Alocasia amazonica care guide, plus yellowing, softening, rotting leaves, dropped leaves, and withered leaf tips

How do you care for Alocasia? Anyone who loves flowers and plants cares about this kind of question. People who like growing Alocasia are probably drawn to its lotus-like shape and its auspicious symbolism! A well-developed plant will produce a ring of small rosettes beneath the large rosette, and in late spring each year it also sends out red runners similar to those of spider plants from the lower part of the leaf cluster, with small rosette-shaped leaf clusters at the tips of the runners. Alocasia has fairly wide uses. It can be grown in small to medium pots to decorate a study, living room, bedroom or office, where it looks noble and elegant.

Before looking at how to care for Alocasia, let's first get to know it. There are currently two kinds of Alocasia on the market: one is toxic, which is the Alocasia amazonica we are talking about today, and the other is the non-toxic Alocasia, also known as Buddha's seat lotus. Let's get acquainted. How do you care for Alocasia amazonica (Alocasia sanderiana)?

Light: Alocasia likes partial shade and must never be exposed to strong direct sun. In a partially shaded environment, the leaves are tender and glossy, the veins are clear, and the leaf color is dark green. If the light is too strong, the leaf color easily becomes dull, sunscald may occur, the leaf surface becomes rough, the leaf color turns grayish white, the veins become blurred, and scorch spots sometimes appear on the leaf surface; but too little light also easily causes leggy growth, and the plant grows thin and tends to fall over.

Temperature: Its ecological habit is to prefer a warm, humid, partially shaded growing environment. The optimum growing temperature is 20-30°C, and the wintering temperature is 15°C.

Propagation: Alocasia is commonly propagated by division. Generally, in spring and summer each year when temperatures are higher, divide plants whose underground tubers have tillered and grown densely along the separation points of the tubers, so that each part has 2-3 plants, then pot them separately. When dividing, injure the roots as little as possible, and after potting, place them in a shady, humid environment, keep the potting soil constantly moist, and pay attention to misting the leaves to help the new plants recover growth.

Soil: For potted Alocasia, use a loose, well-drained, well-aerated soil rich in humus. Generally, an equal mix of leaf mold, garden soil and river sand can be used as the growing medium.

Watering: April to September is its vigorous growth period. At this time it requires moist soil and relatively high air humidity, and should be given plenty of water; especially during the high-temperature period in summer, when leaf moisture evaporation is high and water demand is greater. If water is lacking, the leaves easily wilt, so the leaves must be misted frequently while keeping the environment humid, but water must not be allowed to accumulate in the pot, otherwise it will cause root rot.

Pest and disease control: Throughout the growing period, the most common pests include cutworms, snails, slugs and noctuid moths, which mainly damage the new leaves and root mass of Alocasia. In the field, you can broadcast Miral, Luotongsha, spray trichlorfon, and use poison bait mixed with rice bran for trapping and killing. The main diseases are anthracnose and red spot disease. Disinfect the soil regularly; in rainy seasons, use 50% carbendazim at 800 times dilution and 65% zineb at 600 times dilution for spraying to prevent and control other diseases. In addition, be careful to prevent water accumulation from causing the underground tubers to rot.

In addition, Alocasia should be kept with constantly moist soil to promote vigorous growth. It has relatively high requirements for fertilizer and water. When cultivating, apply sufficient organic fertilizer as a base fertilizer. Before planting and before sprouting, it needs plenty of water. During the growing period, an appropriate supply of fertilizer and water is enough. Generally, fertilize once every 2-3 months. Be careful to prevent water accumulation. Before and during flowering, appropriately apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can promote tuber enlargement, thicken the flower stems, and improve flower quality. Later, field management should be strengthened, and rotten leaves and weeds should be removed. During the winter dormancy period, watering should be reduced and fertilizing should be stopped. When entering dormancy, carry out a full cleanup of the whole area and cut off all the aboveground parts.

Reasons why Alocasia amazonica leaves turn yellow, become soft, rot completely, drop, and have withered tips: 1. "Half watering," that is, watering not thoroughly, without water seeping out from the bottom of the pot. 2. Exposure to cold in winter, with the root system already frostbitten. 3. After winter, being hurriedly moved outdoors and placed in a warm, sunny spot, so it temporarily cannot adapt to the sudden climate change. 4. The potting soil has been wet or dry for a long time, without watering as soon as it dries. 5. Being kept for a long time in an environment with poor ventilation. 6. The leaves have not been misted and cleaned for a long time, allowing dust to accumulate and hinder photosynthesis.