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This is an unusual and quite rare aroid in the group known as Jewel Alocasias because of its small size, growing slowing to a maximum of about 40cm in height (compared to the elephant ear species).
Alocasia venusta has with slender, slightly stiff, and boat-shaped leaves. The upper leaf surface is dark green with darker green near the main leaf veins and a paler green beneath. Its specific name, venusta, means beautiful.
It comes from a small region of Sarawak (Borneo Island), where it grows as a lithophyte on limestone in primary rainforest. This growth habit means that its roots are regularly wet and then dried.
It gets its nutrients from rainwater and decaying plant material around it rather than from soil. It receives scattered light through the canopy and high humidity at all times.
These features of its natural habitat tell us that the mix must be very well aerated and preferably slightly alkaline. A mix with orchid bark, perlite and sand mixed into quality potting mix and a dash of dolomite would do nicely. Alocasia venusta must not have continuously wet roots so the mix must be allowed to dry down before watering again. Fertilising should be regular but dilute. It does best in bright indirect light and high humidity (>50%) and good air movement.
The most common pests of alocasias are spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. To avoid rots and leaf spots, do not overwater the plant and maintain good air movement.
Like other aroids, Alocasia venusta contains calcium oxalate crystals and is toxic to pets and humans.
Epipremnum aureum is a reliable houseplant, often known as pothos, which was its original generic name. It is considered one of the best air-purifying plants. ‘Marble Queen’ is a particularly beautiful cultivar with green heart-shaped leaves heavily splashed and streaked with creamy white.Â
Epipremnum aureum is an evergreen vine that climbs up trees by attaching its roots to the tree. In nature the vines can grow to over 20m long and mature leaves will be pinnately lobed. In cultivation, the vines seldom reach such lengths, and the foliage remains in the juvenile, entire form. The vines can be trained up a totem, trailed along a shelf or left to hang from a basket.
Although Epipremnum aureum originated from the island of Mo’orea near Tahiti, its adaptability means that it has naturalised all over the world.
‘Marble Queen’ has a lot of white in the leaves, so it is susceptible to sunburn. Bright, indirect light is best to maintain the variegation. If the new leaves are more solid green, then the plant needs more light. The extensive variegation means that the plant has that much less chlorophyll to manufacture food, so growth of ‘Marble Queen’ is slower than other cultivars.
Water the mix after it has dried down about 5cm from the top. Fertilise with dilute fertiliser when the plant is in active growth. It is more tolerant of lower humidity than most aroids, but if the leaves start to turn to turn brown around the edges, it is necessary to increase the humidity around your plant.
To avoid rots and leaf spots, do not overwater the plant and maintain good air movement. The worst pests are mealybugs and spider mites.
Like other aroids, ‘Marble Queen’ contains calcium oxalate crystals and is toxic to pets and humans.
About 200 species formerly in Calathea, including makoyana, have been reclassified to Geoppertia, leaving about 60 in Calathea. For the purposes of these notes, we will use the familiar name.
This is a beautiful plant with light green leaves with a spotted and feathered pattern of dark green. It is slow growing but eventually will clump up into a specimen plant (up to 0.5m tall). Like other prayer plants, its leaves raise and lower in response to changing light conditions.
Calathea makoyana is native to Brazil in South America, where it grows in the rainforests with no direct sunlight, warm temperatures, ample rain, and relatively poor soil.
Grow your Calathea makoyana in medium indirect light. Plant it in a well-draining yet moisture-retentive mix (for example coir peat plus perlite or African violet mix) and water as soon as the top few centimetres of mix are dry. Fertilise regularly with a weak solution of fertiliser while the plant is in active growth. It is intolerant of low humidity, so you will have to find ways to increase the humidity around your plant. Grouping your plants together is an effective way to raise the humidity slightly (and get that jungle look) but a humidifier may be necessary. It needs warm temperatures, so keep it above about 16°C and out of drafts.
Only repot every few years in spring as it does not tolerate disturbance well. Do not remove all the old mix from around the roots, just loosen the roots slightly and move the root ball into a slightly larger container and backfill. This is the time to divide the divide the plant if required.
Spider mites are the most common pests, especially when the humidity is low. Aphids and mealybugs are also common. Brown edges to the leaves indicate low humidity, dry soil, excess fertiliser, or direct sunlight. Leaves that are dull and faded and losing the pattern, indicate that the light is too bright. The leaves can discolour or develop leaf spots due to fungal infection if the leaves get wet and cold. Wipe the leaves with a soft damp cloth occasionally to keep the plant looking good and to check for any incipient pest problems.
Calathea makoyana is not toxic and safe for people, cats, and dogs.
(Epipremnum Cebu Blue, Variegated Wax Ivy & Philodendron Birkin)
(Syngonium Fantasy, Calathea Insignis & Fittonia Firetail)
(Scindapsus Pictus Argyraeus, Calathea Ornata, Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma)
(Ludisia Discolor – Jewel Orchid, Syngonium Fantasy, Dieffenbachia Compacts)
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damaged or not to your satisfaction please notify us within 7 days of delivery, and we will offer you a replacement, refund or credit. We’ve got your back! Click here to read more about our Guarantee.
With more than 50,000 happy online customer orders fulfilled, we pride ourselves on hand delivering the best quality plants to your door. As a living thing, incidents can happen though so if any item arrives damaged or not to your satisfaction please notify us within 7 days of delivery, and we will offer you a replacement, refund or credit. We’ve got your back! Click here to read more about our Guarantee.
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