Alocasia Polly Plant Care Instructions | An Expert Guide

Alocasia Polly is a beautiful indoor or semi-shade plant. It is also a Perennial herbaceous plant with rhizomes that can reach up to 1.0 m in height and 0.65 m in diameter. Its large green leaves usually grow up to 0.60 cm long in the shape of a heart with the edges cut out in undulations. The upper page is dark green with large, well-marked whitish veins. The flowers are white spadix, similar to the lily-of-peace (Spathiphyllum), but it is rare to flower in its lifetime.

The Alocasia Polly plant is well known not only because it refers to the Amazon rainforest by the name it bears but more by of the way its leaves take. So it is very normal to find an alternative name on the internet to the one already mentioned. And from what you imagine, the leaves of this plant are shaped like an elephant’s ear. Although it is also attributed to the fact that it has the shape of an arrow, everything will depend on this species’ variation.

Thus, this plant has a somewhat varied origin. In other words, it can be found distributed in many eastern countries, but at the same time, it covers a large part of the South American and Central American territory. The reason that it is so widespread is due to the climate in which it can live. 

Alocasia Polly: How to Care for it

The Alocasia x Amazonica is a very special plant. Its pointed, textured leaves with the “nerves” marked in white already indicate that Alocasia is a majestic and ornamental plant.

The same is evident due to its voluminous and elegant appearance, but the plant is not usually demanding in terms of care, and its maintenance is relatively simple. This includes the following: 

Lighting 

This spectacular plant has its origin in the tropical jungles of South America, so it needs a lot of lighting without direct sun. Please place it in rooms where a lot of light enters, but the sun’s rays cannot reach it.

That is, look for spaces away from windows or that at least have the light filtered through curtains or stores since otherwise, the sun will burn its leaves, and it will not shine in its entire splendor.

The Alocasia Polly further needs clarity, especially in winter, but always indirect light, rather than direct sunlight. In summer, it will better tolerate some semi-shade. If you discover brown spots on the leaves, it may have been in the sun at some point; move it. It’s also best to be aware that the sun’s path changes with the months and that perfect place where you have it placed in winter might not be so ideal in summer.

Temperature 

Conditioned by its origin, the Alocasia Polly needs hot and humid climates. Your Alocasia Polly will be happy in an environment that oscillates between 18 and 21 ºC. If the ambient temperature is below 15 ºC, the plant will stop its growth; it may lose some leaves (loss not attributable to other causes such as lack / excess watering or pests).

When the temperatures rise again, they will sprout again, so do not give up and continue taking care of it. This plant also needs some environmental humidity; avoid placing it near a radiator or air conditioning unit since that could dry it out excessively. Also, avoid drafts for the same reason. If the environment is very dry, spray water on its leaves every two days.

Watering

The Alocasia Polly is a plant that tends to grow in swampy places, so it needs a lot of humidity and frequent watering. Sometimes, the humidity levels in places such as Tucson are over 12%. On the other hand, the average houseplant also enjoys a level of around 60%. Thus, you can use a room humidifier to increase the humidity levels to at least 50 percent.

Furthermore, you can give water to the plant as a gift twice a week. And in case you notice that the soil dries up between watering, make them more abundant so that it remains moist.

The fact that it needs a lot of water and humidity does not mean that it will benefit from puddles. So you will have to ensure sure that the pot of your Alocasia Polly has a good drainage system to expel the excess water.

For this, you can place some wet layers of pebbles or stones under the pot. This will drain the water and keep it moist at the same time. You must also pay attention to its precious leaves that will need spraying in the hottest times of the year. With this, the plant will be perfectly hydrated.

Fertilizer Application

You will need the help of fertilizers so that your of your Alocasia Polly’s leaves grow and reach that beautiful size that characterizes them. For this, add a green plant fertilizer to your irrigation water once a month during the spring and summer months. You can also use fertilizer sticks, which gradually release nutrients as the irrigation water breaks them down.

Pruning and Cleaning

More than pruning, what is important is to clean the yellow, dry leaves as soon as possible. In this way, you will be able to promote the growth of new leaves. To remove the leaves, make a clean cut at the top of the leaves with a sharp knife.

Transplanting

The Alocasia Polly does not care much that their roots are a little tight, so it’s best not to hurry for transplanting. Wait until spring to do this and choose a pot that is only about an inch in diameter larger; when you carry out transplanting, water the plant first to moisten the substrate, facilitating the task. Next, take the root ball out of the pot and remove part of the substrate adhering to the roots with your hands. Place the root ball in the center of the new pot and fill in the new substrate’s holes.

After transplanting, water the plant again carefully so that the substrate settles, fill any gaps with more substrate if necessary.

Pests

Unfortunately, bugs like this plant as much as you do, especially the cochineal and the spider mite. Unfortunately, if you detect pests in your plant, place them away from other plants to avoid contamination while you try to fix the problem.

Some other major pests which attack the Alocasia Polly include:

Mealybug 

The mealybug is one of the main headaches of indoor plants such as the Alocasia Polly. They reproduce at the speed of light, and as you relax a bit, they will invade the entire plant to the point of no return.

The mealybug is a small white insect that barely moves. You will always find it in a group, and it has a preference for the stem of the plant and the reverse side of the leaves. They feed on the sap of the plant and excrete a sticky substance.

To treat it, soak a cloth in insecticide and eliminate as many bugs as possible by rubbing gently. Then spray the plant with insecticide and repeat the process once in 2 weeks.

Spider mite

Likely, you will never see one of these tiny spiders -which by the way are red in winter and green in summer-, what you will see is the damage they do to the leaves: a kind of whitish spots formed by an infinity of small dots.

For this, use an insecticide for green plants or a natural product like neem oil. Apply it mainly on the back of the leaves, which is where they tend to roam freely.

The spider mite loves hot and dry environments, so spraying water on the leaves of your plant every two days will minimize the risk of it getting settled.

Alocasia Polly: FAQ Section

How often do you water Alocasia, Polly?

You can water the Alocasia Polly twice a week. You can also place it on a plate with stones and a little water. The idea is that this water evaporates around the plant, but it should never be in contact with the plant’s base.

Why is my Alocasia Polly turning yellow?

Alocasia Polly is indeed a somewhat delicate plant, and its leaves are easily damaged. The main reasons why the leaves turn yellow are because of sunburn or lack of humidity. The solution is relatively simple: find spaces where the direct sun cannot reach it and get used to watering it at least twice a week to increase the humidity and prevent its leaves from turning yellow and drying out.

However, if it’s winter, you do all of this, and still, its leaves turn yellow and fall off, don’t worry because it’s natural. Alocasia throws its leaves with the arrival of cold and sprouts again in spring. So inevitably, with the drop in temperatures, it is common for the plant to lose its leaves.

What soil does Alocasia Polly need?

The Alocasia Polly needs porous and fertile soil to grow properly. As an alternative, you can make your soil mixture using the following materials; 25% Fir Bark 25% Perlite 30% Coconut Coir 10% Horticultural Charcoal 10% Worm Castings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Alocasia Polly is an indoor plant with foliage and an original appearance. It is also a very interesting green plant to decorate a room in the house. Furthermore, this plant is relatively easy to maintain, as highlighted above.

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