Alocasia portei

Where the species grows

This Philippine endemic grows in secondary forest from low to medium elevations. Its warm, humid habitat includes recovering and disturbed forest as well as mature closed canopy.

Growing corm-forming aroids indoors

• Light: For Alocasia portei, give bright indirect light, with gentle morning or evening sun after acclimation. Avoid hot midday sun.
• Watering: Water when the upper layer begins to dry, checking deeper in a large pot than a small one. Large leaves use water quickly, but corms need full drainage.
• Humidity and airflow: Moderate to high humidity is usually enough. Keep air moving around the crown, especially where large leaves overlap, and avoid cold draughts.
• Feeding: Use a complete fertiliser at a low dose sparingly while growth is strong. Feed less often when growth or available light decreases.
• Leaf care and propagation: Clean each division gently without pulling or folding it. Let it dry and give the lobes room to avoid tearing.
• Temperature: Keep the corm and roots steadily warm; cold, wet substrate is especially risky.

Troubleshooting Alocasia portei: narrow blades and tightly folded new leaves

• Leaves crease or tear: Long, narrow or divided leaves can crease or tear when they press against walls, nearby plants or hands. Give the crown space and move the plant by its pot. Creases do not heal; look for healthy new growth.
• Several leaves yellow or the blades fold: Folding or yellowing across several narrow leaves can follow dry roots, cold conditions or root damage. Compare pot weight with root firmness before watering; soft roots in damp mix need corrective action rather than more water.
• Inspect the junction below the symptom, before correcting the root ball: Follow the affected part of Alocasia portei back to its attachment. A firm clean junction supports local leaf damage; softness, dark internal tissue or feeding marks where the narrow blades and tightly folded new leaves meets the stem changes the response. Rewet a dry pocket slowly and drain the pot fully. If the centre remains saturated, do not water again until the pot feels lighter and moisture at depth has fallen. Do not apply the same watering response to both conditions.

Alocasia portei is toxic to people and pets

• This plant is toxic to humans, cats and dogs if ingested.
• Leaves and stems contain needle-like, insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing can cause immediate burning mouth pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian after pet exposure or a medical professional after human exposure, especially if swelling or breathing trouble occurs.

What does Alocasia portei mean, and who first published it?

Alocasia combines the Greek prefix a-, meaning “without” or “lacking”, with Colocasia, the name of a related aroid genus. Portei commemorates the French plant collector Marius Porte.

George Don established the genus Alocasia in 1839 in Hortus Britannicus, edition 3, page 631.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott first described Alocasia portei in 1862 in Bonplandia (Hannover), volume 10, page 148.