How to Grow and Care for Alocasia wentii (Went's Hardy Alocasia) Indoors
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Alocasia wentii (Went's Hardy Alocasia) requires bright indirect light, warm and humid conditions and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained, aroids soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
Went's Hardy Alocasia also called Hardy Alocasia, Hardy Elephant Ear, New Guinea Shield or Purple Umbrella Plant is among the popular Alocasia varieties with beautiful heart-shaped, glossy green leaves with prominent veins and purple-hued (metallic maroon) undersides.
Hardy Alocasia like the name suggests is more hardy than other Alocasia plants and will tolerate a wide range of growing conditions making it one of the best plants for the home due to its magnificent foliage.
The common name 'Purple Umbrella' is in reference to the purple undersides which is an adaptation to the mottled light of its native rainforest floors.
Botanical name: Alocasia wentii
Family: Araceae
Common names: Went's Hardy Alocasia, Hardy Alocasia, Hardy Elephant Ear, New Guinea Shield, Purple Umbrella Plant
Origin
Alocasia wentii has its orgins in the warm humid tropical areas of New Guinea and hence the common name 'New Guinea Shield'.
Size
New Guinea Shield is among the fast-growing plants which grows to a height of 3 feet and about 3 feet wide. The leaves can grow to 1 ft long.
Flower
The flowers in Hardy Elephant Ear are unimpressive pale-colored spathes which only last a few days. To conserve the plants energy and direct it to foliage growth, cut the flowers as soon as they appear.
Toxicity
Alocasia wentii like other Alocasia Plants is toxic to both humans and pets as indicated by ASPCA. It contains crystals of calcium oxalate which if ingested can numb and swell the tongue and pharynx leading to difficulty in breathing and sharp pain in the throat. Keep it away from the reach of children and pets to avoid any mishaps.
Where to Buy
If you are looking to acquire the beautiful Hardy Elephant Ear Plant, it is available online on Etsy (Link to Etsy).
Alocasia wentii Care Indoors
Alocasia wentii (Went's Hardy Alocasia) thrives in bright indirect light, average warmth of 15-300C, humidity of 60-70% and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained, aroids potting soils coupled with monthly feeding during the growing season.
Purple Umbrella Plant requires regular pruning to keep it neat and tidy as well as discourage pest and disease infestations. Repotting is only need when it becomes pot-bound. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to achieve them.
Watering
Water Alocasia wentii liberally during the growing season while allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings to maintain the soil moderately moist.
Cut down on watering during the cold season to keep the soil barely moist but never allow the soil to dry out completely. If Went's Hardy Alocasia is underwatered, it may drop its leaves in readiness for dormancy.
Do not allow the Hardy Elephant Ear to sit in soggy soil as it is prone to fungal infestations like root-rot and leaf spot diseases. Always empty the saucer after watering and ensure the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy.
Light Requirements
Alocasia wentii grows best under bright indirect light (filtered light). Keep it away from direct sunlight as it can lead to brown sunscorch marks on the leaves.
Too little light will signal dormancy to the plant which may cause the leaves to start dying in readiness for dormancy. Where natural lighting is not adequate, consider investing in grow lights to supplement it. Check out these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Turn the pot regularly to ensure that the plant receives light on all sides for even growth.
Temperature and Humidity
Average warmth of 15-300C is ideal for Alocasia wentii. Below 130C, the plant may drop all its leaves and go into dormancy stage. Keep it away from frost and drafts as it hates sudden changes in temperature.
Alocasia wentii thrives in high humidity of 60-70%. To elevate humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or grow it in a well-lit bathroom and other moist areas in the home. Check out these techniques on how to raise the humidity for houseplants.
Occasionally clean the leaves by damp wiping them with a soft cloth to get rid of dust and discourage pests infestation. Ensure that there is good air circulation to minimize fungal diseases.
Potting Soil
The best soil for Alocasia wentii should be rich in organic matter and free-draining to prevent it from getting soggy while providing the required nutrients. Aroids potting mixes are ideal for Alocasias.
Fertilizer
Feed Alocasia wentii with a balanced, liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks during the growing period for lush growth. Withhold feeding in the cold season as the plant undergoes dormancy during this period and growth is minimal at this time.
Flush out accumulated salts arising from fertilizers every 2-3 months by running a stream of water through the soil until the water comes out through the drainage holes. Let the stream of water run for a few minutes. Repeat the process several times.
Repotting
Alocasia wentii prefers to be root-bound, therefore frequent repotting is not needed. Avoid frequent repotting as the plant can take upto 4-6 weeks to recover from repotting shock.
Repot into a 1 size larger pot during the growing season only if the roots have grown out through the drainage holes.
