The Alocasia ivory coast has leaves that have an outstanding silvery, webbed look. Coupled with the pink stems of the plant, you cannot look at the plant twice without noticing the fluorescent touch that it can give to any space. Alocasia ivory coast is a must-have choice if you embrace uniqueness.
This article will furnish you with all the nitty-gritty of how to give proper care to the Alocasia ivory coast and give your home the glow that it requires.
Contents
Alocasia Ivory Coast 一 An Eagle’s View
Alocasia ivory coast is native to Asia and eastern Australia, where it grows under tree canopies. This plant is a herbaceous perennial that belongs to the Araceae family. Alocasia ivory coast is also known as the ivory plant or the elephant ear plant.
The Alocasia ivory coast is highly branched. The leaves of the Alocasia ivory coast are green and arrow-shaped. The leaves’ surface has light-green veins that also appear silvery. This webbed design on the surface of the ivory plant, along with the contrasting pink color of the stems and stalks of the plant, makes Alocasia ivory coast its unique ornamental touch.
Alocasia Ivory Coast Growth and Bloom
The Alocasia ivory coast is generally classified among fast-growing plants, reaching up to approximately 3 feet in height. When provided with all the requirements that enhance growth, the Alocasia ivory coast can produce a new leaf every week, which can double its size in a matter of days. The size of Alocasia ivory coast leaves ranges between 7 and 35 inches in length.
The Alocasia ivory coast exhibits vertical-oriented growth. This means that each new leaf grows higher than the previous one, while the plant maintains almost the same horizontal size. Growing Alocasia ivory coast is particularly easy if you groom it as an indoor plant.
However, it can also do well outside if you provide it with tropical growing conditions. In its natural habitat, the Alocasia ivory coast grows among shade-loving plants, like ferns.
The Alocasia ivory coast blooms but this happens once in a blue moon. When it flowers, the ivory plant produces seed pods that hang from the plant. The seeds of the ivory plant take a couple of months to mature.
Alocasia Ivory Coast Care
Taking care of the Alocasia ivory coast is not only easy, but it is also fun! To get the best out of your efforts to care for this ornamental plant, read this section.
– Light Requirements
In its natural habitat, the Alocasia ivory coast is found under tree canopies where it receives filtered sunlight. Therefore, even in home settings, the Alocasia ivory coast grows well under light exposure conditions that are bright but indirect. You can expose your ivory plant to direct sunlight for a few hours. Any longer period can burn the leaves of your plant.
A space close to the window is ideal for your Alocasia ivory coast. Apparently, the ivory plant is easier to take care of indoors as far as light requirements are concerned. Outdoors, you need to be more conscious of where you place your plant. Spaces like roof-tops and verandas where your plant is exposed to direct sunlight are among the forbidden options.
The only time that you can let sunlight rays touch your plant is in the morning or later in the afternoon. Otherwise, rather place your plant under a tree that provides nothing more than filtered light.
– Water Requirements
Alocasia ivory coast is highly susceptible to root rot, so soggy soils are not good at all. On the contrary, you should ensure that the plant has all the consistent moisture that it requires for growth. As a side note, avoid overwatering it. When it comes to moisture requirements of the Alocasia ivory coast, the rule of the thumb is to “keep the soil moist but not soggy.”
To steer clear from overwatering your plant, only give it a drink when the upper part of the plant’s soil is completely dry. Generally, water your plant thoroughly once a week until the water begins to come out of the pot’s drainage holes.
The ivory plant is dormant during the winter and it might drop its leaves during this time. Be sure to reduce your watering frequency during this time because the rates of evaporation and transpiration are significantly reduced. The frequency at which you water your plant also depends on your climate, as well as humidity and temperature levels.
– Soil Requirements
Ideally, the Alocasia ivory coast thrives well in soil that is moisture-retaining, well-draining, and nutrient-rich. A well-draining soil should allow for good aeration and free growth of the roots. To achieve this, your soils should contain granules of varying sizes to keep the soil away from sticking together. Sticky and compacted soils tend to retain moisture too much, to the point that the soil becomes soggy.
Moisture-retaining soils have some capacity of keeping some moisture when you water your plant. For your soil to be able to do this, it should have some porous material as part of the mix. This porous material will hold the moisture that is necessary for the plant’s survival as the excess water flows through. The moisture-retaining component of the soil also helps to reduce the possibility of leaching nutrients in well-draining soils.
You can create your own potting mix for your Alocasia ivory coast at home. Simply mix one-third part of compost, a third of peat moss, and another third of perlite. The compost and peat moss have moisture-retaining properties, in addition to their nutrient-rich nature. Perlite has aerating attributes because it can make your soil less compacted and, therefore, well-draining.
