Also known as: African Mask or Elephant Ears

Native to Asia and Eastern Austrailia, Alocasias come in all different shapes in sizes, all characterized by distinctive veining against the vibrant colors of their leaves. In nature, Alocasias grow underneath tree canopies so their larger leaves help absorb more sunlight.

Alocasias vs Colocasias

It all comes down to the leaves! Alocasias have upward facing leaves while Colocasias' point downward

Light

Alocasias tend to be pretty adaptable and can handle any light level from low to bright indirect light, but Colocasias love their full sun! The more light you give your plant, the more new leaves it'll push out, but be careful, direct sunlight will burn their leaves.

Water

Like most plants, water your plant when the top couple inches of soil are dry. Both Alocasias and Colocasia are going to want consistent moisture, with Colocasias wanting a little more than Alocasias. 

Soil

Loose & nutrient rich soil is ideal for these plants, however you still want your medium to retain some moisture and allow for excess draining.

Temperature & Humidity

Alocasias & Colocasias are tropical plants and love their warmer weather, this means if inside, keep them away from drafts and in a place with a consistent room temperature.

They will also thrive in environments of high humidity! A lot of plant parents love using a humidifier near their plants, mist spraying their leaves, or keeping them in a pebble tray with water, so whatever works for you.

Fertilizer

With any plant, consistent fertilization helps your plant push out new growth and thrive. ThePlantHouse prefers to use liquid fertilizer with their watering every so often, but there are so many good options out there! Just make sure to stop fertilizing when your plant is dormant (winter time).

NOT Plant Friendly!

 

Questions? Need more help? Email us at theplanthouse.help@gmail.com or use the Contact Us page!