Alocasia 'Loco'

Where the parent species of Alocasia ‘Loco’ grow naturally

The ancestry of Alocasia ‘Loco’ includes Alocasia sanderiana from damp Mindanao ravines and Alocasia longiloba from Southeast Asian forest floors and rocky ravines. Both parent species grow in warm, humid forest with filtered light and regular moisture.

Alocasia ‘Loco’ care guide

• Light: Give the compact crown bright filtered light, keeping it close enough to a window to hold dense growth without exposing it suddenly to harsh sun.
• Watering: Let roughly 40–60% of the substrate dry before rewatering. Then soak the compact root ball evenly and let surplus water drain away.
• Temperature: A temperature range of about 22–26°C is suitable.
• Humidity: Aim for humidity above 60% for ‘Loco’.
• Feeding: Apply a balanced fertiliser at low concentration during active growth; reduce the amount if leaf production slows.
• Repotting: Move ‘Loco’ up only after the compact root system has clearly occupied the current pot, choosing a container just one size larger.
• Substrate: Use an airy mix containing coir or fine potting soil, bark and perlite or pumice. It should retain moisture and remain open around the roots.
• Propagation: Separate established offsets or small corms, or divide an established rhizome. Keep sprouting corms around 25–30°C in a lightly moist, aerated medium.
• Handling safety: Before repotting or unpotting, disturbing the root ball, cutting, pruning, division or propagation, wear gloves and keep Alocasia sap away from skin and eyes. After handling, wash hands and clean tools.

Troubleshooting Alocasia ‘Loco’

• New growth becomes increasingly distorted with silver scars, black dots, stippling or webbing: Shape alone is not a pest diagnosis. Silver scars and black droppings support thrips; fine stippling and webbing support mites. Isolate, inspect unfolding leaves and undersides and rinse accessible pests. If fresh damage continues, use a product labelled for the identified pest and indoor ornamentals at the label interval.
• The plant yellows or collapses: Check whether the root-ball centre is dry or persistently wet. Water thoroughly and drain only when genuinely dry; if wet, stop watering, empty standing water and check drainage, cold and light. If decline persists, wear gloves and keep sap away from skin and eyes before unpotting; after handling, wash hands and clean tools. If the roots are firm, do not cut; correct drainage, aeration, pot fit, light or temperature and monitor. Remove only directly confirmed dark, mushy, hollow, slimy or collapsing tissue with disinfected tools, and use fresh airy medium in a clean draining pot sized to the surviving roots. Seek professional diagnosis before cutting a soft or unclear crown.
• Dark translucent patches follow a cold event: Move the plant away from cold glass and draughts into stable warmth with bright indirect light. Match watering to reduced uptake, withhold fertiliser until firm active growth resumes and wait for the injury to stop changing. If cold-damaged tissue becomes wet, soft or larger, isolate the plant, keep the foliage dry, prevent splashing and mark the edge. If one severely affected leaf requires removal, wear gloves and keep sap away from skin and eyes before cutting it with a disinfected tool, then wash hands and clean tools. Do not cut into the base from a leaf symptom alone. Seek professional diagnosis before further cutting or pesticide use if damage spreads rapidly, recurs, smells foul or enters a petiole, crown or base.
• Soft water-soaked areas spread without a clear cold-only pattern: Isolate, keep foliage dry, stop splashes and mark the edge. If one severely affected leaf can be removed without approaching the base, wear gloves and keep sap away from skin and eyes before cutting with a disinfected tool; discard it, disinfect the tool again, then wash hands and clean tools. A soft, foul, recurrent or rapidly spreading base lesion needs professional diagnosis before further cutting or chemical treatment.

Alocasia ‘Loco’: toxic if chewed

• Pets: This Alocasia is toxic to cats and dogs. Keep the plant and any cut pieces where pets cannot chew them.
• Children and handling: Keep it out of reach of children. Sap from damaged tissue can irritate skin and eyes, so wash your hands after pruning and avoid touching your face.
• Why it irritates: Alocasia tissue contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Chewing or contact with sensitive tissue can cause immediate local irritation.
• Possible symptoms: Mouth exposure can cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, nausea or vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
• After exposure: For a pet, contact a veterinarian. For a person, remove any plant material from the mouth and rinse with water; seek medical or poison-control advice if symptoms are significant. Breathing difficulty or rapidly increasing swelling needs urgent medical attention.

Names in the ancestry of Alocasia ‘Loco’

The parent names in its ancestry carry clear botanical meanings. Alocasia sanderiana honours Henry Sander, while longiloba means “long-lobed”, from Latin longus, “long”, and lobus, “lobe”.