Alocasia Purple Sword - Alocasia Lauyetbachiana
The purple sword is a species of flowering plant in the Araceae family native to Northern New Guinea & the Bismarck Archipelagos. Although this plant can reach 5feet tall in nature it only grows to about 3feet indoors.
Light - Alocasias love bright indirect light. They grow on the forest floor beneath the tree canopy so too much direct sun can cause the leaves to burn especially when it's our hot Alberta sun.
Water - Keep this plant evenly moist with weekly watering. Despite this plant loving moisture & humidity they do not like being in wet soggy soil allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between watering will help to ensure you don't over water your plant.
Pruning - The purple sword doesn't require too much pruning other then to keep the plant the shape you desire it. You can remove dead or crispy leaves whenever you see fit. Propagation is most successful by dividing one plant into two. Ensure you use clean sterile pruning shears. When dividing the plant you need to make sure it has nodes & at least 2-3 intact leaves. Pot it into new soil & watering it. Within a few weeks it should have its own established roots.
Toxicity - Alocasias are toxic if ingested. They can cause swelling of the digestive tract if enough is consumed best to keep them out of reach to small hands or our furry friends.
