How to Grow & Care for Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata ‘Elephant Ear’ (2023)

Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata is known by many names like giant taro, elephant ears, Giant Alocasia, etc. The Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata originated from Southeast Asia and Australia. It consists of striking beauty, and variegated foliage that is marble with many light green and white blotches. if a person wants to grow and wants to know how to grow and care for Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata ‘Elephant Ear’ then I have explained every necessary point to maintain the environment of it. 

Key takeaways:

• The Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata are able to grow upto 12 to 15 feet high and do cover about 6 to 8 feet wide.
• The Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata consists of large leaves that make the most attractive features.
• People do love to plant the Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata as an interior design whether it is outdoors or indoors.

Scientific Name	Alocasia macrorrhizos ‘Variegata’
Common Name	Elephant Ear
Light	Bright, indirect light
Watering	Weekly, water if the top half of the soil is dry
Temperature	65° to 80°F (18 to 27ºC)
Hardiness Zone	10-11
Humidity	60-80%
Soil Type	Rich, quick-draining, loamy
Soil pH	5.6-7 (mildly acidic to neutral)
Fertilizing	A balanced feed twice a month in spring and summer
Repotting	Every year
Pruning	Remove dead leaves as they occur
Propagation	Seed, offsets, or cuttings
Toxicity	Toxic to humans and pets
Mature Size	12-15 feet as a houseplant
Bloom Time	Rarely flowers

Grow & Care for Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata ‘Elephant Ear’

There are a few points you need to consider few things as they are needed to be grown in bright but that has to indirect light, warm temperatures, soil, and high humidity which is being explained in detail above it.   

• Light 
• Watering 
• Temperature 
• Humidity 
• Soil 
• Fertilizer 
• Potting & Repotting 
• Pruning 
• Propagation 

Light:

As per their origin, the Alocasia Macrorrhiza Variegata can be easily grown in the shade of trees but for planting at home, the light requirement ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 lux. You can achieve the light range by placing the pot near a north or east-facing window so that the plant gets sun exposure. But make sure not to expose the plant to full sun that is the afternoon light as it will burn the leaves which can damage the plant. 

Watering:

 They generally best grow in well-draining soil that is moist consistently. You need to water the plant when you find the top inches of the soil dry when you touch it. If you keep the soil wet all the time then there are high chances of growing pests and diseases.  The best way of watering the Alocasia macrorrhiza variegata is by slowly adding the water to the pot and stopping when you find the water has started draining out. Also, do keep in mind not to keep the pot standing in water. 

Temperature:

The plant is a tropical plant so it is best grown in a warm temperature that ranges from 65 to 80 degrees. You need to keep the plant away from the cold air that comes from the air conditioner or fan as the tolerance level of temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In summer you can keep the plant outdoors but remember to bring it back before the freezing temperature starts. 

Humidity:

The preferred humidity suitable for the plant is from 60 to 80%. For planting at home a high level of humidity is not possible so you need to provide a more humid zone for Alocasia macrorrhiza variegated. The best way is to group all the plants that do need high humidity and bring a small humidifier for all of them which will help to add moisture in the year and will help the plant to grow quicker full stop the other way is to place a pebbled tree under the plant and will the tree with the water.

Soil:

As the plant needs soil that is well draining but with that it’s important not to have too much wet soil as it will create a situation of fungal diseases such as root rot. You can also measure the pH level for planting Alocasia macrorrhiza variegata which should be between 5.6 to 5. You can create the ideal soil for planting by combining equal parts of perlite, peat moss, orchard bark, and compost.

 

Fertilizer:

If you want the plant to come out with massive leaves then you need to provide them with regular fertilizer. The preferred or balanced ratio is 5-5-5 or 10-10-10.you can use the fertilizer once every two weeks and that too in the spring and Summer seasons. The next step after fertilization is watering the soil nicely and making sure the water reaches the roots of the plant. As in dry soil conditions, the nutrients provided will run out.

Potting & Repotting:

The need of repotting the plant cones every year as the roots of the plant start coming out of the drainage holes. But don’t increase the size of the pot too much, just a few inches bigger in diameter. You need to use fresh potting soil for repotting in a container that needs to have good drainage holes. 

Pruning:

If you find any leaves that are dead or damaged it’s high time for pruning the plant as it is necessary to trim them off so that they don’t develop any diseases and do always look attractive. You need to use a sharp sterilized knife and always cut the leaf stem that is a few inches within the soil level and not plant the trimmed-off side in the soil. 

Propagation:

There are many ways of propagation but the easiest way to divide the plant when it is being repotted is by gently pulling off the offset plant and planting each of those in a different pot. The other way of propagating the plant is by cutting the stem and root and then watering the stem cutting. The preferred condition for propagation is considered the growing season of spring and summer.

But if you are in the seed of seed germination than you can plant them when the seed is mature but it is sure that the germination rate of the seed is very slow and after that, it will take a long time for it to grow big in size. 

Common Problems of Variegated Alocasia

There are some common problems by which Variegated Alocasia undergoes and need to protect the plants so that you grow in a healthier way:

Pests:

Growing of pests on Variegated Alocasia are rare to see. But there is the possibility of getting attracted to spider mites, aphids, or mealybugs. 

• The spider mites are used to grow on the underside of leaves of the plant that have little light dots.
• The aphids are used to grow on the underside of fresh leaves which are sticky substances.
• In the case of mealybugs which look similar to small puffs of cotton.

You can control these pests by using insecticidal soap spray and pyrethrum.

Diseases:

There are common diseases which can be found while growing Variegated Alocasia and you can prevent them by proper caring.

• They will grow mold if the plant is planted into damp soil. 
• The leaves of the plant will turn Yellow or black and to prevent it you need to replant the plant in well-draining soil. 
• Make sure to spray name oil which will help in killing the fungus which may be because of the damp condition. 

Growing issues

Some of the growing problems ate droopy leaves and sick plants. It is because of the wrong supply of nutrients to plants. It indicated that the plant was not getting enough nutrients to grow itself. 

So, provide them with sufficient sunlight and water so that the plant thrives well. 

Brown leaves on the plant

Last but not least, another issue is the brown turning of the leaves in the plant. It is caused due to the excess supply of sunlight or less supply of water to the plants.

So, feed them with the desired amount of light, temperature, humidity, water, etc. 

Conclusion:

If you don’t pay attention to the basic requirements of the plant such as watering, temperature, and humidity then the plant needs to face various difficult conditions like pest diseases. The above mention will help you to grow Alocasia macrorrhiza variegata.