Beautiful Foliage

Alocasia Amizonica  (African Mask)

I thought it would be a good idea to sway away from the flowering plants for a bit and maybe talk about plants that are bought for their beautiful foliage.  This is one of my favorites.  The Amizonica is one of a number of hybrids know for its marked foliage and it is easy to see why.  You can find it in many garden centers in sizes starting as small as a 6 inch pot.  The largest pot I have seen is a 10 inch.  They can get tall so be sure that you have a good spot to put yours. 

The Wikipedia definition of Alocasia is as follows:

Alocasia is a genus of broad-leaved rhizomatous or tuberous perennials from the family Araceae. There are 79 species [1] native to tropical and subtropical Asia to Eastern Australia, and widely cultivated elsewhere.

First thing you should notice in this definition is that this family is tropical.  This means that this plant likes warm temperatures.  You should generally not subject it to temperatures lower than 64 degrees.  Keep in mind that it will also not do well indoors next to the air conditioner outflow. If it is subjected to lower temperatures it will go into dormant conditions just like any other tuber.  I know that my plant sat on my desk for 2 years and was very happy until I go a promotion and my new desk was under the air conditioner.  My poor baby was sick and scrawny in less than 2 months.  It still has not recovered to its full beauty though it now has plenty of warm sun. 

Which brings me to my next discussion, light.  Sitting on the top of my desk, my plant reached for the florescent lights and grew a height of 4 feet.  Though mine did quite well under the artificial light, most growers will tell you to give your Amizonica plenty of sun.  With leaves about a foot wide and 3 feet long, it will make a good floor plant as long as it is in a sunny location.  Artificial light used to supplement sunlight should be no farther away than 2 feet.

The leaves emerge from the tuber on a single stem which means that there is no lower foliage.  This would make it a good candidate for a pairing between it and a low growing plant.  You should choose a plant that will like a medium or low light because it will be farther away from the light and shaded by the larger Amizonica.  For a pleasing combination, also choose a solid color leaf like an ivy. Or as smaller leaf like a pothos.  (I will post pictures of these plants on my pinterest so that you know what I mean. Look for Kathee Kit  Jones and the board of the same name.)


Last but not least, I have included a picture of the flower for you flower buffs.  It is not the prettiest of flowers but when you see one you know you are doing something right. I found this photo at GardenWeb and if you click on the words you can see more.

 

General Care Abbreviated

Needs good light
Do not let it get chilled
Fertilize once a month
Soil should be damp but not wet
When it starts to go dormant - stop watering


Thanks for following my blog.  If you have any questions or comments please add them to the bottom of this posting or email me at houseplantsos@gmail.com  I would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,
k.k.jones