Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
Araceae
Alocasia chaii
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
VAT included · plus
Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Alocasia chaii
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~20–30% dry
Substrate
Aerated • Moisture-buffered • Balanced organic + mineral • Medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–29 °C • Avoid below: 15 °C
Humidity
Humid 60–80 % +
Growth habit
Upright clumping herbaceous perennial.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Slow
Max size indoors
Max. height: 40 cm • Max. spread: 25 cm
Toxicity & safety
Toxic
Origin & habitat
Native to Borneo (Sarawak)
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Alocasia chaii
Pale grey matt leaves and red-speckled petioles define Alocasia chaii, a compact Sarawak Alocasia species. The thick blades have a muted surface, while the petioles bring small red markings into the lower part of the plant.
A short stem can become rhizomatous as the plant develops, carrying thick peltate leaves in warm, shaded forest conditions. Indoors, it grows best with filtered light, warmth, steady moisture and a substrate that drains cleanly around the short root zone.
Pale grey leaves and speckled petioles
- Leaf colour: Leaves are pale grey and matt on the upper surface, with a muted greenish underside.
- Leaf texture: The blades are thickly coriaceous to slightly subsucculent.
- Leaf shape: Leaves are broadly ovate to elliptic and nearly peltate, with a shallow basal notch.
- Petioles: The petioles are pale green with deep red speckles, especially toward the lower section.
- Growth habit: A short erect to decumbent stem can develop into a compact rhizome.
- Forest habitat: The species is associated with shaded upper hill forest slopes in Sarawak.
Stem, leaf attachment and Sarawak habitat
The pale matt leaves contrast with red-speckled petioles. The blades are thick and nearly peltate, so the petiole attachment sits close to the leaf surface rather than forming a deep open sinus.
Alocasia chaii is documented from Sarawak, including upper hill forest slope habitats with red clay-loam and filtered canopy light. In a pot, that means warm, shaded growing conditions, steady moisture and a substrate that drains cleanly around the short rhizome.
Alocasia chaii care
- Light: Give bright filtered light or light shade; harsh direct sun can mark the pale matt leaf surface.
- Water: Keep the substrate lightly and evenly moist, then let the upper layer begin drying before watering again.
- Substrate: Use an airy mix that holds some moisture while draining quickly around the rhizome.
- Humidity: Moderate to high humidity helps new thick leaves expand without sticking.
- Airflow: Gentle airflow keeps the matt surface from staying damp for too long.
- Temperature: Keep it warm and stable, ideally above 18 °C.
Troubleshooting this compact species
- Rhizome stress: Cold wet substrate can damage the short root zone and cause sudden decline.
- Leaf marking: Direct sun can leave pale or brown marks on the grey matt surface.
- Spider mites: Dry air can bring mites, especially beneath the thick leaves and along the veins.
- Fungal spotting: High humidity with stagnant air can mark the leaves.
- Slow new leaves: Cool conditions can delay new growth and keep the plant inactive for longer.
Safety for Alocasia chaii
Alocasia chaii is not pet-safe. Its calcium oxalate crystals can irritate the mouth, tongue and throat if chewed.
Botanical background
Alocasia chaii P.C.Boyce is an accepted Araceae species from Sarawak, Borneo. The species was named for Dr Paul P.K. Chai, a Sarawak botanist connected with forest botany in the region.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
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Alocasia chaii
Sale price€126,00
FAQs about Alocasia chaii – grey foliage, humidity, and peltate leaves
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