Cultivation methods and precautions of black leaf Guanyin lotus

Growth habits of black leaf Alocasia

Black-leaved Alocasia is native to tropical Asia. It likes warm, humid and semi-shady environment. The soil in the pot needs to be kept moist in order for it to grow vigorously. When the plant is short of water, its leaves will become soft and droopy. As long as you water it as soon as possible, it will quickly return to its original healthy state. It is resistant to water and moisture, and also has a certain degree of drought resistance. The soil should be well-drained, fertile, loose leaf mold or peat soil. Black-leaf Alocasia is best grown under medium light, and should be avoided from strong sunlight. If exposed to the sun for a long time, the leaves may become rough, grayish, with blurred veins, and sometimes burn spots may appear on the leaves. The suitable temperature for the growth of black-leaf Alocasia is between 25 and 30°C, and the temperature in winter should not be lower than 15°C. Once the temperature drops below 15℃, growth may stagnate and the plant may enter a dormant state.

How to grow black leaf Guanyin lotus

Soil requirements

Potted black-leaf Alocasia usually uses a 15-20 cm high flowerpot as a growing container. It is best to put some gravel bricks at the bottom of the flowerpot to increase the permeability of the Alocasia odora. The soil should preferably be well-drained, fertile, loose leaf mold or peat soil.

Temperature and light conditions

Because the black-leaf Alocasia prefers warm and semi-shaded growth conditions, it should be avoided from strong sunlight exposure. The suitable temperature for growth is between 25~30℃, and the wintering temperature is above 15℃.

Humidity conditions

Keeping the soil moist is one of the necessary conditions for the growth of black leaf Alocasia. , the air humidity should be maintained at 70%~80%, which is conducive to the growth and development of leaves. When watering frequently, remember to control the amount to avoid root rot due to long-term waterlogging.

Fertilization

During the vigorous growth period from May to September, fertilizer should be applied once every half month. Choose decomposed thin liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer with low nitrogen and high phosphorus and potassium.

Black leaf Guanyin lotus cultivation precautions

Pest control

Common damage is gray mold. In the early stage of the disease, spray with 1000 times diluted 59% thiophanate wettable powder.

Stem rot is a disease that is prone to occur in high temperature and high humidity environments. When this kind of symptoms appear on black leaf Alocasia odora, spray it with 1000 times diluted 70% methyl thiophanate wettable powder.

The insect pests include aphids, which spread mosaic disease through contact. They can be killed by spraying with 1000 times diluted 40% oxydemeton-methyl emulsifiable concentrate.

In addition, there are pests such as fall armyworm and cabbage looper, which can be killed by spraying 3000 times diluted 10% insecticide emulsion.

Toxic Damage

Black leaf Alocasia odora has certain toxicity. If ingested by mistake, symptoms of poisoning such as vomiting and diarrhea will occur. When maintaining it, be careful to prevent children or uninformed people from accidentally ingesting it or taking it in through other channels.

Leaf aesthetics

The leaves of the black-leaf Alocasia odora are large and thin, with fewer leaves and are easily damaged. Therefore, you should pay more attention to the growth of the leaves. The growth position of each leaf of the potted plant needs to be reasonable. During the cultivation process, you can adjust the arrangement direction of the leaves appropriately. According to the growth conditions and preference for appearance, you can trim the leaves appropriately to keep the black-leaf Alocasia high in beauty.