Unlike many members of the genus alocasiathe plant of this article, alocasia zebrinaprecisely it is not so much appreciated for the appearance of its leaves.
What really sets this houseplant apart, however, are its zebra-like stems.
zebrine alocasiaa is native to the Philippines and due to its tropical appearance it is widely used as a houseplant almost all over the world.
In more tropical areas, with constant temperatures and humidity For most of the year it can be grown outdoors. However, alocasia zebrina it is difficult to find and its cultivation is also a bit more complicated than other Alocasias species. If you’re looking for a pretty but easy-to-grow houseplant, this might not be the plant for you.
alocasia zebrina it’s a family of tropical plants Araceaeadapting well in most homes around the world, although it lacks a little more ambient humidity than we generally do not have in our environment.
The trick is to try to analyze how it grows in its natural habitat and establish those conditions. Among them, filtered light and never direct sun, constant humidity and warm temperatures.
Like all Alocasias, Zebrina has flowers, although they do not protrude above its foliage and its flowering is extremely rare when grown as a houseplant.
Contents
main care of alocasia zebrina
- Location: inside the house, a constant temperature and the highest possible ambient humidity.
- Substrate: mix in equal parts universal substrate, coconut fiber and earthworm humus.
- Irrigation: constantly and without letting the substrate dry out, always water after checking that there is no excess humidity.
- Fertilizers: Reduced use of liquid or granular fertilizer in early spring, 1 in 4 waterings.
- Spread: by dividing bulbs or corms, as this cannot be done by cutting the leaves.
- Plagues and diseases: mainly crown mushrooms and rot.
temperature and humidity
alocasia zebrina It grows best in conditions of warm temperatures and with some environmental humidity, although it does not have many growth problems in domestic conditions, usually with good temperatures but with rather low environmental humidity (excess in houses near the coast).
Nevertheless, at the end of the article we are going to leave a series of tips to detect and correct some problems derived from lack or excess of light, root rot, leaf curling, etc. Clear symptoms that we are not doing anything right with this Alocasia variety.
Flash
This tropical plant needs a few hours of bright but indirect light. Therefore, if you have a window facing north or east, place your alocasia zebrina in front to increase light exposure
Of course, try to avoid contact with the sun’s rays, as it can lose the original greenness of its foliage and suffer burns during the hottest months of the year.
how to water your alocasia zebrina
Alocasias need constant humidity conditions in the substrate, but never waterlogged. It is advisable to water regularly but little, always checking the substrate before each watering.
For the usual house conditions, with temperatures between 18 and 26 ºC, we water once every 5 to 7 days, with an amount of water of about 1/6 of the volume of the pot.
If we notice that the substrate is very humid before watering, we will delay it for a few days.
Choice of substrate
Substrate is an important factor for this plant, as it usually grows natively in fertile, moist areas. For this reason, the universal substrate mixture with coconut fiber and earthworm humus, all 3 in equal parts, is a almost perfect substrate.
- universal substrate: the most economical basis, with few nutrients and average drainage.
- Earthworm humus: provides consistency, nutrients and organic matter to the plant.
- Coco fiber: improves drainage and oxygenation of the environment.
Nevertheless, over time it will be necessary to add a little more nutrients, especially humus from earthworms, compost or any type of organic matter, which we can supplement with the application of organic fertilizers or inorganic (next point).
Use of fertilizer
At budding, at the end of winter, we can recover the nutrients lost from the substrate with a type of balanced liquid or solid fertilizer.
- Liquid fertilizer: NPK with micronutrients, rich in nitrogen (ratio 2-1-2 or 2-1-3) at a dose of 1 ml/L of water. Provide fertilizer in 1 out of 4 irrigations.
- Granulated fertilizer: Add 30 to 50 grams to the surface of the substrate, once every 30 to 40 days, as it dissolves slowly with the irrigation water.
spread of alocasia zebrina
Propagating your Alocasia is an interesting way to get new plants and share them with your friends or family. This plant can be propagated relatively easily from divide or plant your bulbsknown as chrome.
In any case, both methods require starting from a mature and vigorous plant, coinciding with its transplant to take advantage of the discovery of its roots.
To perform the propagation by bulb divisionFollow these steps.
- Take the plant out of the original pot and carefully remove the excess soil around the roots. Each new plant will appear from a separate bulb.
- Separate the plant through the bulbs, as well as any roots that have become intertwined.
- Place the already divided plants in a substrate as we have mentioned in this article, making an abundant first watering that soaks (but does not flood) the entire substrate.
- Locate the new Alocasias in an environment that receives enough light but indirectly.
For propagate from bulbsfollow these steps:
- Take the Alocasia out of its container and gently remove the excess substrate that contains the roots.
- Look in the substrate for small bulbs that will attach to the roots of the plant. Carefully cut the bulbs from the roots to the base of the bulb.
- Peel off the outer shell of the bulb to expose the light green center and place the bulb in a container of pre-moistened substrate. Make sure the bulb is positioned with the pointed end up and the rough side down.
- Place the pot in an environment where it receives indirect light.
- After a few weeks, you should see new roots forming and foliage growing from the bulbs.
Can I propagate Alocasia zebrina by cutting its leaves?
Unlike other tropical plants like pothos or some philodendrons, alocasias cannot be propagated by leaf cuttings. If you want to distribute your alocasia zebrinayou will have to do it by following the steps mentioned above.
Possible pests and diseases
Indoor plants usually do not receive many insect visits, unless they are located on the balcony or we have the windows wide open.
In any case, although rare, it could be visited by mites (low humidity conditions) or some type of white mealybug attached to the stems.
On the other hand, it can be more frequently attacked by a fungus, located mainly at the base of the stem or the root, especially in conditions of excess humidity in the substrate (root rot).
If this is the case and you notice that the stem of your Alocasia Zebrina is soft and with brown tones, it may have been affected by a type of fungus such as Phytophthora.
You can use a fungicide specifically indicated to control this fungus, such as Fosetil-Al or potassium phostitis.
alocasia zebrina with curled leaves
Curly leaves are usually an indication that your alocasia suffers from a lack of humidity. Try spraying distilled water on the leaves or using a humidifier. Avoid drafts and environmental dryness.
On another side, controls the irrigation of the substrate and don’t let it dry out between waterings.
alocasia zebrina with yellow leaves
Yellow leaves can be the result of root rot caused by excessive watering or, conversely, a lack of water, humidity or light.
If the leaves are soft, it is too much water. On the other hand, if they are straw-colored and hard, there is no ambient humidity, lack of irrigation or low lighting.
alocasia zebrina lose the leaves
Leaf fall is a very compromising situation for the plant, probably very complicated to resolve. When the leaves fall, it is a sign that you have a fungus problem, a total lack of humidity (straw-colored appearance).
Cover photo: thespruce.com