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Teacup Alocasia | Top Details, Best Uses & Amazing Facts

November 21, 20214
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Introduction Of Teacup Alocasia

Most Alocasia is not suitable as houseplants, but the Teacup Alocasia is! This unique plant boasts the same beautiful foliage and vibrant color as its cousins, with one major difference: it’s small enough to keep indoors! Teacup Alocasia facts and specifications such as care, size, growth rate, and more will be covered in this article.

The plant, at maturity, will be between 3 to 4 feet tall. The leaves of a mature Teacup Alocasia are typically one foot in length, although will vary slightly from plant to plant. If cared for properly, it can grow to larger than four feet tall and as wide as three feet across.

It grows rapidly during its first year of growth; it can gain about an inch in height each week during its first year. While an adult Teacup Alocasia can survive on direct sunlight only two hours per day, it will thrive better if provided with bright indirect light or natural sunlight five hours per day.
teacup-alocasia

Scientific Name

Alocasia micholitziana var. ‘Longifolia’, or commonly known as teacup alocasia, is a tropical ornamental plant from Southeast Asia. This indoor plant has striking green leaves with elongated light brown streaks. It produces small purple flowers that eventually produce cream-colored fruits in summer. The leaves are glossy, making it an excellent choice for home interior décor. 
 
It can be grown on a windowsill under direct sunlight with warm temperatures between 75-85 °F (24-30 °C). Also, being a tropical plant means they require moisture at all times; so water when needed. Letting it dry out completely between watering cycles is never advised because it might cause permanent damage to its root system.
Teacup-alocasia

Teacup Alocasia Planting Information

How to plant your new alocasia plant? The best way to plant alocasia is in soil that drains well. In colder climates, it’s a good idea to dig a planting hole before bringing your alocasia home. It’s also important to remove all of their old soil before adding new, sterile soil around them. Finally, water thoroughly when you get them home and add plant food to help get them off on the right foot. 

A balanced fertilizer every couple of weeks will be great for helping these plants grow strong roots and produce more delicious leaves to enjoy. Be sure not to over-water or under-water them; they should be allowed to dry out slightly between watering, but shouldn’t ever appear wilted or distressed (although if they are receiving inadequate light, they may show signs of stress). 

A thorough watering once a week during hot months should work fine for most houseplants; deeper containers with more soil can hold more moisture than shallow planters without draining slower than shallower ones. If you see any pests, take care of those quickly! Quick spraying with insecticidal soap will take care of most insect problems like whiteflies and aphids.

The teacup alocasia (Alocasia X amazonica) is a hybrid plant resulting from crossbreeding between two distinct species of rainforest plants, A. multicolor and A. heterophylla. Discovered by a gardener named Matias Klein in Guatemala in 1998, it was designated Alocasia X amazonica since both parents were native to South America. 

Since that time, Teacup Alocasias have become very popular as ornamental indoor plants with leaves that look like small elephant ears. Although they can reach up to 3 feet (1 meter) in height when grown outdoors, they are commonly cultivated indoors as houseplants and typically only grow to 12-15 inches (30-40 cm) tall.
teacup-alocasia

Teacup Alocasia Care Tips

Sunlight: Morning sunlight is ideal. Temperature: Average household temperatures are ideal. -Watering: Hand water your teacup alocasia plant only when needed to keep the soil damp but not soggy. Never allow it to dry out. The soil should be moist at all times during the growing season, but never soggy or wet. *General Care* Handle with care; despite their size, these plants are very delicate. 

Because of their size, they can easily fall over if bumped or touched by pets or children so make sure you treat them like a flower arrangement rather than a pet that needs attention regularly: once a week is often more than enough because they’re fairly self-sufficient when given proper care!

Last updated on January 31, 2022

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