Alocasia Plant Care Guide
About Alocasia’s
Alocasias are one of the most unique varieties of houseplants you can have in your home. Their leaves vary in size, texture, color, and shape. Their most popular being the African mask plant. If you are up for a challenge, the alocasia is best for advanced plant parents. It has harsh humidity and watering requirements. In non-optimal conditions, things can get out of hand pretty quickly. This article will go over all of the tips and tricks for growing and caring for your alocasia houseplant.
Most Common Types of Alocasia
There are around 90 species of alocasia in the Araceae family. They naturally live among forest floors in subtropical regions of Asia. The rarest types of alocasia include the azlanii, zebrina, and silver dragon. The most expensive one of the bunch is the famous purple alocasia azlannii, ranging in price from $250-$600. Below lists some of the most popular variations of alocasia.
Sansevieria trifasciata
Sansevieria cylindrica
Sunlight Requirements
Alocasias prefer to be in bright, indirect light. If you are keeping your alocasia indoors, place your pot near an east or west facing window. Do not place the plant directly next to the window but a few feet away. Never put your alocasia in direct light as this can burn the leaves and be detrimental to the overall health of the plant.
Humidity Requirements
For optimal conditions, alocasias need to have humidity levels of 60% or higher. The most difficult part of taking care of an alocasia plant is its humidity requirements. Many choose to purchase a cabinet with climate controls to maintain the temperamental qualities alocasias require. If a climate controlled cabinet is not in your budget, use pebble trays with water or invest in a humidifier. Another way to provide humidity to your alocasia is by daily misting with a spray bottle.
If you are keeping your alocasia outdoors, make sure that the humidity levels in your area are high enough for your plant. Drooping leaves, leaf curling, brown leaf tips, and leaf edges are all signs that your alocasia is not receiving enough moisture.
Temperature Requirements
The best temperature for an alocasia plant is between 60°-80°F. If you live in an area that temperatures drop below 50 degrees, be sure to bring your alocasia plant indoors a few weeks before the first frost. Make sure that the change is gradual, sudden changes in your plant’s environment can cause shock or even death. Avoid placing your alocasia near vents or areas in the home that experiences drafts.
Watering Requirements
Since alocasia plants love humidity and moisture, it goes the same with watering. Ideally, you should be watering your alocasia weekly paired with frequent misting. To avoid over watering, wait until the first two inches of soils dry out before watering again. Over watering an alocasia will cause fungal infections, droopy leaves, and mushy stalks.
Soil Requirements
Alocasias prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. A perfect mix is composed of:
Coarse Sand
Peat moss
For more eco-friendly alternatives to peat moss, use Coco Coir, and Coconut Husk.
When taking care of your alocasia, make sure that the soil is moist and loose, not soggy and stiff. Ensure that the pot that you are using has drainage holes.
How do I plant alocasia corms?
It’s a difficult task growing alocasias from seed, but if you're up for the challenge follow these steps on how to successfully grow an alocasia.
Step One: Make sure that your bulb is hard.
Step Two: Place the bulb in your soil mix composed of, coco coir and perlite, with the root-part down.
Step Three: Place in tray or small seedling pot and cover.
Step Four: Keep the soil moist and never allow it to dry out. Make sure that the environment that you are keeping the seedling tray/pot has humidity levels higher than 60%.
Step Five: Place the pot/tray near a window that receives a lot of bright, indirect lighting.
Can I keep my alocasia plant indoors or outdoors?
Susceptible Diseases
Alocasias are susceptible to many pests and diseases, some of which include the following:
Root, Crown, and Stem Rot
Powdery Mildew
Leaf Spot
Scale
Propagation
Alocasias sprout from rhizomes, meaning they are not the best choice for propagating from cuttings. But you can separate your alocasia and plant in separate pots. Below are three simply steps on how to propagate your favorite alocasia plants.
Step One: Remove the plant from the pot and carefully separate the soil from the roots. Run the roots gently under room temperature water when clumping occurs.
Step Two: Gently separate the loosely connected roots. Always use delicate hands when caring for roots of any plant, especially alocasias.
Step Three: Use soil propagation in a plastic nursery pot. Soil should always remain moist.
In a few weeks after caring for your new alocasia plants, new roots should form and you will have a healthy thriving plant in no time.