Alocasiais a genus of about 75 specie like elephant ears and Mayan masque of tuberous and rhizomatous perennial to begin with from Subtropical Asia and Eastern Australia . Also acknowledge as the African mask , Elephant Ear or Kris plant , Alocasia It is a unfolding flora but its master cosmetic economic value is in the broad , waxy leaves of this pop houseplant from theAraceaefamily .
Alocasiais a chemical group of plants , a genus , but all the species and cultivar within this genus need the same canonical guardianship . Here is a myopic summary for properAlocasiaplant care :
It look jolly straight , but these are only the very key points . If you want yourAlocasia plantto calculate tremendous all year round , you will need to read all the elaborate and step - by - stair templet we have put together for you in this clause .
AlocasiaPlant Overview
Alocasiais a subtropic evergreen plant perennial which is famous for its leaves . look on the species they can cast from 8 to 60 inches in duration ( 20 to 150 centimetre ) . Their form is usuallysagittate(spearhead shape ) orcordate(heart regulate ) .
The leaves of theAlocasia plantsare very waxy in grain , they often have very seeable ribbed veins , often uncoiled and radiating from the nerve center . Sometimes these veins are of a different colour from the folio , which can lay out in people of colour from birdlime green to black hunter green .
The leaf mature at the end of a longpetiole , which can arrive at 3 to 5 feet in length ( 90 to 150 cm ) . The petioles radiate from a primal point at the al-Qa’ida of the plant , and the leave on them sometimes pointing up , and sometimes at an angle or manoeuver down depending on the species .
The African Mask plants havecormsunderground which contain thorn , but you may exhaust them if you cook them . The blooms ofAlocasiaconsist of aspatheandspadix , like peace lilies . These can vary in semblance from light green to whitish .
Alocasia Plant Profile
botanic name : Alocasia spp .
Common name(s):alocasia , individual species ’ uncouth names admit giant taro , ‘ ape , biga , elephant ears , African mask plant life .
Plant character : subtropical herbaceous perennial .
Size : between 2 and 15 feet tall count on the coinage ( 60 to 450 cm , or 4.5 meter ) . In spreading it vary between 2 to 8 feet ( 60 to 240 cm ) .
Potting ground : porous potting grime , one part peat ( or utility ) one part perlite or uncouth potting sand .
outside ground : well drain but always moist loam , Lucius Clay or arenaceous stain .
Soil pH : acidic to neutral , 5.5 to 6.5 ideally .
Light essential indoors : bright and plenty indirect spark .
Watering prerequisite : regular watering but you want to allow the top ground to dry out up before watering . Keep the partially dry but with humidity in it .
fertilize : frequently ( every 2 to 4 weeks ) with an organic 20:10:20 NPK fertilizer during the grow season .
Bloom clock time : specially in springiness and former summertime , but any time .
Alocasia Varieties
There are some famousAlocasiavarieties like :
There are many others , of form , but these are some of the most pop and they should give you an idea of the range of colors , shapes and personality of our flora .
But now , let ’s bet at the key growing needs ofAlocasia .
Step-By-Step Care And Growing Guide ForAlocasiaPlants
Do you wish to knowexactlyhow to look after yourAlocasia , whichever variety you opt ? We are going to look at all the needs of your plant , in a unproblematic and unclouded way , footstep by step .
Light Requirements For Growing Alocasia Plants
Alocasia needsbright and plenty indirect brightness level . In practical terms , this depends on whether you rise it indoors or outside :
Alocasia Watering Needs
Watering yourAlocasiacorrectly can make all the dispute between a healthy and an unhealthy plant . It needs regular tearing and constant humidness but also a partly dry soil . This may be foxy to achieve . But here are some guideline to facilitate you .
Alocasia Humidity Needs
Alocasiais a subtropical plant so it heeds constant and somewhat high humidness levels .
The Best Soil For Alocasia Plants
Whether you growAlocasiain the ground or in containers , the land needs to have three characteristic :
To achieve this balance , we require to distinguish between potted plants and plants in full soil .
Best land To use For Alocasia Growing In containers and potty :
safe soil to use for Alocasia turn in full ground :
In both case :
Alocasia Temperature Needs
Alocasiais very sensitive to temperature modification ; in subtropical expanse , the temperature is very steady all class round . The middling indoor temperature is normally right forAlocasia . In detail :
How To Repot An Alocasia Plant
Whenever yourAlocasiaoutgrows the pot , you should repot it . It is a fairly degraded acquire plant , so this is necessary .
Propagating Alocasia Plants
you could propagateAlocasiaby clop section or rhizome division and you could do it in fountain and early summer , when the plant comes out of quiescency . This is when the plant is most vigorous and ready to produce new specimen .
Once you have planted them , keep them lovesome and humid for a few weeks ( but not stiff ) to encourage growth .
How To Trim Alocasia
You should not commonly pruneAlocasia . This is a flora with a by nature beautiful wont and shape . in reality prune it may ruin its show .
How To Fertilize Alocasia
Alocasianeeds frequent and veritable feeding with a good organic fertiliser . They are fairly hungry plants and they need to affirm a lot of growth . They also come from very rich region .
of course , indoor and outdoorAlocasiaplants have somewhat different needs .
Alocasia Flowers
Alocasiais a blossoming works , and it has distaff and male flowers . They are unlike , and we shall see how .
After flowering , where the spadix used to be , Alocasiawill produce a clump of scarlet berries that will outride on the plant until ripe .
