Plant Size: Single Plant (3 leaves) Pot Included | FreeShipping
Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' comprise a genus of tuberous perennial tropical evergreen plants. The nickname "Elephant's ears" comes from their distinct leaf shape. Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' are grown as a houseplant all over the world because of the attractive color patterns and shape of the foliage, with many cultivars being available. Sunlight
Full shade
Basic Care Guide
Water
During the growing season,
alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' requires great amounts of water due to its large leaves. Watering outdoor plants depends on the weather. Generally, potted plants should be
sprayed with water once a day and watered when the surface layer of the soil is slightly dry. During the winter, it goes into a dormant or semi-dormant state, growing slowly or not at all. During this period, watering should be less frequent. Once a week will suffice. Excess moisture during this period can make the plant susceptible to root rot.
Fertilizer
Demand for fertilization varies between
Alocasia species. Some are not very demanding, while others, especially large species, are heavy feeders. Base fertilizer should be added to the soil before planting.
Add a bit of liquid fertilizer with each watering during the growing season to keep it healthy and growing vigorously. Fertilization can be reduced gradually as the plants enter dormancy, or stopped entirely after the temperature drops below 16 ℃.
Sunlight
Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' can grow in filtered sunlight to shady conditions. Direct sunlight can burn leaves badly. On the other hand, if it is placed in an area with insufficient light for a long time, its stem will become slender and the leaves soft. It is best to plant
alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' in partial shade.
Pruning
Remove dry, damaged, or yellow leaves to keep the plant in good shape. Prune with a serrated knife, and cut each leaf off at its base. Removing withered leaves will prevent the plant from wasting nutrients, transporting them directly to the healthy, young parts. If pests or diseases start developing, infected leaves should be pruned as soon as the symptoms are noticed.
Advanced Care Guide
Temperature
Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' thrives in warm, humid environments all year round, and grows best at 20 to 30 ℃. The lowest temperature it can tolerate is 8 ℃. If left in a low-temperature condition for a long time, it will grow poorly or even die.
Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' shouldn't be grown outdoors in areas that often have temperatures below 10 ℃ during winter. As it originates from tropical and subtropical climates,
alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' thrives in humid environments. Arid conditions are detrimental to its growth. During the growing season, it's very important to keep moisture at favorable levels.
The soil must be moist at all times and relative air humidity shouldn't be below 60%. Spraying the leaves regularly during the growing season can encourage growth and increase humidity in dry conditions.
Soil
Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' is not that picky when it comes to soil type, but it grows best in loose and well-drained soils. If planted outdoors, it can grow successfully in all except water-retaining soils. Even though it thrives in humid environments, soggy soil will make it more susceptible to various fungal diseases. If potted, it's best to use peat moss or sandy soil mixed with a small amount of organic fertilizer.
Planting
Alocasia odora 'Okinawa Silver' can be grown from seeds or ramets. Propagating from seed is a very demanding, slow process,
so the most common method is ramets. They can be acquired from a healthy mother plant 2-3 years old in the spring. The process starts by delicately removing the plant roots and rhizomes from the ground. When the plant is pulled out from the soil, gently rinse its root system with water using a garden hose. Rinse until the individual ramets become visible; then they can be easily pulled apart from the mother plant. It is important to separate them very carefully with a sharp knife, so the roots suffer as little damage as possible. plant the separated ramets into individual pots filled with a mixture of a potting mix, a lot of sand, and some perlite. The substrate must drain well. Water the ramets after planting and keep the temperature of the soil between 18 to 25 ℃. After it grows into a new plan
t, it's better to repot it every year in spring to ensure better growth.
