Alocasia longiloba is found growing in swamp forests, bamboo thickets, cliffs, limestone, in regrowth, on exposed cliffs and ravines, and river-banks.
Alocasia longiloba, also called as Alocasia amabilis, Alocasia argyrea, Alocasia cochinchensis, Alocasia curtisii, Alocasia cuspidata, Alocasia denudata, Alocasia eminens, Alocasia gibba, Alocasia gigantea, Alocasia grandis, Alocasia intermedia, Alocasia korthalsii, Alocasia leoniae, Alocasia longifolia, Alocasia lowii, Alocasia lucianii, Alocasia pucciana, Alocasia putzeysii, Alocasia singaporensis, Alocasia spectabilis, Alocasia thibantiana, Alocasia veitchii, Alocasia watsoniana, Caladium lowii, Caladium veitchii, is a species of the genus Alocasia. This species was described by Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel in 1856.
IDENTIFY ALOCASIA LONGILOBA
Alocasia longiloba is native to China (Southern Yunnan, Guangdong) to Western and Central Malesia. It is found growing in swamp forests, bamboo thickets, cliffs, limestone, in regrowth, on exposed cliffs and ravines, and river-banks in Borneo, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, Hainan, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Myanmar, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam at elevations of 0-2000 meters above sea level.
It is a small to robust terrestrial herbs which reaching 1.5 meter in height with rhizomatous stem of up to 60 cm long. The leaves are alternate, stalked, arrow head-shaped, dark green above, light green or purple on the underside, and 25-85 by 7-40 cm, with or without whitish veins. The leaf stalk is purple-brown to green, strikingly obliquely mottled chocolate-brown.
This species blooms in summer from the 6-13 cm long, finger-like spadix subtended by a greenish to white, 7-17 cm long spathe. The flowers are small, creamy-white, with separate male and female flowers distributed along the spadix. Its fruits are round, orange-red, 1.5 × 0.75 cm, and contain one large seed.
ALOCASIA LONGILOBA CARE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Alocasia longiloba can be grown in partial shade. They don’t need direct sunlight but benefit from a little. Direct sun will cause the leaves to burn, so avoid placing the plant in a spot where it will be exposed to direct sun for a prolonged period. It is not tolerant of low-light situations. Rotate your plant periodically to ensure even growth on all sides and dust the leaves often so the plant can photosynthesize efficiently. When dusting the leaves, also take the opportunity to inspect the undersides and keep an eye out for pests.
Humidity:
The plant needs the humidity level of 50% or higher; however, they will tolerate low levels with no harm. Mist the leaves regularly, place a humidifier nearby, or use a pebble tray to raise the humidity. If you do mist the plant, keep an eye out for fungal plant diseases caused by wet leaves.
Temperature:
Alocasia longiloba grow best in warm temperatures. Maintain temperatures above 16 °C, but 19 °C is better as they are warm growers. They will falter when temperatures drop below 10 °C for prolonged periods of time. The best temperature range are 16-30 °C. Avoid cold drafts and sudden temperature changes.
Substrate and growing media:
The plant need rich, moist soil and nearly all are perfect at the edge of a pond. The plant can be grown in a few inches of standing water, and can be added to water gardens as emergent plants (the roots in water and with the soil just covered with water, but the plants not submerged).
When grown in pot, the plant need porous soil that has excellent drainage. An ideal soil mix would be equal parts of houseplant soil, peat moss, and perlite. These potting mix ingredients hold just enough moisture and provide excellent drainage. Repot once plant has completely filled the pot. The pot size often appears quite small in relation to the size of the plant this is because the plant grows best when root-bound in a small pot. Avoid rushing to move the plant to a larger container.
Watering:
A little dryness to the surface of the soil is helpful. Allow the top 5-8 cm to dry between watering to ensure the plant isn't sitting in soil that is too wet. During the winter, the plant will go through a dormancy period and will require less frequent waterings as the soil will take longer to dry. Do not keep them evenly moist. When watering, thoroughly saturate soil until a little water runs out of the bottom of the pot. Growing in a clay pot will help maintain a healthy root system.
Fertilizer:
Fertilize sparingly they can be hurt by too much fertilizer. 1/4 strength every two months is adequate. Use a balanced fertilizer like a 15-15-15 or 7-9-5. No fertilizer is needed in the fall and winter months. Before applying, make sure the soil is damp to avoid burning the roots.
Pruning:
Alocasia longiloba continually produce new leaves throughout the growing season. The older leaves that gradually die off can be removed to keep the plants looking tidy. Damaged leaves are usually a sign of a fungal disease and the plant should be treated immediately.
Winter period:
The plant can be grown as annuals, starting with new plants each year, or may be kept over the winter (hardy only to zone 8). Plants that have formed bulbs can be dug, dried and stored, after frost has killed the foliage. Those without bulbs are harder to keep indoors, although it may be possible to keep them going as houseplants if kept in a warm, bright location. It is best to bring plants to be kept as houseplants indoors before temperatures get into the 0 °C. Cut back all but the top two leaves and keep at room temperature in bright light. Keep plants on the drier side when they are semi-dormant and resume regular watering and fertilizing when growth resumes in the spring.
Propagation:
Although they can be grown from seed, to grow large plant, start with a large bulb or rooted plant. The plants have tuberous rhizome roots that you can cut into sections to grow new plants. It will take a few weeks for the first leaves to appear from the bulb. These frost-tender perennial plants are best started indoors, potting up the bulb in March, placing the top of the bulb close to the soil surface, and keeping it in a warm location until it is planted outside when the weather warms up, usually in late May or early June. Provide copious water and fertilizer as the plants grow, especially for those in containers, as they are heavy feeders.
Pests and diseases:
Alocasia longiloba are not susceptible to insects but can suffer from root rots and bacteria diseases if over watered under cool temperatures and high humidity. Root rot can affect the plant if you overwater the potting soil. Make sure that the soil is evenly moist but never waterlogged, soggy, or too damp. The tuberous roots can quickly start to decay if they grow in overly-damp soil.
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