Note thatAlocasiadoes not have a right blooming season . Most often , they will bloom in springtime or other summer , but they can bloom at any prison term .
last , they are not easy flub ; it is fair uncommon for one of them to bloom outside its born environment . It happens more often in greenhouses or parks where they have ideal conditions , less often indoors .
Pests And Diseases Affecting Alocasia Plant Growth
Alocasiasuffers from some mutual diseases , let in antecedent rot , crown putrefaction , stalk decomposition , leaf fleck and Xanthomonas . It can also be affected by parasites like wanderer mites ( red especially ) and scale leaf insect .
In most cases , job are due to excessive dirt or melodic phrase humidity .
Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Alocasia Plants
Now , that ’s all you need to know to make yourAlocasiahappy , but how about your curious questions ? We have found out the most require questions about this plant life and also written down the answer for you !
UnfortunatelyAlocasiais very , very poisonous indeed ! Never eat any part of the flora . If infested , it is really serious for human beings , cats , detent , horses and virtually all pets … It is not “ just poisonous ” it is lethal and it can vote down you . The cosh of Alocasia is also an thorn . So , if it have-to doe with your skin , it may give you rash .
Also be very heedful with the sharp edges of the laves of this works . They can cut you ( look on the specie ) and vex your skin and wound .
Drooping leaves is a very distinctive symptom that youAlocasiais not a happy plant life . In fact , with its giving and sometimes heavy leaves , one of the first things it does when it needs to secernate you that something is wrong is droop its beautiful leaves .
The causes though may be many … It may be any of these :
It may also just be that the season is changing . Yes , sometimes these plants suffer the change of temperature and luminance and droop their leave of absence .
Alocasiaplants do cast off folio every now and then . Usually , though this chance periodically and with one leaf at a meter , and well spaced out from the next leaf .
If there are more than one folio dying at the same time , you should concern .
Also check that when the leaf give way , it only dries up course , starting at the tip .
If you see any signs of rotting , insalubrious food coloring , dot lesions and spots , then your plant may not be well . gibe the list of common diseases with Alocasia in this article if this is the case .
First of all , facilitate your plant and as soon as it has dry up , take away the send away leafage . Next , look for a few calendar week and you will have a beautiful surprisal ! Your works should soon start growing a new foliage ..
Yes , these plants care to neglect a leafage and grow a unexampled one . And phallus that when they do that , they will be very hungry indeed . And if you have not fertilized it in a while , a newfangled leafage may be a good opportunity to give your beautiful industrial plant some feeding …
First of all , permit ’s separate if it is vary color because of a disease or other reason . If it has spots , lacerations , if it is molder etc . then it is an contagion ( fungal or bacterial ) . This also fall out fairly fast and in localized spots on the leaf .
However , if the change of gloss is gradual and diffused , regular throughout the leaf , it is another ground tout ensemble . In this case , it is a matter of light !
If the foliage of yourAlocasiais turning paler , it may well mean that you require to give it more unclouded . The farewell ofAlocasiawill cut back the chloroplasts inside the leave and the measure of chlorophyll when there is too much light . It makes sentience if you think about it … It would have too much photosynthesis …
However , if the leaves are turning dark , it is the polar font : yourAlocasiaplants needs more light . In this case , the opposite is happening , the flora is stress to pay off for the lack of light pack its cell with chloroplasts .
What Is The Difference Between Alocasia And Colocasia ?
AlocasiaandColocasiaare like plant life in many room , but with a small distinction … So what is the difference?Alocasia has rootstock and tuber or corms , Colocasia only has corms .
They are members of the same family . They originate from the same region . Not exactly the same becauseColocasiadoes not raise spontaneous in East Australia , but only in Subtropical Asia . They have broad , beautiful cordate or arrow-shaped leaves on top of retentive petioles …
There are also aquatic species ofColocasia , like H2O taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) . And the corm of this plant life are used in many dishes in cuisine all over the earthly concern .
Yes you’re able to move them outdoors ! Actually youAlocasiamay lie a chip of fresh air . But make indisputable that the temperature does not drop under 60oF ( 15oC ) even at dark before you move it .
This will usually happen from late May or early June in most temperate regions .
Also make certain you come up it a sheltered spot aside from hard direct sunlight , specially noon and afternoon Sun .
No you’re able to not growAlocasiaplants next to ponds . And I postulate to correct you : you have not seenAlocasiaplants growing next to pool … They wereColocasiaplants , which look similar , but can grow in wet and boggy grounds .
Alocasiaswould die in those shape , and they would fail very fast indeed . Remember they need very well drained filth and like it humid but on the juiceless side . If your pond would do with beautiful leaves likeAlocasia’sthen plant aColocasiathere .
Alocaisa And Your Own Tropical Paradise
Whether you growAlocasiaindoors or outdoors , these plants have foliage like very few you could find oneself in the world .
Showy , shining , and sometimes even colossal in size , these leaves can turn your keep room , your terrace and your garden into a stark look , lush and alien tropic paradise of your own . And now you know how to make this paradise await tidy and happy too !
Written By
Amber Noyes was born and raised in a suburban California town , San Mateo . She control a original ’s degree in gardening from the University of California as well as a BS in Biology from the University of San Francisco . With experience working on an constitutional farm , water conservation research , husbandman ’ markets , and plant baby’s room , she understands what makes plant life boom and how we can better realise the connecter between microclimate and plant health . When she ’s not on the land , Amber loves informing mass of newfangled ideas / thing link up to gardening , especially organic horticulture , houseplants , and grow plants in a little blank .
