Care

Question

My Alocasia macrorrhiza doesn’t seem to be doing very well. I have repotted it and I follow the care instructions. The leaves are yellowing and they don’t seem happy. The plant itself is not growing in height. I have also seen some gnats in the soil. Could I have some advice please?

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Answer 1

I have included a good article below about its needs, but a few things stand out. Since you are seeing gnats, that may mean the soil is too moist or is not well drained. Do you have a pot within an outer pot situation? If not, that would be ideal. If this container does not have drainage holes, you could be looking at root rot. Only water when the top 2 or 3 inches of soil is dry. Also, indoor alocasia need high humidity. The article below tells how to increase it. It also needs bright light, but not necessarily direct sunlight, however, some morning sun may be beneficial to get it growing. Here is more:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/elephant-ear/growing-elephant-ears-indoors.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/how-to-fix-waterlogged-plant-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/elephant-ear/elephant-ear-plant-types.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/fungus-gnats.htm