Alocasia ‘Low Rider’

Background of Alocasia ‘Low Rider’

Alocasia ‘Low Rider’ has ‘Portora’ in its ancestry. ‘Portora’ comes from Alocasia odora, found in Asian rainforest, bamboo thickets and riverbanks, and Alocasia portei from secondary forest on Luzon. Both parent species grow in warm places with regular rainfall.

Care for Alocasia ‘Low Rider’

• Space: ‘Low Rider’ stays compact, so it needs only modest clearance around the leaves.
• Watering: During active growth, check the mix regularly. Water as the upper part begins to dry, before the potting mix dries all the way through; if growth slows and the pot takes longer to dry, wait longer between waterings. Water until excess runs from the drainage holes. Let the pot drain, then empty any water left in the saucer or cover pot.
• Light: Give it bright filtered light. Gentle direct sun is fine after gradual acclimation.
• Potting mix: Choose a loose, fertile mix that holds some moisture without packing around the roots.
• Repotting: Choose the next pot from root crowding. Move up only when the roots need more room.
• Feeding: Feed regularly at the rate on the fertiliser label while new leaves are developing. Stop when growth slows.
• Temperature: Keep it around 18–29 °C and away from cold windows or draughts. Move it away from cooler spots before temperatures fall below 15 °C.
• Humidity: Alocasia does best with medium to high humidity. Keep it in a bright spot away from heaters and air-conditioning. If the air is dry, place it near other houseplants that like similar conditions, leaving space between the leaves, or use a clean humidifier.

Troubleshooting Alocasia ‘Low Rider’

• Growth stops and the pot stays wet much longer than it used to: Check whether the pot is simply too large for the roots. A roomy pot can hold more wet potting mix than a smaller root system can use quickly. If the plant is also weakening, inspect the roots. Soft or decaying roots need attention rather than more water; our root-rot guide explains what to do next.
• Fine pale speckles or webbing appear around the centre of the plant: Turn over several leaves and check the tight spaces where the leaves meet their stalks. If you find spider mites, keep ‘Low Rider’ separate from nearby plants and use a treatment labelled for spider mites on indoor ornamental plants, repeating it according to the label. Our spider-mite guide gives the complete process.
• Large pale or tan patches develop after a move to brighter light: A sudden increase in direct sun can scorch the broad glossy leaves. Move the plant away from harsh midday sun and let it get used to stronger light gradually. The damaged patch will stay visible, so judge the improvement by later leaves.

Alocasia ‘Low Rider’: 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 parentage of Alocasia ‘Low Rider’

The parent names odora and portei mean “fragrant” and honour the French plant collector Marius Porte, respectively.