Alocasia × chantrieri

RHS Plant Profile
Chantrier's elephant's ear plant

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Conservatory Greenhouse Houseplants

Alocasia x Chantrieri is a hybrid of (Alocasia Cuprea x Alocasia Sanderiana) is a rhizomatous, tropical perennial, grown for its dramatic and exotic looking foliage. Plants can reach 60cm tall, with leaves up to 1m long and 30cm wide. The leaves are an elongated heart-shape, with pronounced rear lobes, deep red on the undersides and glossy, dark green on the upper side, with pronounced light green veins. The leaf margins are gently wavy. Flowers consist of pale green sheath like spathe and a cream coloured spadix. These are of secondary interest, however, to the plant’s spectacular foliage

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H1A

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Araceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Clump forming
Potentially harmful
Harmful if eatenskin/eye irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Harmful if eatenskin/eye irritant/allergen - For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus
Alocasia are robust evergreen rhizomatous or tuberous perennials with large, usually peltate, leaves with conspicuous veins; insignificant flowering spathes may be followed by orange-red fruits
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass, grow in an open, ericaceous, well-drained, but moisture-retentive mix, which can include, ericaceous peat free compost, lava rock or pumice, fine fir bark and leafmould or chopped sphagnum moss, choosing a position in bright but diffused light. These plants prefer growing in a year round temperature, between 18-25C. During the growing season, allow the top 5cm of the compost to become just dry, before thoroughly watering the compost. Use clean rainwater at room temperature, if the tapwater in your area is hard, to avoid turning the compost alkaline, which would eventually become toxic to the plant. Avoid plants sitting in water which can cause the roots to rot. Apply a liquid houseplant fertiliser monthly during April to September. Water may be required less frequently in winter, when growth slows right down, and stop feeding until the spring. Repot every 2-3 years. See Alocasia and houseplant cultivation for further advice

Propagation

propagate by division once clumps are produced, or by division of the rhizome, potting the sections up individually to root and grow on

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Houseplants
  • Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects, glasshouse red spider mite and mealy bugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free