Alocasia 'Purple Sword'

Description: Alocasia 'Purple Sword' is known for its striking foliage, featuring long, narrow leaves with a vibrant purple underside. This contrast of colors, along with its upright growth habit, makes it a unique and eye-catching addition to any indoor plant collection.

🌿 Botanical Name: Alocasia 'Purple Sword'

🐾 Pet Warning: Toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, causing oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and lips, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. It's advisable to keep this plant out of reach of pets.

💧 Care Level: Moderate. Alocasia 'Purple Sword' has specific care requirements, especially in terms of humidity, watering, and light, but can be manageable with consistent care and attention.

📏 Approximate Size: Alocasia 'Purple Sword' can grow to about 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) in height and width. Its elongated, sword-like leaves are a deep green with a distinctive purple underside, giving the plant its name.

🌞 Light: Prefers bright, indirect light but can tolerate medium light levels. Direct sunlight should be avoided as it can scorch the leaves, while insufficient light may lead to less vibrant leaf coloration.

💧 Water: Keep the soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Water when the top inch of soil begins to dry out, using distilled or rainwater to prevent leaf spotting from tap water minerals.

💦 Humidity: Requires high humidity levels to thrive. Employ a humidifier, mist the plant regularly, or place it on a pebble tray with water to increase the ambient humidity around the plant.

🌡️ Temperature: Thrives in warm conditions, with ideal temperatures ranging from 65°F to 85°F (18°C to 29°C). Protect from temperatures below 60°F (15°C), as cold can adversely affect the plant.

❄️ Hardiness: Not frost-tolerant and best grown as an indoor plant in most climates, or outdoors in tropical climates where temperatures remain within its ideal range.

🌱 Fertilizing: Fertilize every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season with a balanced, liquid fertilizer diluted to half the recommended strength. Reduce fertilizing during the winter months.

🔄 Re-potting: Re-pot in the spring every 1 to 2 years, using a well-draining potting mix rich in organic matter. Choose a pot that is only slightly larger than the current one, as 'Purple Sword' prefers not to be too root-bound.

🌱 Propagation: Propagate through division during repotting. Ensure each division includes at least one growth point for successful propagation. Careful handling is required to ensure the health of both the parent and new plants.