Although his family members hail from the deep, dark forests of Borneo, we've had these Cupreas in our homes since around 1850, so long ago. Big, wide, oval leaves are upholstered in silver leather with deeply carved seams in a purply grey curving out from the burly midrib to the leaf edges. A deep Vee cuts the top of the leaves down to where the pale, green stems attach. Cuprea is Latin for copper, describing the lovely, rich copper sheen that can wash over the leaves. Plum colored undersides of the leaf and their quilted aspect makes them pretty to look at too. Reaching around 1' to 2' or so height in your home, not so tall, but the leaves can get just huge at 2' long! Our juveniles are smaller scale but just wait. Alocasias can go into an occasional dormancy in winter mostly, and may lose leaves, but don't worry; keep that pot, water sparingly, and wait for them to resprout.
Quick Care Guide:
- Water - Med/High (4): Prefers more water than most, but soil can dry out periodically. Use a spray bottle to mist and increase humidity levels without soaking the soil and roots.
- Light - Medium (3): Plant prefers natural, diffused light. Can be placed in a spacious living room. Indirect light preferred. No direct sunlight on leaves.
- Difficulty - Medium (3): Not too difficult to keep happy, but does require some attention.