Alocasia x portodora (portora) - Elephant Ear

Looking good ...Be interesting to see its progress and to compare with mine that flowered at x-mas.
I suspect mine won't get to to 9ft this year....LOL..

Mushybanna:

Alocasia x portodora is very different from your Alocasia metallica (wentii). This hybrid has very large arrow-shaped leaves to more than 7 feet/ 2.2 meters long. Also, it can grow from 12 - 16 feet / 3.7 - 4.9 meters tall. I used to have Alocasia metallica and it grew to 5 feet/ 1.5 meters tall and wide. : > )

Would like to see a pic it in its full glory..:o)))

Mushybanna:

I'll be posting a whole photo of this plant soon. The older leaves look a little battered from the El Nino storms...however, many new leaves are coming out now. Today,(Apr.15, 2010) I notice this flower has opened.

This Alocasia is developing a trunk and babies also.

We grow these in the tropical glasshouses at Kew . The public love them. I tried growing one in a pot last summer,it wasn't happy. I have seen them growing well outdoors at Tresco...

Rbtkew:

This hybrid is pretty tender...however, Alocasia macrorrhiza is probably the one growing at Tresco...it's a tough, large and hardy elephant ear. Many species/ hybrids grow outdoors here but there's some very tender tropical hybrids which refused to grow outside because they need such hot and humid weather all year.

OMG what a size, my elephant ears looks a bit sick at the moment, the leaves keep dyeing, not sure what I am doing wrong........

Dottydaisy2:

There's many genera which are commonly called Elephant's Ears. Alocasia species tend to be the most tender...then there's Colocasia which is a little hardier. Most need well drained soil which should be kept on the dry side until it really warms up. Too much water in cool weather will cause the leaves die...especially in a pot.

That could be the problem, waiting to put it in the ground....(it is a Colocasia)

Dottydaisy2:

Alocasia and Colocasia always do much better when grown in the ground.

Not long to wait........