Alocasia Cucullata | Scarred and Magical

So, lemme tell you about these. First of all, I found the mom plant on a clearance rack and had no previous experience with Alocasias. Thank goodness I got this kind first. It’s SO forgiving. It just grows and grows and makes its babies and then grows some more when you take them out like a birthing mother can breathe when the baby is finally off their ribcage.

Easy care. Like to the extreme. Great light. Great, I’ll grow double-time! Meh light. You know what? I’ll still grow, just more slowly. And the leaves don’t get edema like larger-leafed Alocasias. They still guttate though, so if you put it near a wall, expect some interesting spots on said wall from the water.

The ONLY - and I mean ONLY - downside I have found with this plant at all is that the leaves are thin. That’s not really a terrible thing, as it probably contributes to the lack of edema, since the leaf can’t hold up the weight of the water. What it does mean, though, is that they’re susceptible to every single bump and bruise you subject them to.

Brushed it with the tab of your blue jeans? Scar. Dog wagged its tail too ferociously? Tear. Another plant decided to take up some of the real estate? Bend.

So, I guess just make sure you have room to enjoy the growth, and try not to whack it on a doorway if you bathtub bottom water like I do.

One last thing - when they’re stressed, they drop the older leaves. And they do it…sloowwwwlllyyy. These guys need deeper pots - probably already, but for sure soon. Go into this knowing that while they are not super stressed right now, they may lose a leaf or two while acclimating, and when the acclimation period is over, you’re probably going to want to put them in a nice, deep pot with room to grow if you want a truly LARGE plant in the end, and then just go easy on your watering for a month or so til they grow into it.

This plant is currently living in a 6" clear liner to accommodate its luscious root system. It’s potted in my signature 'Not Dirt' substrate—I won't sell the mix to you because it’s a hot mess to make, but the plants clearly love the drama of it.

I’ve vetted these beauties to ensure they’re healthy and happy, but I can’t guarantee what they’ll do once they leave my greenhouse. If I could control nature, I’d be a wizard, and I’d probably have a much cooler hat. 🧙‍♂️