How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Alocasia ‘Polly’ (Amazonica)

In the event you’re in search of a houseplant that stands out in opposition to small inexperienced leaves, Alocasia ‘Polly’ is a good possibility. These tropical vegetation have massive arrowhead-shaped leaves with wavy margins and a pointy level. Not solely is that this form spectacular, however the distinction of darkish inexperienced foliage and white veins is placing.

Whereas these aren’t essentially the most demanding houseplants, they nonetheless require care to stay wholesome. Retaining the soil barely moist however not moist is essentially the most difficult side, however often checking the soil moisture is a simple strategy to hold the vegetation pleased.

Including one of many vegetation to your assortment breaks up a sea of inexperienced and provides a dramatic contact.

What Is It?

Alocasia ‘Polly’ is a shocking tropical houseplant identified for its dramatic darkish inexperienced leaves and contrasting white veins. The big leaves have a slender coronary heart form with wavy margins and a sharply pointed tip. Once you mix the foliage’s form and colour, ‘Polly’ turns into one of the crucial placing houseplants you possibly can add to your private home.

Traits

Alocasia ‘Polly’ belongs to the Alocasia genus. These vegetation are identified for his or her massive leaves that seem on lengthy leaf stalks generally known as petioles. Alocasia produces small, unremarkable flowers on a spathe and spadix, which is a attribute of the Araceae genus.

Yow will discover round 90 Alocasia species rising within the wild, however plant breeders have developed many hybrids which are fashionable houseplants. Alocasia ‘Polly’ is certainly one of these hybrid Alocasia varieties.

You might also hear folks confer with this plant as Alocasia x amazonica or Alocasia x mortfontanensis. Frequent names embrace Amazonian elephant ear and African defend plant.

Alocasia ‘Polly’ is a well-liked houseplant. It thrives in brilliant but oblique gentle and heat temperatures usually discovered indoors. You can too develop it outside in areas the place temperatures stay above 40°F (4°C) year-round.

The vegetation develop between one and two toes tall and develop extra leaves as they age. Younger vegetation could solely have three or 4 small leaves, whereas wholesome, older vegetation can produce greater than a dozen leaves that develop as much as 18 inches lengthy.

The leaves are thick and leathery and emerge from a tuber, each of which clarify the plant’s potential to tolerate transient intervals of drought. Every leaf has deep inexperienced tops, darkish maroon undersides, and thick, white veins.

Native Space

Since Alocasia ‘Polly’ is a hybrid, you gained’t discover it rising within the wild. Nonetheless, you will discover different members of the Alocasia genus rising in tropical Asia and components of jap Australia.

Planting

It’s greatest to start out with a small plant if you wish to develop Alocasia ‘Polly.’ You can too begin with a corm, however a potted plant is the simplest possibility.

I like to recommend rising this plant in a container until you reside in a tropical space. Rising it in a pot lets you transfer the plant all through your home simply and in addition switch it between the indoors and outside.

Planting in a Container

Your first step is selecting a correct container. Search for a pot that’s just some inches bigger than the plant’s present container. You need sufficient room for the roots to develop, however not a lot room that the soil stays excessively moist.

Quite a few container supplies can work properly, together with terra cotta, glazed ceramic, and plastic. Regardless of which possibility you select, guarantee the underside has drainage holes.

Subsequent, fill half the container with a well-draining potting combine. Alocasia ‘Polly’ has thick leaves that create drought tolerance and roots which are delicate to rot, so the vegetation are susceptible to overwatering. A combination made with peat moss or coco coir, perlite, and a little bit of compost works properly.

Gently take away your plant from its authentic container, then place it within the new pot so the plant’s crown is close to the highest of the container. Fill within the remaining empty area with extra potting combine, then water properly.

Planting Outside

In the event you dwell in a tropical local weather the place nighttime temperatures stay above freezing year-round, you possibly can develop Alocasia ‘Polly’ outside within the floor.

Select a well-draining location that’s in partial shade and free from compaction. In the event you’re frightened about drainage, you possibly can aerate the soil with a digging fork and add compost and/or peat moss to alleviate compaction.

As soon as the soil is prepared, dig a gap that’s as deep because the plant’s rootball. Place the plant within the gap, then cowl with soil.

The way to Develop

Alocasia ‘Polly’ doesn’t have advanced care necessities, nevertheless it appreciates constant moisture coupled with correct lighting and temperature.

Mild

This houseplant prefers medium to brilliant oblique gentle. It doesn’t like direct solar, so hold it away from south-facing home windows that allow in harsh gentle. The center of a brightly lit room or subsequent to an east-facing window are two appropriate places.

‘Polly’ can survive in low gentle, however it’s going to expertise slowed progress. In case your plant stays the identical dimension for greater than a yr, strive transferring it to a brighter location.

In the event you don’t have a brilliant space in your house, you possibly can make the most of develop lights to supply supplemental lighting. Place the lights a couple of foot above your plant and depart them on for eight to 10 hours every day. 

Water

The Amazonian elephant ear requires a low to reasonable quantity of water. Overwatering the vegetation will depart the roots prone to rot, which might severely hurt and even kill the vegetation. Subsequently, it’s greatest to err on the aspect of underwatering.

