Alocasia

Alocasia

Alocasia, a plant that has many fans. Alocasia is a perennial (rhizomatous) and broad-leaved (tuberous) plant from the Araceae family. Currently, it is known that there are more than 80 species originating from tropical and subtropical areas of South America, Asia to Eastern Australia.

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Plantae

Angiosperms

Monocots

Alismatales

Araceae

Aroideae

Colocasiae

Alocasia, (Schott) G.Don

Alocasia as an ornamental plant is very popular, compensating for other popular plants such as orchids, anthurium, aglaonema, cactus and others. Its exotic appearance has boosted its popularity in the world of ornamental plants. One that has received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit is the Alocasia amazonica hybrid.

Alocasia plants have various leaf shapes, basically heart-shaped (sagittate), large leaves growing to a length of 20 to 90 cm on long stalks. Flowers grow on the ends of short, but inconspicuous stalks, often hidden behind petioles.

In the roots there are tubers, for some species can be eaten, but most contain calcium oxalate crystal raphides which can make the tongue swollen and numb, as well as difficulty breathing and sharp sore throats. The underside of the tuber is more toxic. To process the tubers, it is best to boil them long before serving or you can use sour fruit to dissolve the poison.

Alocasia is usually grown in pots, the best way is in the shade such as under a paranet. to protect it from the sun’s rays that are too strong, and reduce the pouring of rain that is too heavy. This plant requires about 40 to 70% light, so it is best placed under a tree, or in the shade of a paranet net.

Alocasia plants, not too resistant to cold air and too hot air. So it must be treated with care and attention. Watering is only needed when the soil conditions begin to dry, preferably with a sprayer. Watering too much or often will cause rot on Alocasia stems. Attacks by ants, spiders and mites can also kill Alocasia.

