I've added the Amazon elephant's ear plant to the unusual plant section because of it's distinct dark green leaves with whitish colored veins that are quite unique.
This species that's native to tropical Southeast Asia will let a grower know about it when requesting how much warmth, humidity and water it requires.
The elephant's ear is a hybrid that has become a fairly popular ornamental house plant, and is one of the easiest to find and buy from the Alocasia genus. Different shades of green and yellow appear through the leaves when sun light hits the leaves which is an attractive sight.
This plant takes root from rhizomes that allows them to be easily propagated. Outdoors in a northern environment this species will not survive the winter, although it may if it's taken indoors before the end of summer.
Indoors - if the right temperatures and other conditions are given a grower can enjoy the unique foliage of this plant for a fair few years. The plant can become dormant but it will come back, if your patient.
Flowering: These have been known to flower (quite rare), although I have never seen one bloom. If one does flower it produces a green spathe and white spadix.
Ease of growing: This plant is not that easy to care for. This is because it needs much of it's natural habitat to be imitated (it was hybridized but its parent plants would have grown in a tropical climate). During the summer caring seems to be much easier than in the winter.
The main needs is enough light, warm enough temperatures and above average humidity levels. Grown in a controlled greenhouse environment is best, but who the heck is going to see it then?
| Origin: | Southeast Asia. |
| Names: | Elephant's ear - Alocasia polly - African mask(common). Alocasia Amazonica (botanical/scientific). |
| Max Growth (approx): | Height 1 - 2 ft . |
| Poisionous for pets: | Toxic for cats and dogs. |
Dark Shiny Leaves and White Veins
| Temperature: | Told you that you was going to need to keep this plant warm. Ideal temperatures should be approximately 65-75ºF + (18-24ºC +)...closer to 70ºF is best. |
| Light: | Bright light, but no direct sunlight and shaded for a good part of the day in the summer, if it's warm and humid enough. |
| Watering: | Water a little but often - keeping the soil moist at all times. Water much less during winter. |
| Soil: | Use a fast draining peat based potting mix. |
| Fertilizer: | Feed with a diluted balanced fertilizer from spring every 2 weeks and stop at the end of August then start again at the beginning of spring. |
| Re-Potting: | These can be re-potted every spring but only use a pot one size bigger if it's become very root bound. |
| Humidity: | These plants like slightly higher humidity levels than many other plants. You may need to raise the humidity levels in a room artificially by placing the plant in a humidity tray with pebbles or use a humidifier. |
| Propagation: | These are usually propagated by dividing the plant when it's being re-potted in spring. |