Checking the soil is the easiest way to find out when to water. Stick your finger within the prime of the soil close to the bottom of the plant, and solely water when the prime third of the soil is dry. Slowly add the water so it has an opportunity to soak into the soil.

Soil

Alocasia ‘Polly’ grows greatest in unfastened and well-draining soil that permits extra water to flee. In the event you’re rising certainly one of these vegetation in a pot, select a soilless potting combine that’s designed for tropical houseplants.

Temperature and Humidity

Since these vegetation’ ancestors advanced in tropical climates, they like heat temperatures and reasonable to excessive humidity. Intention to maintain the air temperature between 65 and 80°F (18-27°C), and place the vegetation away from air conditioners, exterior doorways, and different chilly, drafty areas. The vegetation can survive temperatures all the way down to 50°F (10°C), however they’ll stay happier after they’re stored heat.

Average to excessive humidity is good, however the vegetation can tolerate transient intervals of low humidity. So long as your private home isn’t bone dry, they’ll be okay. If the air feels dry to your pores and skin, take into account including a humidifier to maintain each your self and your houseplants pleased.

Fertilizing

Alocasia ‘Polly’ doesn’t require a lot fertilizer, however common functions of a low-dose houseplant fertilizer will present the vegetation with the vitamins they want. Search for a liquid fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 1-1-1, and apply it as soon as in mid-spring and once more in mid-summer.

Keep away from making use of sturdy fertilizers since these may cause nutrient burn. It’s higher to underapply vitamins than apply an excessive amount of fertilizer.

Upkeep

These houseplants require little or no upkeep. Offering the correct gentle and watering when the highest of the soil is dry will hold them pleased.

Because the vegetation age, they might outgrow their present pot. When this occurs, you need to repot it into a bigger container. Select a container that’s just some inches bigger than the present container, brush off any previous soil, and refill the brand new pot with recent potting combine.

Propagation

Alocasia ‘Polly’ isn’t as straightforward to propagate as houseplants like pothos and trailing philodendrons, however creating a brand new plant is feasible. The very best methods to propagate Alocasia embrace dividing the vegetation and digging up the corms.

Division

As Alocasia ‘Polly’ vegetation develop, they usually produce new offshoots from the principle plant. These offshoots are straightforward to differentiate because the leaves emerge from a brand new central level. It’s nearly like somebody snuck a small plant beside the bigger plant you began with.

Separating these offshoots from the dad or mum lets you propagate a brand new plant. Begin by eradicating all the plant from its pot so you may get an excellent view of the basis system. Subsequent, use your palms or a pointy knife to separate the offshoot from the remainder of the plant; remember to take away a wholesome part of roots with the leaves.

Repot the offshoot into a brand new container utilizing the identical kind of well-draining potting combine. Your plant could look wilted after division, however this isn’t something to fret about. So long as you retain the soil barely moist and keep away from environmental stress, the plant will recuperate.

Corms

Alocasia ‘Polly’ vegetation produce small, spherical corms beneath the soil floor. Repotting is a good time to test for corms and take away them to propagate into new vegetation.

Upon getting your corms, your objective is to encourage them to sprout into new vegetation. The corms want warmth, gentle, and excessive humidity to start out sprouting. Every houseplant lover has their most popular strategies for sprouting corms, however inserting the corms in a shallow dish with a little bit of water usually works properly.

Because the corms are small, you need to use a container as small as a bottlecap or as massive as a bowl. Add simply sufficient water to cowl the underside quarter of the corms. Place a transparent dish or piece of plastic wrap over the container to lure in moisture, then set the corms in a heat, brilliant location.

The corms ought to start to sprout inside a couple of weeks to a month. As soon as they develop roots, you possibly can repot them right into a small container crammed with potting combine.

Frequent Issues

Alocasia ‘Polly’ isn’t susceptible to many issues, however that doesn’t imply it’s immune. Listed here are a couple of frequent points to observe for.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are the most typical houseplant pest to look out for. Since these pests are so small, chances are you’ll discover their spider-like webs in your vegetation earlier than you see the mites.

After you see the mites, take away them instantly. Utilizing a moist, soapy rag to wipe off the pests usually works properly, however you may as well spray them with neem oil or insecticidal cleaning soap.

Spider mites usually enter the house on contaminated vegetation, so test every plant totally earlier than bringing it indoors. You can too quarantine new vegetation in a separate room for a couple of weeks to permit time to identify any hidden pests.

Root Rot

Root rot is a generic time period that refers to quite a few kinds of fungi and micro organism that infect plant roots. These pathogens trigger smooth roots that battle to soak up water and vitamins. Subsequently, contaminated vegetation could look wilted even when they’ve entry to loads of water.

One of the best ways to forestall root rot is to keep away from moist soil. Use a well-draining potting combine and solely water when the highest third of the soil is dry.

In the event you suspect your vegetation have root rot, scale back the quantity of water you give them. Reasonably contaminated vegetation could recuperate, however extreme infections can kill the plant.

Incessantly Requested Questions