Alocasia Indoors (Alocasia amazonica)

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Plant Details

Category: Houseplants
Light: Bright Light
Bloom Season:
Height: 12-24" / 
30-61cm
Space: 18-24" / 
46-61cm
Zones: 11, 12
Lowest Temp: 50° to 80°F / 
10° to 27°C
Colors: Grown for foliage

Basic Care

Keep soil evenly moist and fertilize regularly.

Water

Keep soil evenly moist.

Soil

Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil.

Feed

Once every month during growing season.

detailed care guide →

Fast Growth

Ornamental Foliage

Containers

Features

Alocasia are popular for the drama and tropical style their foliage brings to any setting and are often called Elephant Ears. ‘Polly’ is a striking variety with leaves of deep, glossy green and contrasting white ribs. It makes a perfect companion to plants with lighter colored or more finely textured foliage.

Caution: Alocasia plants contain a compound called calcium oxalate that can be toxic to cats, dogs, and people. Calcium oxalate crystals irritate the mouth and stomach if ingested, leading to symptoms such as swelling, pain, and digestive problems.

Uses

Easy to grow indoors or outdoors in pots or beds.

Alocasia Indoors (Alocasia amazonica) Care Guide

Start with a good quality, commercial potting soil. These are usually lighter in weight than topsoil, sterile and pest-free. Many are available with a mild starter fertilizer in the mix.

Select a container with a drainage hole or be prepared to drill holes for drainage if there are none.

Prepare the container by filling with potting soil up to 2” (5cm) from the rim of the planter. Remove the plant from its pot.

Make a small hole in the soil slightly larger than the root ball either by hand or using a trowel. Insert the plant into the hole and press soil firmly around the roots and just covering the root ball. When all the plants are potted, water thoroughly to settle the soil and give plants a good start. Place plant in a reliably sunny location.

Repot every 2 years in the same container or in a container slightly larger than the diameter of the roots.

Prefers moist but well-drained soil. Check the soil moisture with your finger. If the top 2-4” (5-10cm) of soil is dry, or plants are wilted, it is time to water.

Apply water at the soil level if possible to avoid wetting the foliage. Water the entire soil area until water runs out the base of the pot. This indicates that the soil is thoroughly wet.

Most container plants can be pruned freely to maintain the desired size and shape. Keeping the foliage trimmed also keeps the plants looking neat and tidy, encourages the plant to develop more side-shoots and flowers, and reduces the demand for the plant to develop a larger root system. This is important since the roots are in a confined space.

Fertilizers are available in many forms: granulated, slow-release, liquid feeds, organic or synthetic. Determine which application method is best for the situation and select a product with a nutritional balance designed for foliage plants.

Too much fertilizer can damage plants so it’s important to follow the package directions to determine how much, and how often, to feed plants.

Slow-release fertilizers are an especially good, care-free choice for container plants. A single application can often provide plants with the proper level of nutrition all season long.

Companion/Combination Plants

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