About
Alocasia reginula, the black velvet, is a small "jewel" alocasia from Sabah, Malaysia, that became a popular houseplant around 2018–2020. It is a natural species, not a hybrid.
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
- Shade, as on its deeply shaded native cliffs.
- 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
- Very free-draining mix; dense media cause rot.
- 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
Distribution & habitat
Dry, deeply shaded limestone cliffs in Tabin Wildlife Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia.
Cultivation notes
Needs very sharp drainage or it is likely to rot; plants sold in dense potting mix benefit from being repotted into a looser substrate.
History & etymology
Originally described from cultivated plants sold as ‘Black Velvet’; its wild origin was little known until about 2021.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Malaysia
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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