Alocasia Odora is a stunning species of plant belonging to the Araceae family. Fantastic home companions, they flaunt gorgeous leaves and aromatic blooms, rapidly becoming a favorite among indoor gardeners.
While hardy, caring for Alocasia Odora requires meticulous consideration. They need indirect sunlight, rich and well-draining soil, balanced watering, occasional repotting, monthly liquid fertilizer, and seasonal maintenance.
A growing Alocasia Odora seedlings need as much care, too. They require appropriate sunlight, spacious containers, and soil amendments. Maintaining a suitable humidity and temperature is also crucial to both seedling and adult Alocasia Odora.
What are Alocasia Odora Plants?
Alocasia Odora, also called Asian taro, giant elephant ear, and night-scented lily, is a sought-after houseplant native to East and Southeast Asia. Gardeners favor these plants as ornaments for their large, heart-shaped glossy leaves attached to long, sturdy stems.
The leaves of these plants can grow to impressive sizes, creating a dramatic aesthetic impact in your home. But they’re also known for their fragrant colored blooms, which garnered the name “night-scented lilies,” adding another layer of sensory delight to gardeners.
Alocasia Odora belongs to the family of Araceae, a massive group of flowering plants with over 4,000 species and 140 genera. Also known as aroid plants, they primarily consist of climbers, herbaceous, and aquatic flora.
Alocasia Odora Plant Profile
Here’s a glance at Alocasia Odora plant information:
- Scientific name: Alocasia Odora
- Common names: Night-scented lily, Asian taro, giant elephant ear
- Light: Medium to bright indirect sunlight
- Watering: Consistently moist but not soggy
- Temperature: 65℉ – 85℉ (18℃ – 29℃)
- Hardiness Zone: Zones 9 to 11
- Soil pH: Acidic
- Soil Type: Loam, sand
- Repotting: Once every two years
- Pruning: Spring through early fall
- Size: 0.5–1.6 m high or over 5 feet
- Bloom Time: Late spring through summer
- Propagation: Division, corm, bulb planting
Alocasia Odora Plant Care Guide
Alocasia Odora flowers aren’t the easiest plant to care for inside your home. But they’re incredibly gorgeous, making the trade-off more than worth it.
Caring for these houseplants requires careful consideration of sunlight, water, and fertilizer. They also need similar soil to their home and consistent pruning after every bloom season.
How Much Sunlight?
Alocasia Odora are tropical plants and enjoy shade over direct sunlight. So, that’s good news for homeowners living in shaded areas or with limited sunlight throughout the day.
Unlike other tropical houseplants, they thrive best under bright, indirect sunlight. With that in mind, an east-facing window offering soft sun in the morning and less in the afternoon is ideal.
Here’s a pro-gardener tip:
Do not place your Alocasia Odora pot under direct sun. While native to Asian regions with hot weather, their leaves scorch when exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods.
Choose a shaded area if you can’t help but plant them outside. But not totally out of sunlight, either, to prevent the plant from developing leggy stems.
What Soil Type?
Like most of its family members, Alocasia Odora loves loamy and well-draining soil as its home. As such, it’s best to use a potting mix with similar characteristics if you plan on getting one for your office.
Use a potting mix with plenty of peat and perlite to boost drainage and aeration. Add orchid bark and organic compost to add nutrients and ensure enough moisture retention.
Remember, you want your soil acidic to provide the best living environment for your plant. Avoid clay soils as they clump easily, making growth harder for your Alocasia Odora.
How Often to Water?
Keeping your potting soil consistently moist without waterlogging is the sweet spot for Alocasia Odora watering. As with other Araceae plants, they’re rather sensitive to under or overwatering and can develop root rot if you aren’t careful.
So, how often should you water your Alocasia Odora indoors? Well, allow the soil to dry in between watering to boost aeration to the roots.
In short, you should only water these plants when the soil dries. To check, plunge a finger in the potting mix and check how moist the top 1 to 2 inches are.
If it feels dry to the touch, it’s the best time for a well-deserved watering. In most cases, you’ll have to pour 0.8 cups of liquid into the houseplant every nine days.
What Temperature is Optimal?
Owing to its tropical origins, Alocasia Odora prefers warmer temperatures than your regular flora. Ideally, you’d want a consistent 65℉ – 85℉ (18℃ – 29℃) for the plant to grow and flower.
