About
Alocasia cuprea is a Bornean aroid named for the metallic copper sheen of its leaves.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Toxic to cats, dogs and horses: calcium oxalate crystals irritate the mouth and gut. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Calcium oxalate crystals cause painful irritation of the lips, mouth and throat if eaten, possibly with nausea and vomiting; sap can cause contact dermatitis. General guidance for the genus
- Light
- Dappled sun or partial shade (2–6 hours of direct sun). General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Water regularly but avoid waterlogging; overwatering leads to root rot and yellowing leaves. General guidance for the genus
- Temperature
- Grows best with daytime temperatures of about 20–25 °C (68–77 °F). General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Division of offsets. General guidance for the genus
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 10a–12b. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Leaves up to 60 cm long with a coppery upper surface, strongest on young leaves, and deep purple undersides; a greener form also exists.
Distribution & habitat
Native to the island of Borneo.
History & etymology
Brought to Europe in the 1850s by Thomas Lobb for Veitch Nurseries; still rare in cultivation.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Grows best with daytime temperatures of about 20–25 °C (68–77 °F).
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Crossed A. cuprea with another species?Register the cross. If it's not documented yet you'll be the first contributor; if someone already registered it, you'll be taken there to add your photo.