An alocasia plant requires very bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light.. Direct sun burns the leaves.

Always allow the top 2"- 3" of the soil to dry out before watering. Keep the soil evenly moist. Over- watering, wet leaves, and soggy soil makes an alocasia plant susceptible to a variety of serious fungal infections. Check the soil frequently until you are sure of the plant's watering needs. Water less during the winter when it is dormant.

Fertilize every two weeks from late March through September with a balanced houseplant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Never fertilize an alocasia during the winter. Too much fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.   causes salts to build up in the soil and burn the leaves.

Alocasia plants prefer warm temperatures between 60°-80°F (15.6°-26.7°C). Alocasia plants becomes dormant with prolonged exposure to temperatures below 60°F (15.6°C), and may drop all of their leaves. Be sure to keep an alocasia away from air conditioners and cold drafts. During warm summer months an alocasia plant can produce a new leaf every week and each new leaf may be twice the size of the previous leaf.

Alocasia plants grow best in high humidity. To increase the humidity around a houseplant, place the plant on a tray filled with pebbles and water. Be sure the plant is sitting on the pebbles and not in the water. You can also increase the humidity by placing a small humidifier near the plant or grouping plants together.

An alocasia macrorrhiza produces a cream colored spathe-like flower (really a modified leaf).

Spraying an alocasia with warm soapy water every few weeks helps prevent Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants., scaleSoft Brown Scale is the most common scale that attacks indoor houseplants especially ficus, ivy, spider plants, ferns, aralia, and schefflera. It appears as small bumpy brown spots that appear to move. As the scale sucks on the sap of the plant it secretes a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew attracts black mildew. Because of the shell-like exterior, sprays are only partially effective against scale. Wipe off the lines of brown oval bumps with your finger, a cloth, or a child’s toothbrush then spray the plant with Neem Oil. Use the Green Solution to clean off the black mildew., AphidsSee a picture, learn to identify, and read about Aphid houseplant pests in the Glossary of Houseplant411.com., and spider miteLearn how to identify and treat Spider Mites on plants. This sucking plant pest causes yellow blotchy leaves with a red haze and a gritty feel to them. problems. It also keeps the large leaves of the plant dust-free. If an alocasia plant does become infested with house Plant PestLearn how to identify and treat the plant pest called Whitefly at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary/whitefly-plant-pestss, spray with an ultra fine commercial insecticidal oil. This kills both the pests and their eggs.

When over- watered or when the leaves get wet, Aloasia plants may develop a variety of diseases such as crown, stem, and root rotPicture, description, and how to treat Crown Rot Plant Disease., Leaf Spot, and Xanthamonas. These diseases usually appear as dark brown or black spots on the leaves surrounded by a yellowish rim. The best way to prevent plant diseases is to avoid over-watering, keep the leaves dry, and provide good air circulation around the plant. Once an alocasia is infected, quickly remove the damaged leaves and any leaves that have fallen off, isolate the plant from your other plants, and treat with a commercial FungicideLearn what fungicides are and how they are used to treat fungal and bacterial plant infections..

Use an organic well-aerated loose plant soil that contains a good amount of peat moss. If the soil seems a little heavy, add some builder's sand or perlite.

Alocasia plants prefer to be root-bound in small pots. Do not increase the size of the container until the roots have filled the existing pot and always move to the next size pot only.

Quickly remove any yellow leaves or those that develop brown or black spots as that may be a sign of a fungal disease.

Alocasia plants are propagated by plant divisionLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary. You can read more about propagationLearn how to propagate plants by plant division at https://www.houseplant411.com/glossary techniques in the Glossary.

These plants become dormant during the late fall and early winter. Don't be concerned no new leaves develop during this time.

Alocasia plants are very Poisonous HouseplantsIn her new book, Don’t Feed Me to Your Cat!, plant care professional Judy Feldstein shares information about twenty-five common houseplants, each with various levels of toxicity, and the possible consequences if your pet or child snacks on them. with a #4 toxicity levelThese are general guidelines that describe how poisonous certain houseplants are. It's possible for an allergic reaction to occur from contact with any houseplant, toxic or non-toxic. If there is ever a concern, call: Poison Control Center: ******1-800-222-1222****** Level #1: Houseplants with low toxicity, may be mildly irritating, especially the sap of the plant. Level#2: Houseplants with medium to severe toxicity. Eating parts of these houseplants may result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties. Level #3: These houseplants are  very poisonous. When eaten, especially in large quantities,  severe vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, skin irritations, and breathing difficulties can occur. Level #4: These houseplants are extremely poisonous. Eating parts of these houseplants can be be life threatening. Every plant listed in our Popular HousePlant guide has a section explaining whether or not it is poisonous and, if so, how poisonous. Amaryllis, alocasia, dieffenbachias, crotons, ivies, azaleas, lilies, and philodendrons are just a few of the highly poisonous plants we use in our homes and offices all of the time. If you don't know whether your houseplant is poisonous, go to Ask Judy on the HousePlant411.com website, send her a picture of your plant, and she'll let you know if the houseplant should be kept away from small children and pets. See colorful pictures and get more information about poisonous houseplants in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants  .