What Is an Alocasia Plant?
Alocasia is a type of tropical plant that belongs to the family of Araceae. It is an herbaceous plant with upright growing leaves. All parts of the alocasia plant are toxic, so it must be handled with extreme caution as even its sap could cause irritation and inflammation on skin or mucous membrane when coming into contact with them.
There are about 70 species of alocasia plants, the most common species being Alocasia macrorrhiza.
Alocasia Plant Care & Maintenance:
Alocasia is a plant that can be easy to grow because it requires less care, and there is no need to worry about overwatering or under-watering. It is also an easy-to-grow foliage plant that does not require any special treatment except for correct lighting and soil condition.
Alocasia can be grown indoors as well as outdoors in the garden or containers. However, keep in mind that alocasia does not tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees F (10ºC).
Alocasia prefers slightly acidic soil with lots of organic materials. Never plant your alocasia in waterlogged or extremely drained soil. Its leaves tend to develop brown spots when the soil is poor and lacks nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Therefore, if you plan to grow this plant outside, make sure to choose a place where temperatures will rarely drop below 50ºF at night.
There are many ways of planting alocasia, from growing them from tubers to using plugs/cuttings or growing them from the rhizome division method.
Light Requirements:
Alocasia plants grow better in medium to bright sunlight. But it can grow well under partial shade too (with very less amount direct sunlight).
When grown indoors, the Alocasia plant prefers a window with indirect or diffused light. It can also grow under fluorescent lights but not under direct sun exposure. This indoor plant needs to be kept warm and humid, preferably with temperatures above 50ºF.
If growing Alocasia indoors, choose a location that receives bright light but not direct sunlight.
When we talk about the ideal temperature for alocasia growth, it prefers temperatures between 60 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (16-35ºC).
Alocasia Plant Water Requirements
The best time for watering alocasia is in the morning because evenings are apt to be humid and wet which encourages fungus growth that could harm your plant.
They need adequate water supply when planted as indoor plants, so keep them adequately moist at all times.
However, ensure not to overwater them otherwise they will become susceptible to root rot which ultimately leads to their death. If you have an outdoor alocasia, overwatering could lead to root rot due to excess water accumulating at the bottom of the pot.
While overwatering is a big no, underwatering also causes harm—under-watering results in alocasia leaves that are smaller in size and with weak colors.
Alocasia Plant Soil Requirements:
Alocasia plants prefer porous soil with good drainage. Most species thrive well in rich loamy soil, which is mildly acidic to neutral pH range. But some of them can grow even in calcareous soils.
The best potting mix would be one that uses bark chips or tree fern fiber mixed with peat moss or coconut coir fiber together with perlite/vermiculite.
Temperature and Humidity Requirements:
The ideal temperature for Alocasia is between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (16-32ºC).
Alocasia prefers humidity ranging from 70% to 80%. The best place for the alocasia plant is in the bathroom, which has a humid atmosphere.
Alocasia Plant Food Requirements:
Alocasia requires moist soil but not soaked. Therefore, it needs fertilizers that release nutrients over time gradually.
When growing indoors, regular fertilizing will not be required because they don’t really need intensive feeding. However, if you are going to grow them outdoors, you have to use slow-release fertilizer containing trace elements such as iron chelate or zinc chelate.
Most of the time, plants are grown in containers will not need extra fertilizer. But the one’s grown outdoors should be fertilized using a balanced trace mineral or slow-release fertilizer, which is high in N (Nitrogen), P (phosphorous), and K (Potassium).
Fertilizing Requirements:
Alocasia plants do not require special fertilizers for optimal growth as they can thrive even if you provide them with normal nutrient levels.
Fertilizer should be given every 2 weeks during spring and summer seasons or once every 3 weeks during fall and winter seasons, depending on the type of formulation used. It varies from one brand to another.
You may use general-purpose fertilizer containing equal amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). But if you are using a fertilizer with a high nitrogen concentration like 26-0-10, it is better to dilute it to half or one quarter the recommended strength.
Gary recommended that he uses Miracle Grow All Purpose Plant Food every two weeks during the spring and summer season and once a month for the fall and winter seasons.
However, if you have an indoor alocasia, you may need to fertilize them more frequently than outdoor plants because they grow much slower inside the house.
Soil Requirements:
The optimum temperature is between 60˚F – 80˚F (16°C – 27°C). During summers, ideal temperatures would be 70 ˚F (21°C) at night and 75˚F (24°C) during the day.
However, you can grow this plant successfully in temperatures from 50˚F to 90˚F (10˚C – 32˚C). However, when growing alocasia outside or indoors with little or no ventilation, you may want to consider placing them outdoors over the summer months before they go dormant for the winter months.
