I thought too that there's be some tropical edibles in the store there, haha. I don't think I saw wax on those two things when I see them here. JIcama is waxed, I'm pretty sure. The asian grocery also sells a lot of unusual vegetables.
Ah, found my notes! Info from, I think, PlantDelights site and a few notes from when I grew them:
Yautía / Malanga (Xanthosoma Sagittifolium)
This genus goes by many names in the Caribbean, including yautía, malanga, tannia, tannier, tanier, and cocoyam.
This corm has an elongated shape and the skin is bumpy, patchy, brown and shaggy. The flesh inside is slippery but crisp. It can be white, yellow, pink or purplish. The flavor is nutty and earthy with a waxy, starchy consistency when it's prepared.
This particular species is native to the lowland tropical areas of South America where it was first domesticated as a crop. It spread into the Antilles, then the Caribbean. It's .especially favored in Cuba and Puerto Rico in dishes such as sancocho, mondongo, pasteles, and alcapurrias. The young tender leaves are used in callaloo in Trinidad, Tobago, Guyanan, and Jamaica.
Growing- Second year, in a pot, the leaves were huge, as big as the giant EE, with stems about three feet. Very nice!
Eddoes (Colocasia Antiquorum)
Also called eddo, this species is native to China and Japan. It can grow in cooler and drier climates, so it's a suitable crop in parts of North America. These corms are generally smaller and rounder. They resemble striped, hairy potatoes. The flavor of the leaves and corms are a little acrider and the flesh is a bit slippery.
Growing- Second year, leaves not as big as Yautia, and stems about 2 feet, not a huge grower.
PlantDelights says- The traditional variety of edible Colocasia grown for taro is Colocasia esculenta variety aquatilis. This form produces very long stolons (above ground runners), forming a large mass of plants in a short time.
Taro (Colocasia Esculenta)
Another common name for the taro species is dasheen. This variety is a tropical perennial and it likes a moist and warm climate. The plant originates in Southeast Asia and Southern India. Certain parts of the Caribbean provide the ideal growing conditions.
Taro or dasheen should have a sweet nutty flavor. It shares the same brown, hairy appearance as an eddo or yautia. The taro's flesh takes on a bluish appearance when it's cooked. It's quite popular in Hawaii, and it's the key ingredient in poi.
