Giant Alocasia from my local

Sal73

Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Sal73 »

Hi All , I`m new to HTUK , will introduce myself asap.

Last week i saw some giant alocasia e giant bamboo down my local shop
but they didn`t look really good , so I`ve asked for some fresh one
and pick them up tonight .


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Can I store them untill March (I`m scared of mould ) or there is any chance I can start them now in
my heated propagator
grub

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by grub »

Welcome to the madhouse Sal73 icon_thumleft , I'd sprout them now and pot them up once they're away. You might be able to get a better I.D. here :wink: http://www.kallus.com/aroids/ediblecommon.htm
Sal73

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Sal73 »

Thanks grub for the list ,the welcome and the advice , mine is coming from Bangladesh , basicly every week my local get fresh vegs from around the world , so he know exctle where they come from .
Missed last week load from Thailand.

the list you`ve posted look like and american list , the tropical vegs we are getting in UK are coming from different Country , got about 8/9 variety all coming from the shop .

as they are vegs , i suspected there are few bruses that can turn into mould , any tips about?

thank you again.
Addictedtopalms26

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Addictedtopalms26 »

Welcome icon_cheers

I never knew that some Alocasia was edible! I take it those bits in your picture are like corms? like ginger and it grows from them?

Definitely a cheaper way to grow exotic plants! Has anyone else had success growing this way?
Vagetarian

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Vagetarian »

This year I've grown and eaten large leaved Colocasias (eddoes from Asda) and edible ginger, for pennies.

I would seal them up into bags or sandwich boxes or similar with a little bit of moisture and put them in the airing cupboard, you might be surprised how quick they grow. Yorkshire Kris has a video on waking dry stored Colocasia rhizomes and it's basically the same thing. A solution of hydrogen peroxide will hopefully disinfect them but this shouldn't be necessary if they start growing quick enough.
PeterS

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by PeterS »

Sal

The ones you sent me have just arrived today - thank you so much. Consequently I am very interested in any advice. I understand from you that they are Alocasia calidor (Persian Palm).

My first question is what it it. Colocasia has tubers and you plant the entire tuber under the soil/compost. I get the feeling that this is a rhizome and presumably you plant it vertically with the straight cut end, ie where the top growth was cut off, uppermost.

Good idea Vegetarian, about waking it up. I have seen Kris's excellent video and tried it on Eddoes (Colocasia exculenta). At this time of the year I am worried about getting enough heat into it. If you plant it vertically you can't put it into a propagator, and can't control the humidity, but sideways in a polybag in a propagator may be the answer. Any idea what sort of heat it needs. ie could it get too hot if laid on the floor of a heated propagator?

I know Dave Brown has grown this and there was some discussion here. He was talking of temperatures of 35C http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 09&t=10993
Sal73

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Sal73 »

This is the one I`ve germinate 3 years ago , but I got this one in March

Image


and this is the base that is growing about 1/2 inches a year .

Image
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Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Dave Brown »

Hi Sal,

Your pic is of Alocasia odora 'Indian' and is sold in the UK as odora, macrorrhiza, and x calidora, or just plain Alocasia. http://aroidia.com/indodora.htm It has a very distinctive scalloped edge to the lobes.

Alocasia in general are harder to get going than Colocasia, needing higher heat and very high humidity around the rhizome. I started off a huge Alocasia x portora last May by standing upright.

The pot it was started off in is the one shown in the pic below, in a gravelly sandy compost, in an uncontrolled propagator base filled with 2cm of water. The conservatory temps were up to around 35C, but the secret is Hot water around the base maybe to 45C. :wink: It was easy in May, and growth was explosive, but you will be fighting an uphill battle starting them off overwinter. Personally having experienced the rapid growth in 2 months. I'd wait until spring to try starting them off. :wink:
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2012-05-16-19-05-58 Alocasia x portora growth.jpg
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Dave
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Clive60

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Clive60 »

Welcome Sal good to see you here, you'll recognise a few names from GC.
I'm one, you know me as Strongylodon
Alexander

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Alexander »

Well that Alocasia x portodora gets best overwintered as a houseplant.

In a glasshouse however they can make trunks up to a meter!

Thats what they do in our tropical butterflygarden here.

Alexander
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Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Dave Brown »

My x portora gets down to about 6C, and if in the wrong compost (with peat) the roots rot and you end up with a rhizome like I had last year. Not currently showing any signs of root rot this year, even though the conservatory has been down to 7C at night over the last few days. :wink:
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Dave
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PeterS

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by PeterS »

Dave

Sal presumably is not exactly sure what the rhizomes in his picture are - they came from a greengrocer rather than a gardener. :) Would I be right in thinking that the same principle would apply to many Alocasia.

Also, Sal kindly sent me a couple of his rhizomes, which I have put in my light box. I can easily get the temperature up to 35C and possiby more, with 100% humidity. My question is - if I can get them into growth, I will have to remove them from the light box as there is not enough room for them to stand vertically - will they then continue to grow at 10C to 15C inside the house, or will they give up and die?
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Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Dave Brown »

They are very unlikely to be x calidora as no-one will grow hybrids for food production. It is very difficult to say exactly, but if from an Indian grocer will probably be Alocasia odora 'Indian'. That seems to have narrow rhizomes like in the pic. However there are many possibilities, and identification from a rhizome is pretty difficult. Maybe once they have leaves we stand a better chance.

Alocasia thrive on heat, and to be honest I would not start them off now. I'd wait until spring when there is some strength in the sun. Then you can get them started properly for summer I tried once before over late winter, and they stopped dead once removed from the prop. To keep them going, stood up, buy a cheap uncontrolled tray sized prop and stand them in the base in 2cm of water. To keep warmth and humidity around the rhizome, plant as deep as you can, with the base at the bottom of the pot, then cover the top with a plastic bag held in place with an elastic band :wink:
Best regards
Dave
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PeterS

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by PeterS »

Thanks Dave - most helpful.
Sal73

Re: Giant Alocasia from my local

Post by Sal73 »

Thank you Dave , I doubt is indian as it come from Bangladesh , my local can tell me where they coming from
as every week they have a different load from around the world , look.
India
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Thailand (really small tubers , first leave 15 inches)

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Brazil and ghana
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vietnam
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south america
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Can`t remember this one

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