– Temperature Requirements
Your Alocasia ivory coast will achieve healthy growth under temperature ranges between 65 F and 85 F. Temperatures that are below 60 F are too low for your plant, so it won’t cope. This is explained by the fact that the Alocasia ivory coast is a tropical plant.
Taking care of the ivory plant is much easier during warm seasons like the summer. As you approach winter, you need to protect your plant more as it can be easily affected by low temperatures.
Alocasia ivory coast goes dormant during the cold winter seasons, so you can keep it inside the house to keep it alive. Select warmer spaces in your house for your plant, like your living room. Avoid placing your ivory plant close to the window during the winter season.
– Humidity Requirements
Humidity requirements are one of the most complicated to address when it comes to taking care of the Alocasia ivory coast. Ideally, keep the humidity levels above 60 percent. Avoid placing your plant close to heaters, air conditioners, and sources of drafts in your home.
If the humidity levels around your plant fall below the 60 percent benchmark, consider misting your plant. You can do this at least once every week to keep the humidity levels around recommended levels. Misting also helps to clean the leaves of your plant, thereby maintaining its dazzling outlook. Alternatively use a humidifier to adjust the humidity levels in the vicinity of your plant to levels above 60 percent.
A pebble tray filled with water is also useful in addressing humidity issues as you take care of your Alocasia ivory coast. Simply get a shallow tray, put some pebbles, and fill the tray with water. Place the pot of your ivory plant in the tray, making sure that its bottom is not submerged in the water. Doing this will create an artificial moisture shield around your plant.
– Fertilizer Requirements
Adding a houseplant fertilizer to your ivory plant helps it to grow better. The big sizes of the leaves of the Alocasia ivory coast correlate to the appetite that the plant has. As the plant grows bigger, its nutritional requirements also increase. Otherwise, your plant won’t grow as vigorously and look as gorgeous as it should.
Apparently, the Alocasia ivory coast responds well to liquid fertilizers, more than it does to granular ones or organic compost. We recommend that you add the liquid fertilizer to your plant during its growing season, between early spring and late summer. Do not add any fertilizer during the winter season because the plant’s nutritional needs are lower. Remember, the ivory plant often goes dormant during the winter.
– Repotting
To repot Alocasia ivory coast, choose the pot that is appropriate for the vigorous growth of the plant. Any type would do but just to get you started, try the terracotta pot. Make sure that the pot that you choose accommodates both the growth of the foliage and that of the roots. Mind you, as the foliage of your Alocasia ivory coast grows, so do the roots. Therefore, it is important to keep the plant well-anchored.
Ensure that the pot of your choice has one or more drainage holes to help protect your plant from root rot and possible fungal infections that are caused by soggy soils. Get a saucer that you can place under your pot to hold the water that drains when you water. Please take note that most pots do not come with saucers. Prepare a well-draining and moisture-retaining soil mix for your new pot that is bigger in size than the previous one.
Be sure to add some soil into the new pot before placing your plant so that you give the roots the room to grow downwards as the plant acclimates to its new environment. As you add more soil to the pot with the repotted Alocasia ivory coast, be sure to shake the pot in order to fill the air pockets.
Stop adding the soil once its level in the pot reaches the part where the stems start spawning, so as to ensure that the whole rooting system is covered. Now, place your ivory plant into its tray or saucer and water it to keep the soil moist, not soggy.
– Grooming
Sometimes, your Alocasia ivory coast can grow so vigorously that it might take much more space than you are ready to provide. If this happens and it is still in the middle of the growing season, when you expect even more growth, you might need to consider pruning your stunning beauty. The better part is that you can use the healthy leaves that you prune off from your Alocasia ivory coast for propagating new plants.
In the event that the size of your plant is manageable to you, we recommend that you only prune off old leaves that appear yellow. Also, take note that pruning your ivory plant excessively makes it difficult for the plant to bounce back and grow vigorously.
To properly prune your plant, be sure to cut the Alocasia ivory coast stem from the base of the plant, at the point where it originates from the clump. Ideally, use pruning shears that have been disinfected with 70 percent alcohol. Don’t forget to wear gloves. You wouldn’t want to infect your plant during the pruning process.
Propagation
Propagating the Alocasia ivory coast is a unique experience because, unlike most houseplants, this plant cannot be propagated using cuttings. The ivory plant’s rooting system grows in the form of clumps.
This means that the whole plants that you see above the ground are a result of the offshoots that emanate from each healthy clump. The propagation of the Alocasia ivory coast is best done in summer. Otherwise, you might end up killing your original plant and the new ones as well.
To propagate your Alocasia ivory coast, gently uproot your plant. Shake off the soil and rake the roots on the root ball so that the separate clumps are exposed. Depending on how many baby plants you need, separate the clumps and place each of them in a separate pot with nutritious potting soil. Your plants will experience some transplanting shock and they will need time to acclimatize to their new homes.
