Height of the plant is about 2ft

Alocasia Hilo Beauty Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Alocasia Hilo Beauty needs medium to bright indirect light to maintain its beautiful leaf colors. This is because it is a variegated alocasia plant.

As such, the non-green sections of its leaves do not contribute to the photosynthesis process.

This means that the plant needs more light compared to its solid-green leaved counterparts since fewer parts of its leave absorb light.

If you leave the plant in insufficient light, you’ll soon notice it begin to lose some of its variegations and turn more green. This is how to the plant will respond to lack of light.

It will produce more chlorophyll, which will turn some of the yellow variegations green in order to absorb light.

Because survival is more important than looks, it will sacrifice the former in time of difficult.

This also means that the darker the location, the more green the leaves will become. Sometimes, you’ll see the plant revert to having all green foliage as well.

Thus, avoid low light as much as possible with your Alocasia Hilo Beauty.

On the other hand, very strong light is also something it cannot tolerant.

If you leave the plant in direct sunlight for more than 2 hours a day, its leaves will likewise become pale and discolored. In some cases, it will burn the leaves as well leaving you with brown or black marks.

Therefore, keep the plant away from the sun’s rays during mid-day or summer.

 

Temperature

The Alocasia Hilo Beauty is a tropical plant that enjoys temperature between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It will likewise be okay with hotter environments even up to 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, because the plant does not see winter in its native habitat, it cannot withstand much of the cold.

The plant is neither cold or frost hardy.

In fact, it does not like being left in temperature below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Here, you’ll see its growth slow, and the plant will struggle.

The longer it stays there or the further the temperature drops, the more problems the Alocasia Hilo Beauty will experience.

This means that it is a good idea to keep the plant away from air conditioners and areas with cold drafts indoors.

Outdoors, it is important to bring it inside once the weather gets colder around fall. The plant will not get through the winter outdoors.

Instead, it prefers USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11 where the sun is always up and the weather is warm throughout the year. in these locations, the Hilo Beauty Elephant Ear can be left outdoors all year round without any fear or cold injury or problems.

 

Humidity

Because it is native to tropical regions, the plant enjoys moderate to high humidity. It prefers humidity of 50% and higher. And this is where it will grow the fastest and produce its best looking foliage

That said. It can tolerate humidity lower than 50% with no harm. But be careful going much lower than 40% as the plant may have a hard time coping.

The main sign to look for is brown, crispy leaf tips and edges.

When you see this developing, it means that plant needs more air moisture.

But as long as this does not happen, it means that it does not mind the humidity in your home or that specific room.

Do note that humidity does change along with the weather. So, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for how much it drops during winter, which usually brings dry air.

In case your home’s humidity is too low for the Hilo Beauty Elephant Ear, you can use a humidifier or set up a humidifying tray.

Another option is to mist the plant. Although, you’ll need to do this 2 or 3 times a week to keep moisture in the air.

You can likewise give the plant a shower every couple of weeks or move it to the bathroom.

 

How Often to Water Alocasia Hilo Beauty

Allow the soil to dry between waterings. This will prevent overwatering and the possibility of root rot.

Like many aroids, the Alocasia Hilo Beauty enjoys slightly moist soil. However, it cannot tolerate wet feet. In fact, it is a bad idea to let the plant sit in water for extended periods of time as this can lead to root rot.

Instead, allow the top 2-3 inches of soil try dry before adding more water.

Doing so will allow the roots to stay in moist soil while reducing the risk of overwatering.

It is also worth noting that how often you water your Alocasia Hilo Beauty will depend on the time of year.

During the summer, the warm weather will cause the soil to dry faster. Since the plant is growing during this time, you want to keep the soil moist.

Thus, the Hilo Beauty Elephant Ear will need regular watering.

Once to keep the soil from drying out. Two, to sustain the plant and give it the hydration it needs to grow fast.

On the other hand, the winter is the opposite.

The cold weather will leave the soil moist and wet longer. Additionally, the cold will also cause the plant to grow very little during this time.

In some cases, the plant may even go dormant.

As such, you want to cut back on water since the plant will not be absorbing much of it. In addition, the cold keeps the soil wet longer.

This increases the risk of overwatering. Therefore, allowing the soil to dry more between waterings is important to do during this time.

Fertilizer that I include as an option is an excellent choice for professional growers or nurseries if you grow plant in a pot. I personally use it for all my plants. It has polymer coating to allow slow release during 8-9 months evenly. You don't have to worry about repotting the plant for about 1 year or worry about burning plant with your regular over the counter fertilizer. 

You need about 3-4oz per 3 gal pot or 4-5oz per 5 gal pot.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS F1877

Total Nitrogen (N)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15%

8.0% Ammoniacal Nitrogen

7.0% Nitrate Nitrogen

Available Phosphate (P2O5)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9%

Soluble Potash (K2O)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12%

Magnesium (Mg)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3%

0.8% Water Soluble Magnesium (Mg)

Sulfur (S)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.9%

5.93% Combined Sulfur (S)

Boron (B). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.02%

Copper (Cu). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.05%

0.05% Water Soluble Copper (Cu)

Iron (Fe)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.46%

0.08% Water Soluble Iron (Fe)

0.005% Chelated Iron (Fe)

Manganese (Mn)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.06%

0.05% Water Soluble Manganese (Mn)

Molybdenum (Mo)**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.02%

Zinc (Zn). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.05%

0.017% Water Soluble Zinc (Zn)

Derived from: Polymer-Coated: Ammonium Nitrate,

Ammonium Phosphate, Potassium Sulfate, Magnesium

Sulfate, Sodium Borate, Iron Phosphate, Iron EDTA,

Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Molybdate, Zinc Sulfate;

Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide

Pictures show adult plant and its possible applications.

The pot is not included. Root ball of the plant comes in a plastic poly bag, sealed to maintain moisture for the 3 days that the plant is in transit.

Height of the plants is measured from the base of the root ball.

No returns, refunds or exchanges