A Detailed Guide to Growing and Caring for Alocasia (Elephant Ear)

Alocasia (Elephant Ear) is a common indoor plant, a perennial herb with fairly thick stems, and it has a clear effect on removing dust. However, when growing it we should pay attention to the toxicity of Alocasia; if there are children at home, special care is needed. Now let us take a look at the growing methods and precautions for Alocasia!

Growing Methods for Alocasia

1. Growing temperature: 20-25°C is the most suitable growing temperature for Alocasia. When room temperature is below 18°C, Alocasia will enter a dormant period and stop growing. Alocasia likes a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment. During growing, you must pay special attention to the changes of the seasons. Especially now that summer is coming soon, be particularly careful to place Alocasia in a semi-shaded, ventilated spot, and spray water on the leaves of Alocasia many times to maintain air humidity. Avoid excessively high temperatures causing abnormal conditions in Alocasia. Alocasia is not strongly cold-resistant; depending on the temperature differences between north and south, in autumn and winter Alocasia needs to be moved indoors.

2. Correct fertilizing: The fertilizing cycle for Alocasia is once a month, and it must be given a supplementary feeding every 2 weeks, and the potting soil of Alocasia needs to be moistened. A thin liquid fertilizer based on nitrogen fertilizer mixed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be used as a supplement. When top-dressing, avoid pouring the fertilizing water onto the leaf sheaths, as this will cause Alocasia to rot. If you want the leaves of Alocasia to be large and green, applying some ferrous sulfate can achieve this. If you want Alocasia to grow attractively, avoid a lack of fertilizer; once a fertilizer deficiency occurs, the stem of Alocasia will shrivel and become bare.

3. Timely watering: In summer you can water Alocasia more. Some people often say that the stems of the Alocasia they grow rot; this is caused by waterlogging. If you give Alocasia too much water, this situation will occur, so when watering you must grasp the right amount. In winter, Alocasia will enter a long dormant period, so in winter watering should be controlled and fertilizing stopped.

4. Light issues: For plants that like semi-shade, direct sunlight is the biggest taboo. When the leaves of a cultivated Alocasia droop, it may be due to a lack of fertilizer. At this time you need to give Alocasia some additional liquid fertilizer. When Alocasia enters its flowering period, ensure 3-5 hours of light each day. Otherwise the flower buds will be tinged with green and the leaf stalks will elongate, affecting its appearance.

5. Summer care: In summer, the flowerpot should be placed in a ventilated spot indoors without direct light, and water should often be sprayed around it and on the leaf surface to increase air humidity, lower leaf temperature and keep the leaves clean. But watering must not be excessive, otherwise the tubers will rot. Alternating dry and moist, with no waterlogging, is best.

Precautions for Alocasia

The white sap inside the stem of Alocasia is toxic. Accidentally touching or eating its sap will cause discomfort in the throat and mouth, and in severe cases can also cause suffocation, leading to cardiac paralysis and death. Skin contact with its sap will cause itching or strong irritation, and eye contact with the sap can cause severe conjunctivitis, or even blindness. Therefore, contact with Alocasia should be minimized, and families with children had best not plant it. However, Alocasia is not a cancer-causing plant.

Winter Care for Alocasia

1. Alocasia enters a dormant state when room temperature is 8°C, and its leaves begin to turn yellow when room temperature is 5°C. Therefore, the overwintering temperature for Alocasia should preferably be above 10°C; in this way, its leaves can be kept green throughout the winter. If room temperature cannot be guaranteed, then simply let the leaves of Alocasia wither and turn yellow, letting it overwinter in a slightly dry dormant state.

2. In late autumn and early winter, the leaves of Alocasia begin to turn yellow and shrivel. At this time, simply use scissors to cut off all the leaves from the stem, stop watering, and after cleaning the surface of the potting soil, place the pot with the Alocasia in a corner or on a shelf. Throughout the winter, water only once a month, and normally just keep the potting soil at 10% moisture. Because its rhizome is toxic, it will not be attacked by insects or gnawed by mice. As long as room temperature does not fall below 0°C, it will not be frostbitten. After Qingming Festival the following year, take the Alocasia plant out of the original potting soil, remove dead roots, old soil and tiller buds, replant it in a prepared growing medium, water it thoroughly, and place it indoors in a sunny spot; in about 10 days, buds and leaves will sprout again.