Taking pictures and wanted to share. This is not your run of the mill EE. Picked it up at a plant fair at a park. Been in about 3 months and doing good.
:^)))
Molly
Alocasia Zebrina Reticulata
Another new plant, the gloss leafed EE tucked between the caladiums. Got that last Sunday at a private yard/plant sale. I don't have a name on that one. It has burgundy/red stems.
:^)
Molly
You were lucky to find such a large zebrina reticulata -- they are slow growers.
Your second one is Alocasia plumbea nigra.
Thanks Ric,
My pocketbook wasn't as lucky hehe, but it was one of those gottahavititis things. There were other vendors at that park selling these for more money than I spent so I felt good about that. When I went to that park for the plant fair I took "X" amount of $. Trying to limit myself. HA! didn't work, the lady takes PayPal, which ultimately got me back to the fair the next day!
The growth on the Zebrina isn't so bad, had 2 new leaves grow on it since it's been here.
I've got a tag made on the other Ear right now. Thanks for the ID.
:^)))
Molly
My reticulata doesn't like to hold more than three leaves at a time. Maybe its a question of age, or maybe I'm doing something wrong. It's made it through two years with me, so at least I'm not killing it. I've been tempted to take it up to explore the soil for new rhizomes, but it doesn't really need repotting. Have you repotted yours? Did you find any acorn-to-cumquat sized rhizomes?
Don't chisel that subspecies name for the second ear in stone yet. I just got back from the botanical gardens and saw two different specimen plants that, to my eye, are identical to each other and to yours, but one was marked 'nigra' and the other was marked 'metalica.' It's defnitely A. plumbea in any case.
There is an A. plumbea that has a light colored stem with speckles, and I thought that was metalica. Maybe someone else will have some input to help pin down the subspecies.
Thanks for the help Ric. I put my zebrina in the ground as soon as I got it home. Remember, way down here, plants go in the ground and the pots go in the potting shed. When I planted it, I tried not to disturb the roots so it wouldn't know what I was doing. That's probably why is took so well to the move. So, unfortunately, I didn't really get a look at the root system.
I will put that tag on hold for a bit until we can do some more research on the plumbea. I need to call the lady I bought it from (a landscaper) and get the names on a couple different plants. She will probably be able to tell me the subspecies.
I will let you know. Maybe I will go to her house........uh oh, I see another purchase coming on. (LOL)
:^)))
Molly
Rick,
I just went out and took another picture, of the stem. It has the freckles, but only on one side of the stem, the rest of it is burgundy/red.
Will post later on conversation with Grace.
Molly
:^)
Wow. I have seen dark stemmed plumbeas, and I have seen freckled stemmed plumbeas, but I have never seen the two colorations split down the middle! I think I have to sit down.