Alocasia (African mask plant)
Alocasia × mortfontanensis
- Wants
- Bright indirect
- Tolerates
- Bright direct down to medium
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Pets
- Not safe
Why it wants that
Its parents are understorey aroids that hold huge, thin blades to catch what light gets through a canopy; that much surface area cooks in direct sun and cannot be repaired, so bright-but-filtered is the whole design.
Too little light
It stops replacing leaves - each new blade emerges smaller and the plant runs down its leaf count, since it sheds old leaves whether or not it can afford new ones.
Too much
Blades scorch - NC State: 'Direct sunlight can scorch its leaves.' Because it carries so few leaves, one burnt blade is a visible fraction of the whole plant.