I am always interested in seeing the plants that others have in their collections, so that if I have the same, we can compare notes on culture (especially if theirs looks way better than mine!) This is one I like a lot and seems to be easy to grow, even though it is one of the "thick leaved" types....Alocasia rugosa. I love the texture of the leaves.
Ok, here's my Alocasia reginae 'Miri'; this is the one I used as the female parent in a cross with A. sarawakensis. I got two seedlings from the first attempt. The second attempt yielded 5 seedlings, but at least one of them looks like it has some A. rugosa in it! LariAnn Aroidia Research
Alocasia princeps , very attractive plant with a few forms . Several other species got lumped in with this one when A.Hay revised them for the Flora Malesiana project . This plant is a very large form I call Bogor Giant , as it came from that Botanic Garden . It can grow to over 2m .
Not very common at all is this 'true' form of Alocasia micholitziana or is it actually A.micholitzii ? The 'Green Velvet' cultivar seems to be much more commonly available .
That is a superb form of lowii . I have a soft spot for the New Guinea species , especially the ones that do not look like Alocasias .. A.brancaefolia .
Thank you! The "mother" of that loweii is a houseplant that I have had for over 10 years. It developed a wild trunk, and th epot was in danger of tipping over, so I took it and cut off 50% of it and planted it by the back door. Can you believe that it takes the lower 20'sF in that spot? Its a very successful microclimate fo rit. Here is a photo of the mother before the " surgical division", LOL I have the brancaefolia, but mine stays very small, and goes in and out of dormancy. Currently its "out", and is growing by the stream in the greenhouse.
This is one of the most interesting Alocasia sp. I've ever personally seen or grown. Hawaiian grower Leland Miyano first sent a photo in early summer of 2007. He had no idea what it was and I certainly didn't. I sent it to a bunch of people and finally botanist Pete Boyce knew the answer. With his help, fellow botanist and Alocasia expert Alistair Hay, who wrote the scientific description, sent a copy of the complete scientific workup. The species is now known as Alocasia scalprum Hay. The species is apparently found on a single island in the Philippines and that island is now occupied by a renegade force trying to over throw the government of the country. As a result, the species is not often available. My specimen was a gift from collector Windy Aubrey. Alistair told us in one correspondence the species is apparently variable and has more than one blade coloration. It was originally introduced to collectors in a 1984 Aroideana article and was published as Alocasia 'Samar Lance'. Samar is the name of the island where the species was discovered. The leaves are very thick and obviously have a very ornate pattern. They measure 15 to 25cm in length (approximately 6 to 10 inches) by 2 to 5cm (3/4 to 2 inches) wide. For those who don't know, Aroideana is the journal of the International Aroid Society.
Alocasia lauterbachiana is one of my favorites. Its extremely vigorous and just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Here's one of my recent hybrids, the Brisbane Waves (A. brisbanensis x A. portei). In this shot the plant has at least 10 leaves, although some may be obscured by others.
Both those are FANTASTIC! eTropicals, I have so many of those...I love them! They keep offsetting, and I keep propagating them! I have some that size by my stream, and a few in a flowerbed in front of my house. They may be my very fave alo. Here's a variegated Frydek:
Here is my second favorite. Alocasia "borneo giant". This guy is only about 8 months old and this picture is also about 3 months old. It is now close to 5 feet tall and it hasnt even formed a trunk yet!!! Love the big leaves!
Picked up a lovely Alocasia I think is a cross between x Amazonica and Lowii . It is listed in Burnetts book as x Lowica or similar name [can't find my copy ] Here is a pic . Note less noticable sinuate leaf margin . Also much darker colour [imho]
Actually, that plant looks like what is known in the USA as Alocasia x amazonica "Polly". I have a copy of David Burnett's Alocasia monograph and the plant he has shown as "Lowica" looks significantly different from this one. Yours is a spitting image of the Alocasia x amazonica "Polly". Here's a link that shows some examples of "Polly": http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/60423/ LariAnn Aroidia Research
Hey LariAnn,Mick, would I be correct in assuming that A. brisbanensis in an Australian native, from the Brisbane area, hence the name, or am I on the wrong track? Ed
Don't know the species from that pic, SUNRIZE, but know for sure that the plant is Xanthosoma, not Alocasia. LariAnn Aroidia Research
Bihai; I also have an Alocasia lowii but in mine the stems are not upright, they seem to be curving/bending down, What I could be doing wrong?: I have it under full shade and and I keep the pot humid. Anyone's' advice is welcome
Leaf shape , position of petiole attachment , and the flower shape . Alocasia are usually very glossy and the petiole is atached a little below the sinus . Xanthosoma are usually sheild shaped [angular top corners] with matt finish . Study them for a few years and its easy to tell them apart , but hard to describe how you do so .
...(drum roll please)..."And now, for the first time on the UBC Aroid forum, proof of a successful cross between Alocasia odora and Alocasia robusta." ..(curtain slowly opens to raucous clapping and cheering). . ."And here they are, Alocasia x robudora!" Note the petiolar coloration, derived from A. robusta, as A. odora has no coloration other than green. Berry set took place on A. odora using A. robusta pollen in April of 2007. Berry ripening took two months. LariAnn Aroidia Research
