Alocasia ‘Wentii’

Where the parent species of Alocasia ‘Wentii’ grow naturally

The familiar Alocasia ‘Wentii’ is the old hybrid ‘Uhinkii’, made from Alocasia odora and Alocasia cuprea. A. odora grows across warm parts of Asia in rainforest, wetlands, bamboo thickets and along rivers. A. cuprea comes from humid Bornean slopes with shallow soil among rocks.

Give it warmth, bright indirect light and regular moisture in a loose mix that stays airy around the roots.

Alocasia ‘Wentii’ care essentials

• Light: Grow in bright, filtered or indirect light. Acclimate the foliage gradually to any gentle direct sun.
• Watering: Maintain even moisture and let excess water leave the pot promptly after watering.
• Humidity: Aim for 60–80% humidity, preferably toward the upper end of that range.
• Temperature: Maintain 22–26°C and keep the root zone above 18°C for steady growth.
• Substrate: Use a moisture-retentive mix with a generous coarse fraction such as bark, perlite or mineral granules.
• Repotting: Judge pot size from the roots. Repot when they fill the container, increasing the pot size modestly to keep the mix evenly aerated.
• Stability: Broad mature leaves can make the plant top-heavy. Place the rooted pot inside a stable outer container as needed.
• Feeding: Apply a diluted complete fertiliser during active growth. Use a lighter dose when light, humidity or growth is reduced.
• Propagation: Use offsets or rhizome division for propagation.

Yellowing and cold damage in Alocasia ‘Wentii’

• Purple-brown leaf undersides: Even colouring across firm tissue is healthy for this plant. Irregular blackening, translucence or collapse, especially after a cold night, indicates damaged tissue and deserves a closer temperature and root check.
• Several leaves yellow close together: One ageing lower leaf is usually ordinary replacement. Rapid yellowing across the plant calls for a moisture check. Compare pot weight, moisture deeper in the mix and root condition, then correct either prolonged saturation or a deeply dry root ball. Root-rot guide.
• Dark, soft patches after cooling: Move the plant into stable warmth and away from cold glazing. Let the root zone approach its usual watering point before adding more water, since chilled roots use moisture slowly. Pause feeding until firm, active growth returns and remove dead tissue once the damaged area has stopped expanding.
• Pale dots, bronze areas or webbing: Dark leaf undersides can conceal early spider-mite feeding. Inspect them with a hand lens, especially along the veins. Isolate, rinse and treat repeatedly when mites are present. Irregular silver scars and black specks point to thrips and call for a thrips-specific treatment.

Alocasia ‘Wentii’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

The horticultural name ‘Wentii’

Alocasia combines the Greek prefix a-, meaning “without” or “lacking”, with Colocasia, the name of a related aroid genus.

The formal botanical citation is Alocasia (Schott) G.Don. George Don established the genus at that rank in 1839 in Hortus Britannicus, edition 3, page 631.

The horticultural plant commonly sold as ‘Wentii’ corresponds to the old hybrid Alocasia ‘Uhinkii’, created by the Chantrier brothers around 1897 from Alocasia odora × Alocasia cuprea. Historical catalogues also used ‘Uhinki’ and ‘Whinkii’.

This horticultural plant is distinct from the accepted species Alocasia wentii. The species honours Dutch botanist Frits Went. Adolf Engler and Kurt Krause described it in 1916 in Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, volume 54, page 90.