Page 1 of 11

Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 11:51 pm
by Dave Brown
Almost as an after thought I added Alocasia Mayan Mask to my Almulree order back at the end of July. More just curious than anything else as it did not have a pic.

This is what arrived
2011-08-06 17-30-54 Alocasia Mayan Mask topside.jpg
2011-08-06 17-30-30 Alocasia Mayan Mask underside.jpg
I suddenly realised Simon was under selling these, as they are a real beauty.
icon_thumright

I put the above pics on Facebook Planet Aroid, saying

Dave Brown
Just received my Alocasia Mayan Mask today. It was a very good deal from a UK supplier 'Amulree' only £5, and was much bigger than I expected :) I suspect this is not a cool tolerant one. Has anyone got any tips on growing this in a very cool temperate climate?


To my astonishement I got this reply....
Brian Williams It is one of my hybrids, mother parent is Odora and it has shown to be hardy in zone 8. It is pretty tough for a colorful Alocasia.

Here is the scoop on Alocasia Mayan Mask. It is a easy large growing hybrid. The foliage is dark green with light colored veins. dark maroon undersides to the leaves and green petioles. It has a longer and more up right habit to one of my earlier releases of Alocasia Brian Williams AKA (williams hybrid).
Alocasia Mayan Mask is a more vigorous and better selection from the same cross.


Brian is 'Brian's Botanicals'

Anyway Brian is correct it seems to be a fast grower, so will get big. I've not left it out on the colder nights, but this could be a colourful alternative to Alocasia x calidora. The two together if this grows to the same size could be awesome icon_thumright

Here after one month and 2 leaves.... starting to look impressive :wink:
2011-09-05 16-58-10.Alocasia Mayan Mask topside.jpg
2011-09-05 16-58-22.Alicasia Mayan Mask underside.jpg

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:03 am
by GoggleboxUK
Well, Simon has put the price up to £10 now but it still seems cheap and I'm guessing they'll have grown too.

How are you keeping this Dave? Are you feeding and watering in the same way as Colocasia?

Will you overwinter in the conservatory?

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:55 am
by Troppoz
Oh I am just so :mrgreen: with envy!

The irony of you guys all the way up near the arctic being able to buy all these amazing exotic tropicals and me here in the tropics not standing a chance of ever getting one of these things :cry:

Damn you to hell quarantine laws! icon_thumbdown

BTW lovely plants Dave and a great score, keep us updated with its performance!

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:04 am
by Dave Brown
Ken, I bought it in Simon's 50% off sale so was only £5 for the 5 days. As I said it was much bigger than I expected, as many plants are little more than plugs at the low price end.

It has been in the conservatory when cool and at night. It will be overwintered in the conservatory. but depending on it's growth over the next 8 months may be planted out for summer next year, if I can find a windless spot.

I'm feeding with 1/8 strength Miracle-gro every other day, and it is watered every day when warm. It is not left standing in water though like the Colocasia.

This one like some sun, which many Alocasia aren't too keen on. This means we can give it warmer conditions, as warm shade is quite difficult outside in the UK.

It is currently about 2 feet tall, and has more than doubled in size over the last month icon_thumright Assuming it grows into December as A x calidora does, it may double in size again.

Sean, I know how you must feel, it is bad enough here with outside EU import costs, but at least we stand a chance. :roll:

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:05 am
by Ben Candlin
Wow Dave, that plant is a beauty! Not come across that variety before, I think I'm gonna have to get my hands on one of those! Such a bargain for just a fiver!

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:35 am
by Dave Brown
Ben Candlin wrote:Wow Dave, that plant is a beauty! Not come across that variety before, I think I'm gonna have to get my hands on one of those! Such a bargain for just a fiver!
£5 was in the 50% off sale, so normally £10 :wink:

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:01 pm
by GoggleboxUK
Cheers Dave, I'll follow suit and keep them potted and bring inside for winter but might risk planting one out between the wall of the raised bed and the wall of the g/h which will be south facing and wind sheltered.

;)

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:04 pm
by Yorkshire Kris
Stop showing images of this beautiful plant!

I have no room but would love one!!! :mrgreen:


If they prove to grow as well as portora or calidora then I might have to get one next year....

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:09 pm
by CW01
Very nice Dave, could be the excuse that i need to pop up to Amulree/Urban very soon :lol:

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 8:51 pm
by Junglejames
I just posted elsewhere on the site, but this is a stunning plant. The problem with Alocasia wentii (which it shares some of its look with) is that the leaves of wentii are more attractive underneath. Alocasia x amazonica does much better insider but has stunning veining and colouring (this is one im sure you could get and grow Troppoz). This plant grows bigger than both, is hardier (certainly than amazonica). Very handsome plant indeed.

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:14 am
by Dave Brown
This is rated as 8a hardiness by Brian Williams, and even 7b with a heavy mulch. This puts it on par with A x calidora, but is bigger. I am so impressed with the plant I have, I have ordered 4 more from Amulree icon_thumright The largest leaf now is 49cm with the newest leaf growing rapidly.

It isn't outside at night, as I want to bulk it up quickly :wink:

James, I don't have a A wentii as they are a bit winter temperature fussy, but I do have a A wentii Aline (Variegated) however, it spends 50% of the year as a rhizome with no roots or leaves. It is a summer plant. To me there is no comparison in ease of growth so far.

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2011 7:20 pm
by Yorkshire Kris
I couldn't resist.. I've ordered one!

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 8:30 pm
by CW01
Nor me picked one up today still £5 bargin icon_thumleft

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2011 11:01 pm
by GREVILLE
Me, too icon_cheers It's already my favourite and I haven't even got it yet icon_thumleft

Saw the 50% off sale and snapped up some items but had a problem getting the discount so spoke to Simon on the phone.to sort it out. Was gutted when he told me I had just missed the last Colocasia Ele paio by minutes (lost mine last winter-pipped by some gloating HTUK member, no doubt :cry: ) However, getting the 'Mask' has more than made up for my loss :D

Thanks, Dave, for putting the pics on this thread. I would have missed out on this one. Congratulations on your phenomenal self-control, Kris, I see from your posts that it took you eighteen days to cave in :lol: I was e-mailing Simon within eighteen seconds of finishing the thread in a panic to add this to my order. We should thank Simon for not putting a picture of this on his site - we might all have lost out on a real find.

Re: Alocasia Mayan Mask - Could be one of my favourites :)

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:29 am
by sanatic1234
Are you keeping it as a houseplant then dave till next year? and are you going to keep it ticking over or are you going to let it go to dormancy stage?