How to Care & Cultivate Jewel Alocasias (video)

This is my Jewel Alocasia Collection which I find them more of the sensitive & slow growing type in comparison the the Elephant Ear type Alocasia which are more hardy and easily grown outdoor with direct sun & rain. 

These Jewel Alocasia are very prone to root rot when over-watered or receive open rain on them - water seems to do more damage on them and so more care is required from them.

 These are commonly sold around region but may have to hunt and seek them out as they are not many when sold in the plant market stock. Often they came as 10 plants and quickly snapped off as many people find them interesting and popular. 

These are what I have managed to find so far:

Tip 1: Water them once a week - on a very hot day - 3 days once. Just make sure the medium is fairly moist and not soaking wet. Water just ideally enough for the plant to be hydrated as over-watering can cause them to rot and you may have already lost your plant.

Tip 2: Most of these plants come with a coco peat medium. Change the medium equal portion of sand together with coco chip / existing medium (cocopeat) and manure - You can also add perlite and orchid bark mix. This will help the fast drainage and at the same time - keep the medium fairly moist for a week.

 Tip 3: Keep the plant in a bright indirect light area but not exposed to direct sun and also protected from the rain from getting into the plants. Pest: Do check and guard the plants for spider mite or mealy bugs. A good spray with soap mix with neem oil will help if you are concerned about using chemical pesticide/miticide on them.

Tip 4: Also do use fungicide time to time to deter root rot.

Tip 5: Trim off the Alocasia flower bud as the plant will focus more on the foliage growth and not use all it's nutrients and energy on inflorescent & fruit development.

Tip 6: Don't be too quick to trim off the yellowing of the leaves - to allow the plant to channel all the nutrients back to the mother plant to make the tuber grow bigger and stable.

Plants in these Collection: 

Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet', 

Alocasia Sinuata, 

Alocasia Bambino, 

Alocasia Baginda Silver Dragon, 

Alocasia Micholitziana Frydek, 

Alocasia Polly - African Mask, 

Alocasia Azlanii, 

Alocasia Simpo, Alocasia Mandalay, 

Alocasia Reversa, 

Alocasia Princeps 'Purple Cloak', 

Alocasia Cuprea 'Red Secret', 

Alocasia Cuprea 'Green Variant', 

Alocasia Cuprea 'Red Variant'