The demand for indoor house plants – foliage plants as decoration in modern homes seems beyond limit. And the one introduction, among those who supply plants to meet this demand, concerns the alocasias. These handsome natives of the tropics are related to the better known philodendrons, anthuriums, dieffenbachias and aglaonemas or Chinese evergreens.
Unique in coloring and bold in shape, alocasias attract the attention of all who see them. The combinations of bronze, green, silver gray and cream with corresponding variation in the shape of the leaves, make them truly gems among plants grown for their foliage.
My attention was first attracted to alocasias decades ago in Florida. There at a plant show a young grower/collector displayed a collection of these plants which he grew at his nursery.
Alocasias are still relatively uncommon and a bit of sleuthing may be necessary to locate them. While a grower:may have one or more of the plants, their stocks may not be plentiful enough for listing in catalogs. Although more varieties have found their way into the mainstream because of tissue culture propagation methods.
by B Shippy – 61219