As a humid-loving flora, you’ll want to maintain high humidity around the houseplant. Misting regularly or using a humidifier device can help keep humidity levels optimal.
It might sound like a good idea, but avoid planting Alocasia Odora near heating vents or areas with cold drafts. The frequent temperature changes can stress and may even kill the flora.
How Much Fertilizer?
Away from their natural nutrient source, Alocasia Odora houseplants can significantly benefit from regular fertilizers. So, don’t forget to feed the flora with a balanced, liquid fertilizer diluted to half its potency to keep it healthy.
Prioritize fertilizer during the plant’s growing and blooming season, spring and summer. Feed it once every month to sustain its energy consumption for flowering.
Growing Alocasia Odora From Seedling
Division, corms, and bulb planting are the three propagation methods for Alocasia Odora.
But regardless of your propagation choice, there are a few reminders you should consider when growing one for yourself.
- Potting Needs
First, prepare a spacious container for your Alocasia Odora seedling. These plants are humongous, with some varieties growing up to 8 feet tall.
Providing enough space for the root to grow without restraint is crucial. Of course, you can also start small and repot the seedling throughout its growth period.
- Soil Choice
Second, choose an appropriate potting mix for your growing seedling. And much like an adult Alocasia Odora, a seedling would need the same well-draining but rich in organic materials.
Amending the growth site with organic compost is a great trick to amp up the acidity and nutrients of the soil.
- Lighting Requirement
Third, a growing Alocasia Odora seedling needs bright, indirect sunlight. Position the pot near east-facing windows or under shaded areas when grown outside.
- Watering Schedule
Lastly, water the seedling enough to keep the soil moist but not too much to waterlog the soil. You’ll need to water more frequently if you reside in a region with a drier climate.
Keep the temperature warm and humidity levels high throughout.
Repotting Schedule For Alocasia Odora
Repotting is another essential aspect when growing Alocasia Odora in a container. Generally, you’ll want to change pots once every two years for these plants.
When changing containers, pick a pot that’s at least two to four inches wider. And avoid breaking or pruning roots to encourage faster recovery.
Speaking of recovery, the best time to relocate an Alocasia Odora houseplant is spring or summer. During these seasons, the plant is actively growing and can survive repotting.
Seasonal Care Tips For Alocasia Odora
Alocasia Odora will need special care throughout the year. Its fertilizer and water needs, in particular, can change depending on the season.
Follow the regular weekly water schedule during spring and summer. Keep feeding the plant with diluted liquid fertilizer once every month as well.
However, like most tropical flora, Alocasia Odora goes dormant during fall and winter. So, the houseplant won’t need as much watering as the temperature starts to drop. Stop feeding fertilizer altogether.
Relocating the Alocasia Odora indoors is best in regions with extreme freezing temperatures before the first frost hits. If planted outside, layering thick mulch around the plant should protect the roots from freezing.
Alocasia Odora FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Alocasia Odora that you might find interesting:
How to propagate Alocasia Odora plants?
There are three methods to propagate plants from the Alocasia Odora species: division, corm, and bulb planting. But the most common way gardeners use to propagate the flora is division.
What family do Alocasia Odora plants belong to?
Alocasia Odora is one of the Araceae types, a family of flowering plants. Members of the aroid family have distinctive foliage, often sporting showy and attractive leaves.
How long do Alocasia Odora plants live?
Alocasia Odora can live for up to two years as an indoor plant. But they can last up to ten years when planted outside and under optimal conditions.
What are common pests and plant diseases for Alocasia Odora plants?
Alocasia Odora plants are extra sensitive to their water requirements. As such, they’re usually susceptible to root rot and leaf blight.
Because they prefer humidity and warm climates, spider mites, mealybugs, and aphids are also common issues.
How to tell if the Alocasia Odora plant is not growing?
As a plant that prides itself in its gorgeous foliage, the leaves are your signpost for a growing Alocasia Odora. If the houseplant is unhealthy, it exhibits symptoms like small leaves and thin stems, weak stems.
Are Alocasia Odora plants poisonous?
Yes, Alocasia Odora plants are poisonous and toxic to pets and humans. They contain oxalate crystals, which can cause lung and stomach issues when chewed or ingested.
How to help the Alocasia Odora plant grow?
Watch out for common problems like yellowing, browning, and drooping leaves when growing an Alocasia Odora houseplant. Providing enough pot space, sunlight, and water is essential to prevent such issues from developing.