After the transplantation procedure, shake the pot to get rid of any air pockets. Thoroughly water your new plants and keep them away from direct sunlight. Take note that your plant has no need to develop roots, as they are present on the clumps already. This saves you from the stress of ensuring that your plant develops roots for it to become well-established in its new pot.
Problems
The desire of every plant caregiver is for their plants to be free from problems, especially pests and diseases.
To make this dream a reality, learn the common problems to expect here, as well as how to prevent, manage, and troubleshoot them.
– Toxicity
Alocasia ivory coast is mildly toxic to dogs, cats, and humans if consumed or allowed to come into contact with the eyes and skin. The toxicity of the Alocasia ivory coast is due to the presence of oxalate crystals in certain parts of the plant.
These crystals are released when you chew any part of the ivory plant. Once released, the oxalate crystals can penetrate the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, where they cause irritation.
Some of the common symptoms that are associated with consuming Alocasia ivory coast are oral pain, vomiting, drooling, reduced appetite, and pawing at the mouth or face. In very rare cases, the ivory plant can cause difficulties in breathing, especially if the upper airways swell due to the effects of the insoluble oxalate crystals.
To keep your pets and little ones safe while you keep your home lit with the ivory plant, place your plant out of unmonitored reach. Your bedroom could be the ideal place for your Alocasia ivory coast. If your children are a little older, teach them that the plant is toxic and they should not mess around with it.
– Common Diseases
Alocasia ivory coast is usually affected by leaf spot, rhizome rot, and stem rot. All these diseases can kill your plant and rob it of its beauty. These three types of rot infections are a result of improper watering strategies and patterns.
To identify the rhizome rot, check the leaves of your ivory plant for brown or black spots that are surrounded by yellow rings. The leaf spot is usually characterized by white or discolored spots on the leaves, usually surrounded by black rings. It is usually caused by a microbial infection that is promoted by unhealthy watering patterns.
The stem rot is easily identified by withering or browning leaves. These symptoms are usually a result of an internal brownish rot in the stem. To avoid diseases that emanate from improper watering, check your watering frequency and adjust accordingly. Water directly onto the soil, not on the top of the leaves. Avoid overwatering at all costs.
– Common Pests
Be on the lookout for pests like aphids, scales, mealybugs, and spider mites. As always, the best way to manage infection by pests is through prevention. Regularly check your plants for pests so that you can deal with them when the infestations have not yet taken over. After every few weeks, spray your Alocasia ivory coast with warm soapy water to protect it from invasion by pests and keep it dust-free.
In the event that your plant is infected, you can dab the pests with cotton balls that are dipped in 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. You can also wash the plant with a strong stream of water such as from a garden hose, prior to insecticidal treatment. Neem oil has also been proven to be an effective insecticide against a wide range of pests that affect houseplants.
You can make your own insecticidal soap with ingredients that are available in your home and make troubleshooting pests a lot cheaper. Get one tablespoon of mild dishwashing soap and mix it with a cup of any type of oil. Add two teaspoons of the soap mixture that you prepared to a cup of warm water, mix well, and put in a spray bottle. Please note that your dishwashing liquid should not contain any bleach or degreaser.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the best conditions for Alocasia Ivory Coast?
Alocasia Ivory Coast thrives in bright, indirect light and moist soil. It prefers temperatures between 18-26°C and high humidity levels.
2. How big does Alocasia Ivory Coast get?
Alocasia Ivory Coast can grow up to 3 feet in height and 2-3 feet in width.
3. Is Alocasia Ivory Coast rare?
Alocasia Ivory Coast is considered a rare plant due to its limited availability and unique characteristics.
Conclusion
There you go! You have all the information at your fingertips with regards to taking care of your Alocasia ivory coast. Here are the main points once again.
- Keep the soil of your Alocasia ivory coast moist, but not soggy.
- Ideally, the soil for your plant should be nutrient-rich, well-draining, and moisture-retaining.
- Temperatures between 65 F and 85 F are conducive to the growth of your ivory plant.
- Alocasia ivory coast thrives well under filtered light.
- Make all efforts to maintain humidity levels above 60 percent.
- Only prune your plant when it’s outgrowing your desired size and remove old, yellowing leaves.
- Water your Alocasia ivory coast properly to do away with diseases such as leaf spot, stem rot, and rhizome rot.
- Always check your plants for pests like mealybugs, aphids, scales, and spider mites and commence treatment as soon as you notice their presence.
You have just filled your “ivory plant care” toolbox with what you learned from this article. It’s now time to get practical and apply the learned techniques. Happy ivory plant parenting!
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