Alocasia ‘Wentii’

Parentage and horticultural origin of Alocasia ‘Wentii’

The familiar Alocasia ‘Wentii’ is historically tied to the old hybrid ‘Uhinkii’, raised by the Chantrier brothers in France around 1897 from Alocasia odora × Alocasia cuprea.

Alocasia odora grows across warm parts of Asia in rainforest, wetlands, bamboo thickets and along rivers. Alocasia cuprea comes from humid Bornean slopes with shallow soil among rocks.

Care for Alocasia ‘Wentii’

Temperature: Keep ‘Wentii’ within roughly 18–28 °C for routine growth, with protection from prolonged exposure below 15 °C.

Humidity: Use a moderate 50–60% humidity range and keep a little air moving around the plant.

Feeding: Apply a complete houseplant feed lightly to moderately while fresh leaves are forming on it, reducing or pausing applications during slower growth.

Growth and space: For ‘Wentii’, allow for a clump up to about 150 cm high and 150 cm across, with enough open space for mature leaves to extend freely.

Watering: Keep the roots evenly moist without leaving the pot constantly wet. Let the mix dry a little before watering again. Water across the whole root ball so moisture reaches the deeper mix, then discard any runoff once drainage has finished.

Potting mix: A rich potting mix with good drainage works well.

Light: Give ‘Wentii’ plenty of bright filtered light. Gentle direct sun can be added gradually.

Repotting: Choose a larger container only when root crowding shows that the current pot is fully occupied.

Propagation: Separate a rooted offset with minimal root disturbance and pot it into an airy, free-draining mix.

Weak stretched stalks, cold damage and slow-drying mix

• New leaf stalks become longer and weaker and the plant keeps leaning towards the window: Move it to a position with stronger indirect light. If the window is the main light source, rotate the plant a little at a time so new growth develops more evenly. Existing stretched stalks will stay as they are.
• Several leaves yellow after a cold spell while the potting mix is still damp: Move the plant somewhere steadily warm and wait before watering again. If it keeps weakening or the base softens, inspect the roots.
• Growth stops and the pot suddenly takes much longer to dry: Check the roots before increasing fertiliser. Soft, mushy or bad-smelling roots mean the root and watering problem needs attention first. If the roots are firm, compare the current warmth and light with the conditions the plant had while it was growing normally.
• Pale stippling becomes more noticeable on older leaves: Inspect both sides for spider mites before heavy webbing develops. If mites are present, separate the plant and use a treatment labelled for spider mites on indoor ornamental plants, and repeat it only as directed on the label.

Alocasia ‘Wentii’: 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.

The names associated with Alocasia ‘Wentii’

The cultivated hybrid ‘Wentii’ is the old Alocasia ‘Uhinkii’, created by the Chantrier brothers around 1897 from Alocasia odora × Alocasia cuprea. The spellings ‘Uhinki’ and ‘Whinkii’ were also used historically.

The accepted species name Alocasia wentii honours Dutch botanist Frits Went and dates to 1916.