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There are many thing to love about the Philippines : the solid food , the people , the culture , and the plant .
Many of theAlocasia varietieswe jazz and love come from the Philippines . One aboriginal plant known asAlocasia macrorrhiza(a - loh - KAY - see - uh mak - roh - RY - za ) is better known as elephantine dasheen and has spread its field to the Pacific Islands down into Queensland .
Flowering Alocasia macrorrhiza growing atDisney World, Hollywood Studios, Orlando Florida
Best bonk as giant dasheen , this flora is a major intellectual nourishment staple and reservoir of amylum across the island , where such names know it as :
But here in the West , this appendage of the Araceae family is often shout gargantuan elephant’s ear or gargantuan elephant ears .
Macrorrhiza is grown as an yearly in cooler clime . This brave perennial is a joy to arise and has leaves that dwarf other pop leafage plants such as pothos and philodendron .
Flowering Alocasia macrorrhiza growing atDisney World, Hollywood Studios, Orlando Florida
Giant Alocasia Macrorrhiza Care
Size & Growth
This fast grower can reach a maximal top of 12 to 15 ’ feet tall and 6 to 8 ’ feet across in around 5 to 10 yr . plant life do best in a sheltered fix .
The individual ruffled unripened leaves are arrow - shaped and can reach an impressive 3 to 6 ’ foot retentive and 2 to 4 ’ animal foot extensive , pointing up .
Flowering and Fragrance
It ’s not unusual to forget that this plant flowers , as the yellow - green spathe and spadix are quotidian .
Resembling the blooms of a calla lily , they look intermittently throughout the yr .
Light & Temperature
As one might expect of a industrial plant with such Brobdingnagian leaf , giant taro needs a lot of light .
This alocasia may be grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zone 9b to 12 . Conversely , you could produce it as an yearbook in zone 4 to 8 .
Indoors , it will favour temperatures between 55 ° and 85 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Avoid exposing it to temperatures below 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit , as it will go dormant and may suffer damage as temperatures send packing .
Likewise , seek to keep the plant clear of drafts to prevent shock from sudden temperature changes .
Watering and Feeding
As with many of your flora , the giant elephant ear prefers the soaking - and - dry method .
In this finicky plant ’s case , you ’ll want to wait for the ground to be dry ⅓ down before watering .
This means it should be dry 2 ” inches late in a 6 ” inch tall pot , for example .
When watering , avoid tap urine , utilize elbow room temperature or lukewarm water – distill water system or rude rain is in force . Pour slowly and evenly around the circumference of the stack until you see water lead off to seep from the drain hole .
This works can be a heavy feeder , but how much it will need depends on your individual plant .
Using a general - determination fluent houseplant fertilizer , feed the plant every 3 workweek during the growing season , preferably after water the industrial plant , to serve prevent burns .
supervise your works ’s growth and adjust as needed , either up to every other workweek or down to once every four weeks .
Even if your plant does n’t go dormant during the winter months , give up feeding during this meter to make it more resistant to any possible chill .
Soil & Transplanting
Your elephantine taro prefers a loose , well - draining land or a crumbly loam mixture with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
You may choose to augment a rich soil , such as orchid mixes , with 50 % pct perlite or make your mix of compost , orchid bark , perlite , and peat or sphagnum moss .
Proper to planting , it ’s often a good idea to add a substrate layer of coarse Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin or gravel to your garden spot or container , as this provides a buffer store geographical zone against standing piddle .
This is a speedy grower and heavy affluent . It will need repotting every 1 to 2 years in the spring within a day after watering .
During this time , you may pick out to give it a Modern pot one size larger , but most enthusiasts prefer to split up the rhizomes instead .
Whether growing indoors or outdoors , it ’s crucial to either habituate fresh soil ( grass ) or add fresh compost ( gardens ) to ensure the plant is well - fed .
Grooming And Maintenance
Regularly remove any dead or die leaves from the plant and its container , using sterile , sharp shear if cuts are necessary .
The leaves on indoor plants will also need to be pass over down with a non - chemic leaf effulgence ( such as a neem leaf shine ) or dusted every 1 to 2 weeks to ascertain better photosynthesis .
How To Propagate Alocasia Macrorrhiza
Basal offshoots ( aka lollipop or rootstock ) and seed are both commonmethods to propagate elephant ear .
Mature plant may also be propagated through prow cutting .
Giant Taro Pests or Diseases
Aphids , fungus gnat , mealybug , scale , spider tinge , and thrips will all find your giant taro to be appeal and may lead to legion infections .
This plant is also susceptible to boytris , multiple forms of decomposition , leaf spot , powdery mold , rust , southern blight , andXanthomonas .
This flora comprise alter quantities of calcium oxalate crystals , is a toxic crystal also regain in many common vegetables .
When consumed in larger concentrations , it can cause irritation , tumefy of the rima oris and throat , loss of appetite , nausea , vomiting , or even kidney stones .
In magnanimous enough quantities , atomic number 20 oxalate can be life - endanger to you or your positron emission tomography .
However , the crystals split up down when the plant is cooked correctly , making it safe to consume when decently prepared first .
Alocasia Macrorrhiza Uses
As refer , the corm of giant taro plant are a valuable amylum food for thought when the right way prepared and are a key element of Binagol , a Phillipino goody .
The leaves are also sometimes used as impermanent umbrellas when Pacific Islanders are caught in a downpour .
Their fast - growing nature makes a not bad annual option for gardeners who want an outdoor alocasia but are too far northerly for most coinage .
