Image - Wikimedia / Σ64
La alocasia odora It is a plant with large and somewhat leathery leaves that will look great on your tropical garden. It is also very interesting to decorate interiors, since it adapts reasonably well to living in the conditions.
Of course, you must bear in mind that in order for it to look beautiful, it must have space, since although its roots are not at all invasive, it does take a certain height.
Origin and characteristics of alocasia odora
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- Image - Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
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- Image - Flickr / Maja Dumat
It is a rhizomatous plant known as giant elephant ear or Asian taro (or Asian taro) native to East and Southeast Asia; in particular it grows in the humid tropical forests of Japan, China, Indochina, Borneo, Bangladesh and Taiwan. It reaches an approximate height of two meters, and can reach 2,5 meters.
The leaves are large, ovate, green and somewhat leathery. These are kept attached to the plant by a petiole between 0,3 and 1 meter long. Its flowers sprout among the foliage, and are grouped in a spadix inflorescence -a kind of spike- protected by a spathe -modified leaf-.
Like all species of Alocasia it is toxic. Both its leaves and the rhizome contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause serious gastrointestinal problems if eaten, and especially if eaten fresh or undercooked.
How do you take care of yourself?
Enjoy a alocasia odora is not difficult. Now that you know that it should not be consumed, it is time to discover what care is recommended to give it so that it grows well. Because yes, you can really enjoy it.
It is very pretty, and it looks good in any corner. Although it can be toxic, this does not mean that it has to be banned or thrown away. If you have children and / or pets, it is advisable to keep it out of their reach, but nothing else.
With that said, let's see how to take care of it:
Location
- Interior: Inside the house, it must be put in a room where a lot of sunlight enters, with a humidifier or with a container full of water around it. Likewise, it is important that it is kept away from air currents, such as those that come from the air conditioning and fan, and from passageways.
- Body exterior:: in semi-shadow. It does not have to shine directly into the sun at any time. If you have it in the garden, it is a good idea to put it under the branches of a large and leafy tree.
Irrigation
Image - Flickr / Jungle Rebel
Requires frequent watering, since it does not support drought. The frequency will be determined by the climate and the location above all, therefore, the ideal is that you check the humidity of the substrate or soil in case of doubts.
Anyway, to give you an idea, cultivating a alocasia odora outdoors in a Mediterranean climate, with maximum temperatures of 38ºC and minimum temperatures of up to -2ºC, and with very little rainfall concentrated only on a few days of spring and a few others in late summer and autumn, it is watered 4 to 5 times a week during the hottest months, and the rest about 2 a week.
If it rains more frequently in your area, you won't have to water as much as the rainwater will keep it hydrated. And if you have it indoors, there will be no need to rewet the substrate so often, since inside the home it takes longer to dry.
Earth
- Flower pot: mix mulch with 30% perlite or pumice.
- Garden: the garden soil must be rich in organic matter, with good water drainage.
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It is highly recommended to fertilize it once every 15 days from spring to summer with a liquid fertilizer for green plants (for sale here).
Plagues and diseases
It is difficult to have. Overwatering can lead to a yeast infection.
Multiplication
La alocasia odora multiplies by seeds, suckers and by division of the rhizome in spring.
Planting or transplanting time
It grows at a good pace; in fact, in warm climates without frosts or very weak it is normal for it to grow about 20-30 centimeters per year. Consequently, It is advisable to plant it in the garden as soon as the minimum temperature exceeds 15ºC.. In this way, as soon as it comes out of its winter rest, it will resume its rapid growth.
In case of growing it in a pot, you should plant it to a larger one every 3-4 years or so. It is important that you choose one that has holes in its base; otherwise the irrigation water will remain stagnant inside and its roots will rot.
Pruning
Image - Wikimedia / KENPEI
No need to prune. All you have to do is cut the dry leaves whenever necessary. But yes, use rubber gloves, especially if you have a wound or cut (even a tiny one) on your hands, since the latex it contains can cause irritation if it comes into contact with the skin.
Rusticity
The rhizome supports frosts down to -10ºC, but the aerial part, that is to say, the stem and the leaves, begin to get ugly as soon as the temperature drops below 10ºC.
What did you think of alocasia odora?
I have had a potted Alocasia odora indoors for a little over a year. It has grown from about eight inches that it was when it was given to me to about one foot and fifteen inches that it is now. The thing is, I can't get it to have more than three sheets. Every time he takes out a new one, the oldest leaf (the one that is furthest outside) starts to yellow until it dries and I have to prune it. Is it normal that I do not get more than three or leaves or am I doing something wrong? Thanks in advance.
Hello Raul.
Have you changed the pot? It is that from what you count it seems that he has run out of space.
Watch to see if the roots are sticking out or poking out of the holes.
Now in spring is a good time to plant it in a larger pot.
If you have doubts, tell us. Greetings!
Hello Monica.
Yes, I changed it to a larger pot in mid-September of last year. The measurements of the pot in which it is located are 27 cm in upper inner diameter, 22 cm in lower diameter and 26 cm in height. No roots come out of the holes under the pot, but two roots do come out of the top in the substrate (one on each side of the plant's stem).
So you're asking me for a bigger pot? Do you recommend a specific size? Any advice in particular during the transplant? Root sanitation or something?
Thank you so much!
Hello again.
Alocasias have roots that develop quite quickly. But that pot has to do well for a season.
For this reason, rather than transplanting it, what I do recommend is to start fertilizing it now with the arrival of spring. A green plant fertilizer will help it produce more leaves (and grow faster too, so when the summer passes it's interesting to see if it has roots sticking out of the holes).
Regards!