Several species of Alocasia

Alocasia acuminata Schott: (Indonesia)
Alocasia advincula: "Bat Wing"
Alocasia aequiloba N.E.Br.: (New Guinea)
Alocasia alba Schott: (Sri Lanka)
- var. "Lemons"
Alocasia amazonica (African Mask)
Alocasia angustiloba Engl. & K. Krause: (New Guinea)
Alocasia arifolia Hallier f.: (Malaysia)
Alocasia atropurpurea Engl.: (Philippines)
Alocasia augustiana L. Linden & Rodigas: "Gold Dust" (New Guinea)
Alocasia aurea: "Mystic", "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Aurora" (Alocasia sp.) (Thailand)
Alocasia king Kurniawan & P.C. Boyce: (Kalimantan)
Alocasia balgooyi A. Hay: (Sulawesi)
Alocasia beccarii Engl.: (Borneo: Malaysia)
Alocasia boa A.Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia boyceana A. Hay: (Philippines)
Alocasia brancifolia (Schott) A.Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia brisbanensis (F.M. Bailey) Domin: "Cunjevoi", "Spoon Lily" (Australia)
Alocasia cadieri Chantrier: (SE Asia)
Alocasia "Calidora", a.k.a., "Persian Palm", "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia celebica Engl. ex Coord: (Sulawesi)
Alocasia chaii, P.C. Boyce (Sarawak, Malaysia)
Alocasia clypeolata A.Hay: "Green Shield" (Philippines)
Alocasia cucullata (Lour.) G.Don inR.Sweet: "Chinese Taro" (Indonesia)
Alocasia culionensis Engl.: "Philippine Slim" (Philippines)
Alocasia cuprea K.Koch: "Skull Cassava" (Borneo)
Alocasia dahlii Engl.
Alocasia decipiens Schott: (Bangladesh, Myanmar, Andaman, Indonesia)
Alocasia decumbens Buchet: (Vietnam)
Alocasia denudatoides Engl. & K. Krause
Alocasia devanasayana (L.Linden & Rodigas) Engl.: (New Guinea)
Alocasia "Dragon Scale" (Alocasia sp.)
Alocasia fallax Schott: (East Himalayas to Bangladesh)
Alocasia flabellifera A. Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia flemingiana Yuzammi & A.Hay: (Java)
Alocasia fornicata (Roxb.) Schott: (India, Indonesia)
Alocasia gageana Engl. & K.Krause inH.G.A.Engler: "Alocasia California", "Dwarf Elephant Ear" (Burma)
Alocasia gjellerupii Engl.
Alocasia grandis: "Purple Prince"
Alocasia grata Prain ex Engl. & Krause inH.G.A.Engler: (Indonesia)
Alocasia guttata
- var. bullatta
- var. imperialist: "Quilted Dreams"
Alocasia hainaica N.E.Br.: (South China (Hainan) to North Vietnam)
Alocasia heterophylla (C.Presl) Merr.: "Aquino" (Philippines)
Alocasia hollrungii Engl.: (New Guinea)
Alocasia hypnosa J.T.Yin, Y.H.Wang & Z.F.Xu: (Southwest China to Indochina)
Alocasia hypoleuca P.C. Boyce: (Thailand)
Alocasia infernalis P.C. Boyce: (Borneo)
- var. "Captain"
Alocasia indica: "Metallica"
Alocasia inornata Hallier f.: (Sumatra)
Alocasia jiewhoei V.D.Nguyen: (Cambodia)
Alocasia kerinciensis A. Hay: (Sumatra)
Alocasia lancifolia Engl.: (New Guinea)
Alocasia lauterbachiana (Engl.) A.Hay: (Papua New Guinea)
- var. metallica (Papua New Guinea)
Alocasia lecomtei Engl.: (Vietnamese)
Alocasia longiloba Miq. 'denudata': (Malaysia)
- var. "Argyreia" (lowii-complex)
- var. (korthalsii complex)
- var. (lowii-complex)
- var. (watsoniana-complex)
- var. "Magnifica": "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia lowii: (Alocasia lowii)
- var. "Tiffany": (Sarawak)
- var. "Argantea"
- var. "Grand"
Alocasia macrorrhizos (L.) G.Don inR.Sweet: "Giant Taro" (SE Asia, Australia, Pacific)
- var. "Jungle Gold"
- var. "Lutea" (New Guinea)
- var. "Maki"
- var. "New Guinea Gold" (New Guinea)
- var. "Seven Colors"
- var. "Variegata"
- var. brisbanensis (Australia)
Alocasia magnifica Engl.
Alocasia megawatiae Yuzammi & A.Hay: (Southeast Sulawesi)
Alocasia maquilingensis Merr.: (Philippines)
Alocasia melo A.Hay: "Alocasia Rhino" (Borneo)
Alocasia micholitziana Sander: "Frydek", "Elephant's Ear plant" (Philippines)
- var. "Variegated Frydek": "African Mask"
Alocasia minuscula A. Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia monticola A.Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia navicularis (K.Koch & C.D.Bouché): (Himalayas)
Alocasia nebula A. Hay: (Borneo)
- var. elaine
- var. Imperialist
- var. Balun
Alocasia nicolsonii A. Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia nycteris Medecilo, G.C. Yao & Madulid: (Philippines)
Alocasia odora (Lindl.) K.Koch: "Night-scented Lily" (SE Asia, China)
- var. "California: "Dwarf Elephant Ear"
Alocasia prince A.Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia peekelii Engl. & K. Krause
Alocasia peltata M. Hotta: "Silver-grey" (Borneo)
- var. muluensis
Alocasia perensis Hemsl.: (Malaysia)
Alocasia plumbea
- var. "Metallica": "Metallic Taro Black Elephant Ear Nigra Alocasia"
- var. "Nigra"
- var. "Cue Ball"
Alocasia portei Schott: (New Guinea)
Alocasia "Portora"
Alocasia princeps W. Bull: (Malaysia)
Alocasia principiculus A. Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia puber (Hassk.) Schott: (Java)
Alocasia princess A.Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia putii Gagnep: (Thailand)
Alocasia pyrospatha A. Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia ramosii A. Hay: (Philippines)
Alocasia reginae N.E.Br.: "Silver Velvet" (Borneo)
Alocasia reginula A.Hay: "Black Velvet" (Cultivated)
Alocasia reversa N.E.Br.: (Philippines)
Alocasia ridleyi A.Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia robusta M. Hotta: (Borneo)
Alocasia royale
Alocasia rugosa
Alocasia sanderiana W. Bull: "Nobilis" (Philippines)
Alocasia sarawakensis M. Hotta: (Borneo)
Alocasia scabriuscula N.E.Br.: (Borneo)
Alocasia scalprum A. Hay: (Philippines)
Alocasia sedenii
Alocasia schlechteri Engl.
Alocasia "Silver": (Sarawak)
Alocasia simonsiana A.Hay: (New Guinea)
Alocasia sinuata N.E.Br.: (Philippines)
Alocasia suhirmaniana Yuzammi & A.Hay: (Sulawesi)
Alocasia tigrina
- var. super
Alocasia venusta A.Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia veitchii: "Argentea"
Alocasia vietnamensis V.D.Nguyen: (Vietnam)
Alocasia villeneuvei L. Linden & Rodigas
Alocasia wentii Engl. & K.Krause: "New Guinea Shield", "Hardy Elephant Ear" (New Guinea)
Alocasia wenzelii Merr.
Alocasia wongii A.Hay: (Borneo)
Alocasia zebrina Schott ex Van Houtte: "Reticulata" (Philippines)

In the forests of Indonesia, there are also several Alocasia plants, one of which is Alocasia suhirmania, an alocasia plant native to Indonesia. Dra. Yuzammi, M.Sc, an Alocasia cultivator from the Bogor Botanical Gardens, claims to be the discoverer of Alocasia suhirmaniana in Sulawesi, which was named “suhirmaniana” after the former Head of the Indonesian Botanical Gardens, Dr. Ir. Suhirman.

