How to Propagate Alocasia (Dumb Cane)? A Detailed Guide to Common Propagation Methods
Since the sap of Alocasia is toxic, you need to avoid direct skin contact with the sap when propagating it. It is best to wear gloves so that contact with the white sap does not cause itchy skin. So how should Alocasia be propagated?
Alocasia
Methods such as division and sowing can be used. In summer and autumn, the tubers of Alocasia send up small Alocasia plants with leaves, and these can be divided when repotting and changing the soil. After fruiting in autumn, collect the orange-red seeds and sow them fresh, or dry and store them and sow them after spring the following year.
Trunk cutting of Alocasia refers to old plants that have grown for many years. Along with renewing the plant, cut the stem about 5 cm above the soil surface from the base of the plant and use the stem for cuttings. Cutting the trunk of Alocasia has two advantages: first, because the plant loses its apical growth dominance, nutrients accumulate at the base and stimulate a large number of shoots from the roots and stem base, which helps increase propagation speed and quantity; second, the removed old stem can be cut into sections about 15 cm long, left to dry in a shaded place for half a day, and then inserted into sandy loam for growing on.
The section at the tip that is still growing is especially good: after removing all mature leaves, plant it directly on its own in a pot, so that rooting and growing on happen at the same time. After two months of cultivation it becomes a finished plant with large leaves, dense branching, and a short, sturdy, vigorous habit, and it looks quite elegant placed indoors. Trunk cuttings of Alocasia can be taken in spring, summer, and autumn. During rooting, keep the substrate moist (6 parts sand : 4 parts garden soil) and also increase air humidity; in about 7-10 days many thick roots will grow.
While old plants are being grown on, because of the shaded, humid environment or because the leaves are misted morning and evening every day in summer and autumn, a few new plantlets sometimes appear on the old stem (especially on the stem base left after trunk cutting), and many aerial roots grow on them. These can be snapped off from where the offset meets the mother plant and potted up.
How to Grow Alocasia
Alocasia, also known as giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos), gets its name because its flowers closely resemble Guanyin. It is a common indoor plant and has a clear effect on removing dust, but because the leaf sap is poisonous if ingested, it is not suitable for households with small children. Below, the editor will introduce how to grow Alocasia.
How to Grow Alocasia
1. Temperature. Alocasia likes a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment. The most suitable temperature is between 20°C and 25°C. Below 18°C it stops growing. In summer, mist the leaves several times to maintain air humidity and avoid excessively high temperatures. Alocasia is not very cold-resistant, so it should be moved indoors in autumn and winter.
2. Fertilizing. Fertilize Alocasia once a month, and a top-dressing must be applied every 2 weeks. You can apply some nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer. If it is not fertilized for a long time, the lower part of the stem will become bare and bald, and the leaves will turn yellow or become smaller.
3. Light. Alocasia is a shade-loving plant, but it still needs a moderate amount of light. The light should not be too strong; if it is too strong, the plant wilts easily, so about 3 hours of light per day is enough. If the environment is too shady, the leaves will become thinner.
4. Watering. Alocasia has a relatively high water demand in summer. Misting the leaves at noon every day can increase air humidity and benefit the plant's growth.
Propagation Methods for Alocasia
[Common Questions] Propagation Methods for Alocasia
[Expert Answer]
Image: Alocasia
1. Trunk-cutting and cutting method:This is the most widely used and also the most common propagation method. To propagate Alocasia by cuttings, simply cut a stem section or terminal bud about 10 cm long in spring, dry the wound in the sun, plant the ones with a terminal bud upright in a flowerpot, bury the leafless sections horizontally with half in the soil, and water appropriately. After insertion, keep the substrate moist and the ambient temperature at 25-2TC; roots and establishment occur in 4-5 weeks.
2. Sowing method:This is used less often, because Alocasia seeds are not easy to obtain. Remove the red flesh from the Alocasia fruit to get the seeds. Sowing in spring is best, with the temperature controlled at 25°C to 28°C, and germination can occur within a month. When planting, you can use open-field drilling or dibbling, with appropriate watering and shading, so that it germinates.
3. Division method:In summer and autumn, small plantlets grow from the rhizome of Alocasia. When they have grown 3-4 true leaves, take out the whole plant, separate the small plantlets, and transplant them into new pots. Division is best done when the temperature reaches 20°C or higher. While keeping the substrate moist, new shoots emerge in about 20 days.
4. Root division method:In plants grown for many years, bulbous new plants grow at the tips of some roots; simply divide and plant them.
[Editor's Summary]
Alocasia is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant that likes a warm, humid environment with moist soil and does not have high light requirements; 4-5 hours of light per day is enough. The propagation methods for Alocasia include trunk-cutting and cutting, sowing, division, and root division, among which trunk-cutting and division are the most commonly used. The First Agricultural Economics editor has introduced the propagation methods of Alocasia in detail in this article, and hopes it is helpful to you.