Alocasia. Description. Growing Conditions, Care, Reproduction. Decorative Deciduous. Houseplants. Kinds. A Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-07-30 22:46

Alocasia (Alocasia, family Aroid) is an exotic plant that came to us from tropical Asia. Alocasia attracts attention with its large, up to 70 cm long leaves, on long fleshy petioles. The leaves are oblong-heart-shaped, in some species they are broadly arrow-shaped. Light streaks that stand out against a dark olive background give them an elegant look. The flowers of alocasia are white, small, inconspicuous, collected in an inflorescence - a brush. All parts of the plant are poisonous.

Most often, there is alocasia amazonica (Alocasia amazonica). The lower surface of the leaves in this species is purple, the upper surface is shiny, as if covered with wax, with wide silvery veins. Alocasia sanderiana has green leaves with a metallic sheen and jagged edges. Alocasia copper-red (Alocasia cuprea) - the owner of luxurious oval-ovoid leaves with a lilac tint on the upper surface, while its light veins are surrounded by dark purple stripes. Alocasia thick-stemmed 'Variegata' (Alocasia macrorhiza 'Variegata') has dull leaves with white and light green spots. In addition, you can find on sale such types of alocasia as alocasia nodule (Alocasia cucullata), hybrid alocasia (Alocasia hybrida), alocasia useful (Alocasia odora) and alocasia lead-gray (Alocasia plumbea).

© PiotrM

Alocasia prefers well-lit places, but tolerates partial shade, although in this case, the color of the leaves will partly lose its brightness. The plant is thermophilic, the temperature should not fall below 18 ° С in winter, in summer temperatures above 20 ° С are preferable. Alocasia requires high air humidity. It is good to put the plant on a pallet with wet pebbles, you need to often spray the leaves and the air around them.

Alocasia is watered with soft water, abundantly - in summer (the soil should not dry out), moderately - in winter. If the plant is kept in a room with low temperature and excessive humidity in the cold season, root rot is possible. In this case, the air temperature should be increased and the earth should be dried. Alocasia is fed every two weeks with full mineral fertilizer or cactus fertilizer. Transplanted every 2 years in the spring. The substrate needs to be sour and light; a mixture is prepared from leaf and coniferous soil, humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 2: 1: 1. You can replace the coniferous soil with dry needles (about a handful of needles for a medium-sized pot). Alocasia is propagated by root suckers (they divide the bush during transplantation) or by pieces of the trunk.

© Henryr10

If the leaves of alocasia turn yellow and fall off, then the reason for this may be pests - aphids, scale insects and spider mites. Carefully inspect the plant, if insects are found, treat it with soapy water, karbofos or actellik. Increase the humidity in the room.