Consulta Plantas

Care of the indoor plant Alocasia x amazonica or Amazonian Elephant Ear

The genus Alocasia, family Araceae, comprises 80 species of plants native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Australia. Some species are: Alocasia x amazonica, Alocasia macrorrhiza, Alocasia odora, Alocasia cucullata, Alocasia robusta, Alocasia brisbanensis.

Common names: Amazonian Elephant Ear, Amazonian Taro, African mask plant, Kris plant. This plant is an hybrid of Alocasia longiloba x Alocasia sanderiana.

They are perennial rhizomatous tropical plants that reach 2 meters (6.56 feet) in height. The large, showy arrow-shaped leaves are glossy dark green with cream veins above and purple below. The flowers are not decorative and do not usually bloom indoors; outdoors they can bloom in summer. The entire plant is toxic by ingestion.

They are used as houseplants and greenhouse plants in well-lit rooms (with direct sun) and outdoors in light undergrowth.

Alocasia x amazonica needs semi-shade exposure, avoiding direct sunlight in the middle of the day. They do not resist temperatures below 10 ºC (50 ºF).

The soil can be a commercial, well-drained houseplant potting mix or a mixture of peat moss (60%), compost or humus (10%), and perlite (30%).

Regularly water with lime-free water so that the substrate never dries out completely; in summer water every 2 days and in winter reduce watering to once a week. The ambient humidity should be medium-high: place a plate with wet pebbles under the pot and frequently spray the leaves with lime-free water in summer.

Fertilize with fertilizer for indoor plants every 20 days in spring and summer.

Prune wilted leaves by cutting the petiole from the base.

They are plants that are quite resistant to the usual pests and diseases, but they can be attacked by spider mites and mealybugs if ventilation is poor.

They are propagated by sucker separation in spring.

Images of the indoor plant Alocasia x amazonica or Amazonian Elephant Ear