About
Alocasia fornicata is a rhizomatous aroid of Indochina and the Indian subcontinent. Its spadix is cooked as a seasonal vegetable in north-east India.
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
- All parts, including the spadix, contain needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals (raphides) that can damage the mouth and throat; the spadix is eaten in north-east India only after cooking.
- 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
Grows about 60–90 cm tall with slightly pink petioles, broad triangular leaves and a horizontal stolon.
Distribution & habitat
Indochina and the Indian subcontinent.
History & etymology
Known as baibing in Mizo; the spadix is cooked in Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- India
- IUCN status
- Least concern
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.
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