Alocasia ID

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 9:44 am

I've had this Alocasia a couple of years,but don't actually know what type it is.Any ideas

I thought either Macrorizzos or Odora,but who knows?
Steve

Post by **Dave Brown** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:29 pm

Nice healthy plant Steve, Have you just planted it out recently or did it overwinter outside?

I think I've learned a lesson with Alocasia, Anything thing is sold as anything, and the young leaf shape changes as they grow bigger, with more veins.

It is certainly a Macrorrhiza/odora type Alocasia. At this point I would go for 52% to 48% an odora. the problem is they hybridise so easily, and there are very many amature Alocasia breeders in the US. So when they swap plants, no-one really knows what they have.

This site make give more info, but not for Shikira haters.
http://donitaworld.com/Tropicals/Alocasias/links.html

All I hope is that my Borneo Giant doesn't turn out to be a Borneo Pygmy

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 3:26 pm

Dave,
It's been planted out since early May,and has only recently developed its new leaves.
I tried over wintering my first one in the ground,but it ended up rotting away.Thankfully I managed to salvage some of it,but it took a year or so to get a decent plant back.So now I always lift them in the autumn.
Whatever type it may turn out to be,its the best growing one I have

Steve

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:36 pm

Steve, post a pic every now and again showing its growth. My calidora has started to grow faster now in this cool wet weather.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 7:44 pm

Will do,I've noticed my Portora's growing well too.Wil post some pics of them,Iseem to have 3 clumps now all growing at diffrent rates.
Steve

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:55 pm

A couple of pics of Alocasia Portora/Portadora

Not huge yet,but hopefully it'll get there

It normally gets to about 3ft or so,but with all the rain and humidity lately I'm optimistic it'll get bigger than usual
Steve

Post by **Dave Brown** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:31 pm

Steve, I can see why you ID'd Libby's Alocasia as Portadora. It looks the same.

Do you keep it growing over winter? I have heard to get them really big takes more than one season

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:40 pm

I try to,don't normally suceed.
This year I managed to get 2 through the winter still green

and one as a tuber,which has got a Trex growing in the same pot.I must of took a bit of root when i dug it up last Autumn.This year I think I'll definately have to kep one of the greenhouses heated not just frost free.
Steve

mixiepalms · Post by **mixiepalms** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:56 pm

After a bit of research I have come to the conclusion that it is a Alocasia Macrorrhiza. As is mine.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:52 am

How you tell?
If it is a Macrorrhiza then I'm well happy

as I had convinced myself its an Odora.In fact doubly happy as I ordered a Calidora and n Odora from Easytropicals at the weekend along with aBrazilian dwarf banana
Steve