's house, Taro Root counts as an orange dye.
Cooking
Cooking Taro Root with the other ingredients below makes these dishes.
| Dish | Image | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Poi | 
|
Taro Root (4) |
Most villagers like Taro Root, as they like most vegetables. Abigail, Haley, Jas, Sam and Vincent dislike it. Cooked into Poi, it becomes a loved gift for Leo.
All Crops
Every crop, with its season, growth time and normal-quality sell price.
| Crop | Image | Season | Growth | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Jazz | 
|
Spring | 7 days | 50g |
| Carrot | 
|
Spring | 3 days | 35g |
| Cauliflower | 
|
Spring | 12 days | 175g |
| Garlic | 
|
Spring | 4 days | 60g |
| Green Bean | 
|
Spring | 10 days | 40g |
| Kale | 
|
Spring | 6 days | 110g |
| Parsnip | 
|
Spring | 4 days | 35g |
| Potato | 
|
Spring | 6 days | 80g |
| Rhubarb | 
|
Spring | 13 days | 220g |
| Strawberry | 
|
Spring | 8 days | 120g |
| Tulip | 
|
Spring | 6 days | 30g |
| Unmilled Rice | 
|
Spring | - | - |
| Ancient Fruit | 
|
Spring, Summer, Fall | 28 days | 550g |
| Tea Leaves | 
|
Spring, Summer, Fall | 20 days | - |
| Blueberry | 
|
Summer | 13 days | 50g |
| Hops | 
|
Summer | 11 days | 25g |
| Hot Pepper | 
|
Summer | 5 days | 40g |
| Melon | 
|
Summer | 12 days | 250g |
| Poppy | 
|
Summer | 7 days | 140g |
| Radish | 
|
Summer | 6 days | 90g |
| Red Cabbage | 
|
Summer | 9 days | 260g |
| Starfruit | 
|
Summer | 13 days | 750g |
| Summer Spangle | 
|
Summer | 8 days | 90g |
| Summer Squash | 
|
Summer | 6 days | - |
| Tomato | 
|
Summer | 11 days | 60g |
| Corn | 
|
Summer, Fall | 14 days | 50g |
| Sunflower | 
|
Summer, Fall | 8 days | 80g |
| Wheat | 
|
Summer, Fall | 4 days | 25g |
| Amaranth | 
|
Fall | 7 days | 150g |
| Artichoke | 
|
Fall | 8 days | 160g |
| Beet | 
|
Fall | 6 days | 100g |
| Bok Choy | 
|
Fall | 4 days | 80g |
| Cranberries | 
|
Fall | 7 days | - |
| Eggplant | 
|
Fall | 5 days | 60g |
| Fairy Rose | 
|
Fall | 12 days | - |
| Pumpkin | 
|
Fall | 13 days | 320g |
| Sweet Gem Berry | 
|
Fall | 24 days | - |
| Yam | 
|
Fall | 10 days | 160g |
| Powdermelon | 
|
Winter | - | 60g |
| Broccoli | 
|
- | - | - |
| Cactus Fruit | 
|
- | - | 75g |
| Grape | 
|
- | - | 80g |
| Pineapple | 
|
- | - | - |
| Qi Fruit | 
|
- | - | - |
| Taro Root | 
|
- | 10 days | 100g |