Make sure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to fungal infestations. Take a look at these ceramic planters with drainage hole on Amazon.
Pruning
Pruning Alocasia wentii is easy as it only requires removal of yellow and diseased leaves as they occur to maintain the plant neat and to minimize chances of diseases and pests infestation.
Remove the leaves by cutting at the base with a sterilized knife or pair of scissors to avoid disease transimission. Take care not to injure the new leaves that are forming.
Propagation
Alocasia wentii (Went's Hardy Alocasia) can be propagated by plant division at the beginning of the growing season.
How to Propagate Alocasia wentii by Plant Division
Carefully take out the Alocasia wentii from its pot and gently divide the rhizome into sections by cutting through with a sharp sterilized knife. Ensure that each section has 1-2 stems.
Pot the sections in individual pots in moist, free-draining soil at the same depth that they were in the previous pot.
Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to rotting.
Place the set up in a warm, well-lit place and maintain the soil moist until new growth emerges after which routine care can begin.
Alocasia wentii Problems
Alocasia wentii (Went's Hardy Alocasia) growing problems include plant dying, leaf spots, loss of leaf color, yellowing leaves, drooping leaves, dropping leaves, pests and diseases. Keep reading for more on these problems and how to fix them.
Pests
Common pests in Alocasia wentii are mealy bugs, spider mites, scale insects and aphids. Isolate the affected plant to prevent further spread to other plants and treat it with neem oil or insecticidal soap as recommended by the manufacturer.
Dark brown or black leaf spots
Dark brown or black leaf spots in Alocasia wentii are an indication of leaf spot disease which is promoted by soggy soil and overwet conditions coupled with poor air circulation. Isolate the affected plant immediately to prevent spread to other houseplants, remove the damaged leaves and treat with a fungicidal solution.
Ensure that there is proper drainage of both the soil and the pot to prevent the soil from getting soggy. Avoid misting and wetting the leaves to keep them dry and ensure there is good air circulation for the plant.
Dropping leaves and plant dying
There are three possible reasons why the leaves in Alocasia wentii are dropping and the plant is dying. These three reasons signal dormancy and hence the leaves die in readiness to enter dormancy.
This happens during the cold season (winter) when the plant undergoes dormancy. Even if the foliage may die, the underground rhizome is still alive and can regrow under favorable conditions.
One possible reason why the leaves in Went's Hardy Alocasia are dropping and the plant is dying is too little light as it requires bright, indirect light away from direct sunlight. Position the plant in a brighter spot where it will receive bright indirect light. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
The second possible reason why the leaves in Alocasia wentii are dropping and the plant is dying is too low temperature. It grows best in average warmth of 15-300C. Protect it from cold and hot drafts which cause sudden changes in temperature.
The third possible reason why the leaves in Alocasia wentii are dropping and the plant is dying is underwatering. Maintain the soil moderately during the growing season and cut down on watering in the cold season to keep the soil barely moist but never allow the soil to dry out completely. Learn more on how to water houseplants correctly.
Leaves losing color and dying
The reason why Alocasia wentii is losing leaf color and dying is too little light as it best in bright indirect ligh. Move the plant to a brighter spot and ensure it receives bright indirect light or instal a grow light if the natural light is inadequate.
Yellowing and dropping leaves
Low humidity is the reason for the yellowing and dropping leaves in Alocasia wentii especially where the indoor temperatures are very high. To increase humidity, set the pot on a wet pebble tray or use a cool mist humidifier.
However, it is natural for the older leaves to turn yellow and drop as the plant continues to grow. Remove such leaves by snipping them off at the base with a clean sharp knife or a pair of scissors to keep the plant neat and reduce pests and disease infestations.
Brown leaf edges
One possible cause of brown leaf edges in Alocasia wentii is low humidity. Where the air temperatures are high, the air humidity is likely to reduce significantly. Set the pot on a wet pebble tray to raise humidity or place it in a well-lit bathroom and other moist areas in the home.
The second possible cause of brown leaf edges in Alocasia wentii is accumulation of salts in the soil which could have come from fertilizers or water.
To get rid of these accumulated salts, regularly run a stream of water through the soil until the water comes out through the drainage holes. Let the stream of water run for a few minutes. Repeat the process several times.
Drooping leaves
There are two possible causes of drooping leaves in Alocasia wentii. One possible cause is too little light. Place the plant in a brighter spot where it can get bright indirect light but away from direct sunlight.
The second possible cause of drooping leaves in Alocasia wentii is underwatering. Keep the soil moderately moist at all times during the growing season. Decrease watering in the cold season to keep the soil barely moist but never allow the soil to dry out completely.
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