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Our small Elephant’s Ear houseplant, known as Alocasia X amazonica “Poly”, is a small striking plant with large patterned leaves.
Latin name
Echeveria runyonii
Pronunciation
(“ek-hev-EH-ree-yah run-yun-EE-eye”)
Common name
Echeveria runyonii
Origin
Mexico
Alocasia species are a group of aroids from the tropics of Asia and Eastern Australia, often noted for their dramatic foliage, sometimes richly patterned. Poly has beautiful silvery-white veins on its dramatic dark green, arrow-shaped leaves, which can grow up to 30cm long. The undersides of the leaves are a deep red colour and they are help aloft by fleshy pale green stems.
The variety “Poly” (not “Polly” – it was named after is supposed polyploidal chromosome number, not the girl’s name) is a hybrid of Alocasia longiloba and Alocasia sanderiana, which was developed in the 1950s from a selection of an earlier type called Alocasia Amazonica. This was bred by Salvadore Mauro – a postman and nursery owner from Florida – who named the plant after his Amazonica Nursery business.
Toxic to pets and humans if ingested. It contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that can cause severe mouth irritation, drooling, swelling and difficulty swallowing.
caring for your plant
Light
Low to medium light. Keep out of direct sunlight.
Watering
The soil should be moist, but not wet.
Pruning
Do not prune. Dead or damaged leaves should be cut off at the base using a sharp knife or secateurs.
Feeding
A weak solution of fertilizer can be added to the water every time you water the plant.
pest & diseases
Generally pest free, but mealybugs might be an occasional problem. These can be removed by cleaning the plant with a damp cloth or paper towel. Two-spotted spider mites may also appear, but if they do, that suggests that the plant is being kept in too dry and atmosphere. Regular misting with tepid water will deter spider mites.
Our plants are grown in Ecoponic, an alternative to soil. Officially known as a vulkaponic substrate, it replaces traditional compost with a clean, mineral-based medium that helps protect peatlands.
According to the IUCN UK Peatland Programme, “A loss of only 5% of UK peatland carbon would be equal to the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.” As well as storing carbon, the natural wetlands where peat is found are critical to the survival of plants and wildlife. Ecoponic also improves plant health and uses water more efficiently.
Find out more about Ecoponic here.
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