Alocasia in flower markets, has a very diverse price, from per plant to some are sold based on the number of leaves. The price range starts from Rp. 25 thousand to over Rp 1 million. Allocation reproduction from small tubers grows into alocasia tillers. After growing, then in a few days will separate from its mother. Propagation by cuttings is cutting the stems just below the oldest leaves, then immersing the cut stems in water. A few days later roots will appear.

Care
In caring for Alocasia plants, it is important that the soil must be porous and should not be too dense.
Leaves, must be wiped clean with detergent frequently, to remove adhering dirt that can sometimes cause disease for Alocasia.

Dormant (short sleep)
Like other plants, alocola goes through a period of dormancy, where the plant suddenly dries up, then disappears from the soil surface. To overcome this, it is recommended that the media should be replaced every 6 months. Good media plays an important role in every plant. Dormant can be caused by soil conditions that are too hard, so the roots are difficult to penetrate, and the plant will become dormant (like dead). Media conditions must also be wet not dry.

• During the dormant or “sleeping” period, the allocation of tubers continues to grow even though the leaves do not want to come out.
• Dormancy can last up to a year. But once “wake up” the plant will release a lot of leaves.
• When there is dormancy, just let the plant stand, do not scrape it because it will cause rot.
• Reduce watering, moisten in a damp place. Water once a week so the tubers don’t rot.
• If the care is good, the plant will not experience dormancy. Usually because most of the watering while the heat is less.

Media
The media used are ferns, bamboo leaf compost, cow dung in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. You don’t have to plant it in a pot, it can grow well in the yard because it actually grows in the forest. Sometimes spiders or other small insects attack, so the leaves turn yellow, you should throw them away or you can spray them with insect repellent.

Alocasia Info (Identical and Synonym)

Other

Alocasia "All Gold"
Alocasia "Antiquorum"
Alocasia "Argyraea"
Alocasia "Bako Park": (Borneo)
Alocasia "Black Beauty"
Alocasia "Black Knight"
Alocasia "Black Magic"
Alocasia "Black Stem"
Alocasia "Blue Lady"
Alocasia "Blue Prince"
Alocasia "Blue Shield"
Alocasia "Corrugated Odora"
Alocasia "Corrugated Portei"
Alocasia "Crinkles"
Alocasia "Dewey's" Reversa
Alocasia "Fantasy"
Alocasia "Golden Splash"
Alocasia "Green Cuprea"
Alocasia "Green Shield": (Phillipines)
Alocasia "Green Velvet"
Alocasia "Hilo Beauty"
Alocasia "M. Martin Cahuzac"
Alocasia "Mackilling"
Alocasia "Manila Pride"
Alocasia "Mark Campbell"
Alocasia "Masuos"
Alocasia "Mean Green"
Alocasia "Mindanao"
Alocasia "Nobilis": "Noble Sanderi"
Alocasia "Novodora"
Alocasia "Novodora Green"
Alocasia "Novodora Red"
Alocasia "Polly"
Alocasia "Portodora"
Alocasia "Portora"
Alocasia "Purple Prince"
Alocasia "Purpley"
Alocasia "Rumrill Silver"
Alocasia "Sarian"
Alocasia "Silver Duke"
Alocasia "Slim Jim"
Alocasia "Stingray"
Alocasia "Tiny Dancers"
Alocasia "Uhinkii": "Whinkii" (var)
Alocasia "Valhalla"
Alocasia "Van GIGO"
Alocasia "Vic Santos": "Corozon"
Alocasia "Wanda"
Alocasia "White Knight"
Alocasia "White Plumbae"
Alocasia "Williams Hybrid"
Alocasia coriacea
Alocasia crassifolia
Alocasia reticulata
Alocasia "African Queen": "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Brian Williams"
Alocasia "Corozon": "Dwarf Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Elaine"
Alocasia "Fantasy": "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Golden Delicious": "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Hilo Beauty"
Alocasia "Insinuata": "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Mark Campbell": "Elephant Ear"
Alocasia "Portodora"
Alocasia "Sarian": "Giant Taro"
Alocasia "Quilted Dreams"
Alocasia × bachi
Alocasia × chantrieri
Alocasia × chantrieriana
Alocasia × conspicua: (A. longiloba × A.odora)
Alocasia × gaulainii
Alocasia × mortfontanensis
Alocasia × rodigasiana
Alocasia × sedenii
Alocasia × amazonica
Alocasia × amazonica "Compacta"
Alocasia × amazonica "Supreme"
Alocasia × amazonica "Polly": "African Mask"
Alocasia × van-houtteana
Alocasia × "Green Velvet": "Elephant Ear"

Related

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/alocasia