Alocasia Wentii

Alocasia Wentii Alocasia wentii 'Hardy elephant ear'

What is the plant

Alocasia wentii 'Hardy elephant ear' is an exotic plant with green arrowhead-shaped leaves which have dark red undersides. The leaves are fairly large, about 30-40 centimeter. Alocasia is also known as 'elephant's ear'.

Alocasia wentii is a artificial crossbreed between Alocasia odora and Alocasia gageana from South-East Asia. The common name for the plant is 'Hardy elephant ear' and it is indeed rather hardy. Below 7°C the plant will go into a state of slumber and lose its leaves. After winter the plant comes back to life. The plant can reach up to 1-1,5 meter high. Like most Alocasias the plant has a so-called 'Drip tip' along which rainwater drips away neatly.

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Lighting

Full Sun

Hardiness zone

8a - 10b

Difficulty

Easy

Water
Keep its soil moist. Don't let the soil dry out, regularly water it a little 'preferably with low calcium lukewarm water'. Spray the leaf often to compensate for dry house air. Dry air or direct sunlight can make the leaves discolor.
Sunlight
Pick a bright spot out of direct sunlight.
Fertilizer
Fertilize every two weeks from late March through September with a basic houseplant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Never fertilize during the winter. Too much plant food results in salts building up in the soil and burning the leaves.

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Soil
Use an organic well-aerated loose soil that contains a good amount of peat moss. If the soil seems a little heavy, add some builder's sand or perlite.
Temperature
Alocasia plants prefer warm temperatures between 60°-80°F (15.6°-26.7°C). These plants become dormant with prolonged exposure to temperatures below 60°F (15.6°C) and may drop all of their leaves. Be sure to keep an Alocasia plant away from air conditioners and cold drafts.
Container
Choose any type of container with enough drainage holes.