A Stupid Question!

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 10:48 am

I hope you don't mind me asking and it is probably really daft but was is the difference between Alocasia and Colcasia?

I'd rather ask here than on Ukoasis, they can be a scary bunch

Post by **Dave Brown** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:00 pm

Rushed off my feet workwise today. Will give a more lengthy reply later.

Alocasia has leaves pointing up, Colocasia has leaves pointing down.

Best regards
Dave

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:37 pm

No rush Dave, thats brilliant, so simple really, I will trot round the garden this weekend and work out what I have!!!!

Post by **Dave Brown** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 6:57 pm

Hi Libby,

If only things were that simple.

Alocasia leaf stalks can bend over near the leaf allowing the leaf to droop down, but Colocasia have a definate elbow where the stalk joins the leaf.

Colocasia in general are happy in swampy conditions during the warmer months of the year, and will happily grow in a pond, whereas Alocasia aways need gritty well drained soil. I have been told cacti compost is better than standard Multipurpose, they just need watering a bit more often.

Of course there are bound to be people who have planted Alocasia into the heaviest wettest compost and got away with it, but I have not.

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:07 am

OH!

Have you a pic of an 'elbow'? When you have time.

Libby

Ps I hope you don't mind me asking mundane questions!

Hang on a minute, the 'Burgundy stem I got from you is a Colocasia! So would that make the pics of the green ones I posted in the 'What do you feed' thread Alocasias.
I'm sorry to be so dense, I'm a 'show me' person not really a 'tell me'

Post by **Dave Brown** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:14 pm

Hi Libby,

I think SteveW thought they were Alocasia Portadora which can grow BIG

The problem is the mature leaves are often quite different to the juvanile leaves.

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 7:53 am

Oh glory

this isn't easy! I really must stop buying plants, corms, bulbs etc then loseing the labels

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:05 am

I've got a "little helper" whoose favorite pastime is collecting labels from plantpots etc.I'm growing a few varieties of tomato in the greenhouse,some are okay for outside but I've now got no idea which ones

Steve

Libby · Post by **Libby** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:52 am

Excellent I can just picture this!!!!

Post by **Dave Brown** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 9:48 am

Steve, Libby,

I use sticky labels on the pots, or tags on the plant

But I can imagine the little helper coming out of the green house with a complete plant trailing behind.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 2:41 pm

That HAS happened before,too many times to mention.
That and the digging the compost out of all the pots

He's not managed to pull a plant out....................

Yet