She likes her soil moist, so check her once a week and water if the top inch of soil feels dry. Cut back in winter.
Those giant leaves like a lot of light. The more the better, so give her the brightest spot in your home.
She likes a lot of moisture in the air. The bathroom is a great home, or mist her leaves every few days.
Botanical name
Alocasia portodora
Nickname
Upright elephant ear
Air purifying
Yes
Plant height (including pot)
80-90cm; 130-140cm
Pet/baby safe
Toxic if ingested
Nursery pot size
24cm; 35cm
If you think it looks big now, you should see Upright elephant ear, or Alocasia portodora, in the wild. It can grow as tall as 4 metres in its natural habitat in South-East Asia. It’s obviously much smaller than that in a domestic setting, but it still commands a lot of space.
Unlike a lot of other alocasia, this species’ leaves don’t flop. They keep pointing magnificently toward the sky, hence the name. To keep it healthy, keep its soil consistently moist (but not soggy), give it as much light as you can and try not to let it get too cold. If it gets a bit cold in winter, it may lose some leaves. Don’t worry. This is just its way of preserving energy. It will grow back with new vigour in spring.
Did you know?
The largest wild alocasia can grow leaves as large as 90cm. You’d need a big living room for those.
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