Elephant ear, alocasia: care instructions

If you want to bring a bit of jungle into your apartment or winter garden, the so-called elephant ear is the best choice. It actually conjures up a touch of rainforest in your own four walls. The reason for this is not least its huge, wide-spreading leaves. The amazingly easy-care plant is something like the ideal indoor tree that comes into its own especially in large rooms and halls.

Characteristics

• botanical name: Alocasia macrorrhizos
• Genus: Alocasia
• belongs to the plant family of the arum family (Araceae)
• Trivial names: elephant ear, giant-leaved arrow blade, giant taro
• Spreading, upright plant with exceptionally large leaves
• Height: up to a maximum of two meters
• Leaves: large, either heart-shaped, oval or arrow-shaped in green
• Flowers: white, elongated bulb shape with bract
• Flowering period: May to August
• Origin: Asia, tropics
• not hardy, sensitive to frost
• not very cold tolerant, slightly acidic
• all parts of the plant poisonous (hydrocyanic acid)

Location

It's warm and humid in the jungle. However, depending on the area, there is a considerable lack of sunlight there. Anyone who has ever been in a rainforest knows how dark it can be there even during the day. It is therefore not surprising that the elephant ear prefers a partially shaded to shady location. In any case, it does not need an extremely bright environment. Direct sunlight must be avoided at all costs. And when it comes to temperature, too, it is frugal: although it comes from the tropical regions of Asia, it copes wonderfully with the usual room temperature in our country.

Plant substrate

Alocasia is usually grown in large planters. Cultivated plant pots. The plant substrate in which it is placed should be extremely loose and rich in nutrients and humus. These factors are absolutely vital for the plant. A substrate with a weakly acidic pH value of around 5.5 is also recommended. Relatively high-quality potting soil from specialist shops is best. This can also be improved by mixing it with sand, some gravel or expanded clay. Alternatively, conventional potting soil can be used, which is mixed with coconut humus and clay granules. The development of a weakly acidic pH value can be supported with dried coffee grounds. Incidentally, hydroponic cultivation is also possible.

to water

The elephant ear is always very thirsty and needs a lot of water. The reason for this is its large leaves, which release a lot of moisture into the air. The plant is also perfect for improving the indoor climate in dry rooms. The exact amount of water is of course dependent on the size and location of Alocasia. As a rule of thumb, however, it can be said that the plant substrate should always be very moist. Especially during the summer months, the soil has to be almost wet all the time. At the same time, however, it is also important to avoid waterlogging, as this would affect the roots.

Fertilize

The dimensions of the elephant's ear alone make it clear that it needs a lot of nutrients in order to be able to grow and thrive. In the period from the end of March to around the beginning of September, you can therefore not avoid regular fertilization. The fertilizer is applied weekly with liquid fertilizer, which is simply tipped into the irrigation water. Green plant fertilizers are generally suitable for this. However, you should stay away from so-called long-term fertilizers. Alocasia stores the nutrients in the roots, which means that they are not evenly distributed. It is important to avoid over-fertilization, as otherwise the plant substrate could possibly over-acidify. Therefore, the manufacturer's dosage instructions should be strictly adhered to.

cut

The elephant ear does not need to be cut at any time. So-called pruning is also not necessary. It is sufficient if dead leaves are removed by hand. However, the leaves should really be withered. If they still have green or yellowish spots, they must not be peeled off, but must remain on the plant. The reason: in this state they still contain a lot of nutrients that are urgently needed. Patience is therefore an excellent virtue when removing dead leaves from Alocasia.

Repot

The elephant ear also tends to grow very quickly in our latitudes. Anyone who is considering purchasing the plant should be prepared for the fact that they have to repot it practically every year. The best time for this is always spring. It has proven to be ideal when the first shoots have already started to sprout. The new planter must be able to easily accommodate the entire root ball both in depth and in width. After transplanting, heavy watering is of great importance.

Multiplication

The multiplication of the elephant ear has two sides. On the one hand, it's child's play. The plant has very well-developed rhizomes that simply have to be divided with a sharp, clean knife and stuck into the ground. On the other hand, it gets a bit tricky. In order for the divided rhizome to grow, a constant high temperature and a very high humidity are essential. The latter in particular is usually very difficult to guarantee in an apartment. If you take the step of wanting to multiply Alocasia, you should definitely be patient. Even with excellent conditions, it can take a little longer before growth finally takes place.

Overwinter

As a reminder, the elephant ear is a tropical plant and therefore not hardy. It can certainly be taken outside in its planter during the summer months. In autumn at the latest, however, it has to be moved back to a protected room. To overwinter Alocasia, the room temperatures do not necessarily have to be lowered. If you do, then the lower limit of 15 degrees Celsius must not be under any circumstances. It is also important that the location remains bright and that water is given regularly. It is true that the plant consumes less water in its dormant phase from September to March. However, the plant substrate must always be kept moist. However, you can do without fertilization during this time.

Diseases and pests

The elephant ear resists disease and pests well with the right care and location. However, yellow leaves can appear relatively often. If this only happens occasionally, there is nothing to worry about. It is then simply a completely normal process in the plant's growth and life cycle. However, if it occurs more frequently or continuously, you should definitely get to the bottom of the cause. Most of the time, the cause is that the elephant's ear has simply been watered too much or that the water given cannot run off. Then it is advisable to reduce the amount of water or to provide a substrate that is more permeable to water.

Conversely, the leaves can also turn yellow if the soil is too dry or the humidity in the room is too low. Usually a yellowish discoloration with plenty of brown tones can then be observed in the leaf tips. More watering and regular spraying with water that is as low in lime as possible can help. If the leaves, including their veins, turn yellow throughout, this is an indication of an iron deficiency. To remedy this, the pH value of the plant substrate must be checked or be lowered or water with little lime can be used for watering. Rainwater is ideal for this. Ultimately, however, sucking insects such as spider mites can also be responsible for the yellow color. These are fought with funds from specialist retailers.

More tips

A large planter in connection with a gigantic overgrown elephant's ear can very quickly reach a weight that a single person can no longer easily move from its place. It is therefore advisable right from the start to place the tub and plant on a base with rollers. After all, it can happen from time to time that the plant has to be moved or moved to another location. This is especially true in summer, when Alocasia is supposed to spend the warm days on the balcony or terrace. The prerequisite for this is of course that the temperatures are above 20 degrees Celsius and the nights are warm. In addition, the elephant ear must be protected from the wind and protected from drafts.

sorts

Sure, the elephant ear is becoming more and more popular among plant lovers. Still, it's not particularly widespread. One reason for this may also be that the dimensions that the plant can reach are likely to exceed many apartments. Since the demand for Alocasia is therefore limited, the specialist trade has only offered a few varieties so far. The variety Variegata is most likely to be obtained.

drove

All parts of the plant and especially the leaves of Alocasia contain hydrocyanic acid. They are therefore not suitable for consumption. Pets that may eat the plants can experience significant health problems as a result. Pure skin contact, on the other hand, has no consequences.