Alocasia lindenii

I just got this from Asiatica Nursery today (they had an open house). I am smitten!!!

Here's another shot.

That is beautiful. I have 2 that are not doing well. Do you have 'care' instructions? Mine keep dying down, then putting up a small leaf, then it dies down. I don't know if I'm keeping it too wet or too dry.

Gorgeous!

I just got it, so I don't know. How often do you water it? I read on another post that some of these plants need fresh, not stagnant, water and some like to be standing in water, and some like to dry out. Let me check something & I'll get right back.

Here's what I read: This plant may be available to buy



Zone 10

The names Alocasia and Colocasia are confusing in that an easy distinction between the families is not seen. To refer to these types of plants, the Latin Xanthosoma is also used. The reasoning is some DNA detail only technical plant experts are able to explain. There are at least 70 known species of alocasia

This very large Elephant Ear is seen throughout South Florida, Native to Java and Malaysia, people there use alocasia (Esculenta, Taro) as important sources of starch, such as poi in the Hawaiian food tradition


Each leaf of alocasia and colocasia grow from soft stems. The leaves are variable in size but can be 3 feet wide and 4 feet long in the plant pictured above

Alocasias develop hooded white spathes. resembling Spathiphyllum, but much larger in this case, up to 6-7 inches tall and very tropical in impression

Related to aglonema and dieffenbachia, these plants may be a tuberous or rhizomatous perennials. All have bold leaves held tall on fleshy long soft 'wet' stems

Growth is variable by species but many are large plants, sprawling in habit and form clumps of growth from the soil line. Some will enjoy full sun, but most want shifting shade. Because the stems and leaves are very fragile, perfect wind protection is a must. They generally like a damp, cool, protected shaded home

Planted directly in the soil or in a pot, use a nutritious organic soil mix with good drainage. If your selected location is correct, little ongoing care is required. Fungus is the only possible concern

I think I'd ask someone more knowledgeable than me on this since I, too, am a beginner. I am having the same problems with Alocasia frydek that you are. It dies down (I suspect it goes dormant) and small leaves come up.

This is the plant that was fist called a Xanthosoma now it is considered a Caladium as far I know from the top botanist for now. The stems are rough and their is a few forms of this species. The lindenii magnificum has a narrow white streak all the way around the leaf it is very dramatic if you see a photo of it.

Hi Bwilliams, you're the person I was looking for. Now please tell us how to go about not killing this beauty & thanks in advance.

If this is a Caladium, is it going to go dormant? Also, another question. I have A. frydek & it dies down & goes dormant & little leaves shoot up but never the size of the original leaves. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.

Well this is not like most caladiums it one the line of not being one at all. I am not sure what keeps it out of the xanthosoma family. I believe it is because the pollen is string shapped rather than a fine dust look. The best I have seen it grown is as a aquatic in a very humid warm hot house. The water is moving and never below 60f so if you want to see it the best. So it demands a lot to be beautiful. But with those growing conditions it can get 7 feet tall. Other wise grow it much like a alocasia with no dormant cycle. In most cases alocasias besides the larger growers need constant heat and moisture to grow out their best. The best grower is Dennis at silver krome. He has his plants in a promix like soil in 6 inch pots hooked to a watering system with fertilizer. The plants are in tables were they hang through the holes so it drains very fast. The plants get huge very hast in this situation. They are soaked each day and are dry by night. Not many people can provide their plants with such a timed and perfected system as he has.

Great information, thanks Brian and Button. I have moved mine into a small fish pond that has re-circulating water. I put the pots on the ledge that makes the 'water fall', so they are in 'moving water'. Let's see how that works. It certainly is a beautiful plant so I hope I can make it grow.