Karunai (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius)

Karunai or senai kizhangu, suran or jimikand in Hindi, is elephant foot yam, an aroid grown for its huge, starchy corm. It is a festive and everyday vegetable in Kerala (chena), Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Bengal. The corm causes an itchy throat unless it is boiled with tamarind, kokum or lime. Its single flower is a tall, dark purple spike that smells of rotting meat to attract flies.

Botanical name: Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson
Family: Araceae
Tamil: Karunai
Hindi: Suran
Sanskrit: Sūraṇa
Parts used: Corm
Habit: Seasonal aroid grown for a heavy starchy corm
Last updated: 2026-10-27

How to recognise Karunai

It grows from a large, flattened, brown corm that can weigh several kilograms.

Each year a single leaf rises on a thick, mottled stalk and spreads into an umbrella of many divided leaflets.

Before the leaf, the plant may produce a single flower: a dark purple spathe around a thick, fleshy spike.

The flower gives off a strong, foul smell when open.

Taro, colocasia, has heart-shaped leaves and small corms.

Traditional use of Karunai

Kitchen

Chena is cooked into Kerala erissery and mezhukkupuratti, and karunai kizhangu into Tamil masiyal and chips.

South Indian food practice

Kitchen

In Maharashtra and Bengal suran is fried, curried or cooked into kebabs.

Marathi and Bengali food practice

Ayurveda

Surana is used in Ayurveda for piles and digestion, often in formulas such as suran vatak.

Ayurvedic practice

Modern notes on Karunai

The itchiness comes from needle-like calcium oxalate crystals; cooking with acids reduces it.

Improved varieties such as Gajendra from Andhra Pradesh are less acrid.

The corm is rich in starch and fibre.

Karunai safety

Always boil elephant foot yam with tamarind, kokum or lime before cooking further. Wear gloves or oil your hands when cutting it raw.

Ecology and sourcing

It is native from India to South-east Asia and northern Australia.

Carrion flies and beetles pollinate the foul-smelling flowers.

The corm rests underground through the dry season.

Related plants

Also in Araceae

Questions about Karunai

Why does suran itch?

It contains oxalate crystals.

How do I stop the itch?

Boil it with tamarind, kokum or lime.

Why does the flower smell bad?

To attract flies that pollinate it.

Is Karunai the same as taro?

No. Taro is Colocasia esculenta.

What is chena?

Its Malayalam name.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.