Water and feed regularly - when the top two inches are dry - throughout the growing season. Reduce watering in winter and stop feeding altogether until spring.
He will grow happily in a bright spot. Too much direct sunlight could scorch his luscious leaves.
Luke likes it humid. A naturally steamy bathroom or kitchen is ideal, or you can mist him daily.
Botanical name
Alocasia ‘Dark Star’
Nickname
Elephant ear
Plant type
Indoor
Plant height (including pot)
140-150cm
Pet/baby safe
Toxic if ingested
Nursery pot size
35cm
Alocasia ‘Dark Star’ gets its cool sci-fi name from its massive leaves and dark purplish petioles (leaf stems).
This gorgeous exotic likes it warm and won’t tolerate temperatures lower than 16 degrees Celsius in summer. With such large leaves from which to transpire (breathe), Alocasia ‘Dark Star’ is likely to lose too much water and become vulnerable to pests if the room it’s in is too dry. Those leaves need all the humidity you can throw at them to stay so lush, green and healthy. Think tropical! Unless you can fit it in your bathroom (and to be honest, how many of us have a bathroom that big), your best bet is to group your alocasia with lots of other plants. By creating a mini-indoor jungle you will help your plant create a microclimate that is more humid than the atmosphere in the rest of the room. Alternatively invest in a humidifier.
During the growing season, from mid-spring to mid-autumn, keep the soil lightly moist and give your plant a fortnightly feed with liquid fertiliser. This will keep the nutrients topped up and help it grow large and lush. In Winter Alocasias stop growing and go into a kind of dormancy. At this time they can tolerate slightly cooler temperatures and drier air. Water less frequently and stop feeding. They may lose a few leaves, which will go yellow and limp, and these can be cut off. Too much water over winter can cause root rot.
Wipe those large leaves down regularly with a soft damp cloth to remove dust. This will help it absorb all the light it needs.
Did you know?
‘Dark Star’ has been bred from four different types of Alocasia to create its impressive size and to make it more tolerant of cooler temperatures.
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