Alocasia wentii

Credit: Serres Fortier

Dark green leaves Alocasi wentii

Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek

Leaves Alocasia wentii

Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek

Dark green lanceolate leaves Alocasia wentii

Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek

Alocasia wentii, an XXL alocasia

What if Alocasia wentii was the perfect Alocasia? This rare plant from New Guinea will delight collectors looking for an original specimen. Robust and tolerant, it will also suit less experienced gardeners.

How to recognize Alocasia wentii?

Alocasia wentii is an upright, spreading perennial. In the wild, it grows up to five meters tall. In pots and in our latitudes, it's half that size.

As a young plant, it appears aculeate. You can only make out the green sheath surrounding the fleshy petioles. Over time, however, Alocasia wentii develops a zebra-brown, almost woody trunk.

The sagittate leaves have tapering tips. The largest reach 40 centimetres in length. Coriaceous and strongly veined, they are a shiny dark green on the upper surface. The underside is purple or crimson.

Alocasia wentii rarely flowers indoors. In its natural environment, it produces an inflorescence consisting of a cream spadix and a pale pink spathe. Unlike alocasia odora, the flower is odorless.

Alocasia wentii is toxic. In fact, all its parts (stems, leaves and flowers) contain calcium oxalate crystals, a substance that causes digestive problems when ingested and irritation if it comes into contact with the skin. Make sure your pets don't eat the plant, and wear gloves when handling it.

Our maintenance tips

Alocasia wentii are relatively hardy. If you live in a region with mild winters, you can install yours in the garden.

Watering

Before watering, make sure the substrate is two or three centimetres dry by dipping your fingers into the soil. If this is the case, moisten the root ball with non-calcareous water at room temperature.

To avoid drowning the roots, don't leave stagnant water in the dish.

Spray

Your Alocasia wentii loves humidity. But the air in our homes is often too dry! To remedy this, spray the foliage with non-calcareous water.

In addition to increasing humidity, misting dusts the leaves and limits pest attacks.

Repotting

Every spring, repot your Alocasia wentii to give it more space.

Obtain a pot with holes three to five centimetres larger than the previous one. You can place a bed of clay balls at the bottom to encourage water drainage.

Your Alocasia wentii needs a rich, draining substrate. You can repot it in potting soil for green plants, with a little peat moss or coconut fibre and perlite.

Pour on a layer of substrate and plant your specimen. Add potting soil, tamp and water to help the plant take root.

Fertilization

To promote the growth of your Alocasia wentii, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.

Add nutrients with a green plant fertilizer.

Cleaning

Dust on leaves interferes with photosynthesis. To make sure your Alocasia wentii gets all the available light, clean its foliage with a clean, damp cloth.

Caution! All parts of the plant are toxic. Wear gloves and wash your hands after touching the foliage.

Prune

To encourage the growth of your Alocasia wentii, prune regularly.

Remove dried or yellowed leaves.

Plantation

Soak the rootball of your Alocasia wentii. Meanwhile, choose a spot in partial shade. Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball.

Plant your Alocasia wentii in the center. Don't bury it too deeply- the rootball should be flush with the surface.

Fill in with a mixture of garden soil and compost, then water. You can mulch the base with organic matter to protect the plant from the cold.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Locate the joint between the young shoot and the mother plant. Separate them using a clean, sharp utensil, such as secateurs or a knife. The larger the reject, the greater your chances of success.

In a pierced pot, pour a layer of clay balls for drainage. Add potting soil for seedlings and planting.

Using a pencil, make a pilot hole and plant your cutting.

Water at room temperature to help the plant take root.

Diseases / Threats

Aphids

Red spiders

Mealybugs

Information

Family	Araceae - Araceae
Type	Alocasia - Alocasia
Species	Alocasia wentii - Alocasia wentii
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposure	Half-shade
Substrats	Clay soil Loamy soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Categories	Rhizome Herbaceous
Tags	Large pot Toxic
Origin	Oceania
Hardiness (USDA)	10a
Leaf color
Flower colors