Humidity Requirements:
Alocasias are not grown on soil; hence need less watering. When watered too much it will cause root rot and death of the plant.
The plants should be provided moderate temperature and humidity levels in varying 40% to 80 % relative humidity.
The range of water temperatures for alocasia should be between 50˚F to 90˚F (10°C – 32°C).
Potting and repotting Requirements:
Plants grown outdoors or indoors in containers should be repotted every two to three years. Those potted in-ground do not need repotting over a period of seven to eight years. All the alocasias are stem plants; hence, they do not require any root pruning before or after repotting.
Alocasia will grow back if torn or damaged by accident. So, it is best to handle them with care when you are pruning and cultivating the plant at home for your garden.
Sunlight:
The ideal sunlight conditions for alocasia plants would be partially shaded areas with the bright filtered sun and dappled shade from trees and bushes. However, it will not die if it is placed under direct sunlight as long as they are given adequate water and humidity levels.
Alocasia Plant Propagation Info:
Alocasia plants can be propagated through stem cuttings or rhizome divisions. However, it is best to propagate them by taking stem cuttings from mature alocasias as they are more likely to grow into mature and healthy plants than those taken from small immature ones.
Hence, if you want to start a new alocasia garden, take 12″ long stem cutting with at least 3-4 leaves and plant them in a pot filled with potting soil mix using 1/3 compost or peat moss and 2/3 normal garden soil. Water the mixture until it is damp but not soggy wet. Once your cutting has rooted, place the pots in partial shade under trees for about two weeks.
Alocasia Plant Problems & Their Solutions:
Temperature, water, and light are the three most important factors that affect alocasia growth. Some other problems that may affect alocasia include.
1. Yellow Leaves:
If you find your Alocasia leaves turning yellow, then it indicates they might have lacked moisture. Make sure to water them very well until they become plump again. This yellowing can also happen if you grow them indoors where light is limited or low air circulation.
2. Leaf Curling:
The curling of leaves is usually due to damping-off or fungi growth, which can be easily taken care of using fungicides. If it’s not damping-off, then it could also indicate a bigger problem such as root rot. Ensure to watch out for symptoms like wilting, yellowing, and rotting roots, as they are indications that your plant is under attack by undesirable bacteria and/or fungus.
3. Leaves Browning:
Alocasia plants can brown their leaves if the soil while too wet. Once you notice this discoloration on alocasia leaf tips or margins, make sure to water them only when the top inch (0.5 cm) of soil is dry.
4. Alocasia Stem Rot:
The stem rot can already be a sign that your plant has been under attack by unwanted bacteria or fungus for a while. If you notice any discoloration, then it means that the infection has reached the roots and should be treated immediately to prevent further damage to the plant’s structure.
5. Whole Plant Wilting:
When your alocasia is wilting, whether leaves and stems are limp and drooping, check if it’s incorrect light conditions (plants need shading). This problem could also indicate overwatering or root problems which require immediate attention before it worsens.
6. Alocasia Leaf Curl & Plant Dieback:
This happens when the plant is dying of some disease or cold temperature. When you find your alocasia in this condition, it must be dealt with immediately. Remove affected leaves and flowers. If this problem persists even after two weeks or so, then you should discard the entire plant out of mercy killing. You may not notice any discoloration, but if dark patches are forming on the underside of the leaves, that could mean there is a fungi infection on them.
7. Pests:
Alocasia can be attacked by pests such as aphids, mealybugs, and thrips that affect its leaves, stems, and roots/rhizomes, but these are easy to get rid of using organic pesticides natural ingredients like neem oil.
8. Foliage Loss or Wilting:
If the leaves turn yellow and fall off before they reach maturity, then your plant may have been infected by some leaf spot disease. This damages them from the inside out and can be solved by treating them with fungicide solutions.
9. Fungus Gnat Infestation:
Do you find black gnats flying all around, especially on moist soil? Those pesky insects are called fungus gnats, and these cause damage to the roots and foliage of alocasia plants in a full-blown infestation.
10. Bulbous Roots:
Some alocasia varieties like Alocasia sanderiana produce bulbous roots, clog up drains if not taken care of well enough. Ensure to remove any unwanted bulblets to prevent rotting and clogging of drains (in case they fall off from plants).
11. Leaf Drop:
The growth rate of alocasia is slow compared to other gardening plants, so don’t be alarmed if its leaves suddenly turn yellow and drop off. Just keep on watering them regularly until the next set forms and blossoms within a year or so.
12. Tipping Leaves Browning:
This could also indicate an overabundance of potassium, which can be easily taken care of with regular applications of potassium-deficient fertilizer spray.
