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Alocasia micholitziana 'Frydek' (Elephant's ear)

Photo/Illustration: Jennifer Benner

(Based on 3 user reviews)

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Hardiness Zones:

Botanical Name: Alocasia micholitziana 'Frydek'

Common Name: Elephant's ear Genus: Alocasia

Satiny deep green to black leaves and glowing white veins on 18-inch-long leaves make this elephant's ear great in containers, in a shady border, at the edge of a pond, or as a houseplant. It also has pale stalks with purplish banding. 'Frydek' is very tolerant of a range of soil pH, heat, humidity, and heavy soil. It can even take about a half day of sunlight.
Noteworthy characteristics: Emerald green, 18-inch, arrow-shaped leaves with prominent white veining that almost resembles a rib cage. 'Frydek' works well as a houseplant because it doesn't need a lot of light. Contact with sap may irritate skin.
Care: In the garden, this plant needs moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in partial shade. Indoors, grow in filtered light. Needs high humidity, and ample water and fertilizer during the growing season indoors.
Propagation: Sow seed at 73°F when ripe. Divide the rhizomes, or separate the offsets, in spring or summer. Root stem cuttings from spring to early summer.
Problems: Mealybugs and scale insects outdoors. Fungal and bacterial leaf diseases are common on indoor plants. During propagation, bacterial soft rot can occur.

Overview
User Reviews
Photos

Height	1 ft. to 3 ft.
Growth Habit	Clumps
Growth Pace	Moderate Grower
Light	Part Shade Only
Moisture	Medium Moisture
Maintenance	Moderate
Characteristics	Showy Foliage
Foliage Color	Variegated Foliage
Uses	Beds and Borders, Container, Indoor Plant
Seasonal Interest	Summer Interest
Type	Perennials

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posted by bdegroot59
6/15/2009
Region: Southwest
Zone: 9

No matter where I put this plant, it died. I had purchased 3. In a pot in the shade, in the house, in the garden shade. All three died. I have 27 different types of "elephant ears" growing in my garden, this one doesn't like it here.

posted by sunlemon
8/28/2008
Region: Southeast
Zone: 7

Love the velvet foliage and that it can be use as a house plant. Just was introduce to the plant a few weeks ago.

posted by savetheplants
7/17/2008
Region: Southern California
Zone: 10

This plant is beautiful but challenging to care for (especially as a novice). It was repotted into a larger container with proper drainage; it is indoors and gets filtered sunlight + moderate tempurature all day long. I've tried trimming back those stems which appeared "sickly" (either drooping and/or miscolored brown spots developed). I'm not sure if cutting back the stems is good for the plant because none have grown back. But some intersected others and seemed to "choke" them off (the stems). Any suggestions?

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