Looking to add a jungle-themed touch to your Alocasia cuprea living room? Then you can consider adding a tropical Alocasia Cuprea. These Bornean plants will become a naturally aesthetic addition to your living space.
After considering the plant purchase, you may first wonder about how to care of Alocasia Cuprea. You may need to give this pretty perennial a bit of attention. The care requirements can be tasking for beginner plant owners.
Nevertheless, between average watering sessions and providing some well-draining soil, your plant will thrive in no time.
Stick around to learn more about how to take care of Alocasia Cuprea and more facts about the exotic plant.
What Are Alocasia Cuprea Plants?
Alocasia Cuprea plants are evergreen perennials native to South-East Asia, particularly Borneo. The tender plant is considered rhizomatous.
In simpler words, it means that it has creeping rootstalk or an underground part that can grow an additional plant’s root and shoot system. Interestingly, this indicates that Alocasia Cuprea are asexually capable plants.
Common Names for Alocasia Cuprea
Alocasia Cuprea is the plant’s scientific name. Botanists and other growers have given the plant other common names based on its physical characteristics.
The tropical plant’s leaves are seemingly glistening and large, which is why one of the common names of the plant is Jewel Alocasia.
Alocasia Cuprea’s shiny foliage has garnered a similarly referenced name, also known as, the Mirror Plant.
Apart from that, Alocasia Cuprea plants come in several varieties. One of which is nicknamed Alocasia Cuprea Red Secret due to its reddish tint.
Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Vascular Plant or Tracheophytes
- Division: Angiosperms
- Class: Monocots
- Subclass: Arecidae
- Order: Arales
- Family: Araceae
- Genus: Alocasia
- Species: Alocasia Cuprea
Appearance and Characteristics
Alocasia Cuprea is characterized by its tropical appearance. The plant is fitted with stiff and large arrow-shaped leaves. Aside from that, its second name, Cuprea, comes from the Bornean plant’s coppery-colored exterior.
Speaking of foliage color, Alocasia Cuprea’s upperside is mixed with hues of dark coppery greens. Meanwhile, its underside appears dark purple and red.
The leaves’ symmetrical veins are prominently dark. In terms of size, the leaves can extend between 8 to 24 inches in length. The plant’s overall height can reach around 24 inches or so.
Yes, you read that right. Alocasia Cuprea leaves can sometimes outgrow the plant’s overall height.
How to Care for Alocasia Cuprea – Quick Summary
To care for Alocasia Cuprea, you’ll want to focus on keeping the plant in partial or indirect shade. Regarding its watering schedule, keep the perennial plant watered twice every week in summer and spring and once every week in winter and fall.
The most essential care requirement for Alocasia Cuprea is high humidity levels, which can be achieved with a humidifier.
Apart from that, its soil should be well-draining and fertilized, specifically during the growing season. Lastly, try to keep the plant’s leaves clean with a monthly wipe-down.
How to Care for Alocasia Cuprea
Since Alocasia Cuprea plants come from equatorial regions, you’ll want to try to mimic their environment.
Generally speaking, the plant can survive in US hardiness zones 3 to 11. Nevertheless, if some of the plant’s requirements aren’t fulfilled, such as high-humidity levels, it won’t grow as well.
Apart from that, check out our detailed Alocasia Cuprea care guide below for more info.
Sunlight
Like most tropical plants, the Mirror Plant isn’t a fan of direct light. In their native environment, they grew under the shades of large jungle trees with some light seeping through. The harsh UV rays could end up scorching or fading the plant’s beautifully variegated leaves.
Now, that doesn’t mean the plant can do without any sunlight. Partial shading or indirect light will give the Alocasia Cuprea enough benefits to produce chlorophyll.
The latter is responsible for maintaining the plant’s green color. Without it, your plant may not survive. In terms of placement, the best regions are north or east-facing windows.
If your living area doesn’t allow much natural light to come through, you can always resort to artificial lighting methods.
Watering
To avoid underwatering or overwatering your Jewel Alocasia, you’ll want to stick your finger in the topsoil’s first two inches. If your finger comes out moist, then the plant doesn’t need more water, and vice versa.
Overwatering the plant can suffocate it since you’re basically drowning it and leaving no traces of oxygen. Like us, these plants need to breathe. Eventually, too much water can also cause root rot complications.
As a reference, you can water the Alocasia Cuprea twice or thrice every week in the summer months. Meanwhile, as it gets cooler in the winter and fall, once every one or two weeks should quench the Alocasia Cuprea’s thirst.
Temperature
When it comes to temperature requirements, Alocasia Cuprea can withstand some coolness. They can flourish in temperatures ranging between 50 to 85 degrees F during the day. Meanwhile, at night, the plant can survive best around 54 to 65 degrees F.
If temperatures get too cold, then the Jewel Alocasia will experience stunted growth and hibernate in this dormancy phase.
That being said, placement is critical, which means you want to keep the Cuprea away from radiators and air conditioners. Otherwise, they might dry out from the excess air.
Humidity
When it comes to humidity, Alocasia Cuprea need it all. As plants originally grown in the moisture-rich environment of rainforests, the Mirror Plants can get thirsty easily. They need to live in an environment with at least 80% humidity.
Now, chances are, your living or bedroom area probably isn’t naturally this humid. Otherwise, you’d be sweating up a storm. Unless you’re thinking of placing the plant in your bathroom, here are some methods that can help you attain this high moisture level.
Invest in a Humidifier
This is the easiest no-nonsense method of keeping your Alocasia Cuprea happily humid. All you have to do is set the device to the desired level and you’re good to go.
Group Your Plants
If you happen to already own other houseplants, then you can keep them cozied up together. The grouped plants can give off enough humidity for your Cuprea plant to survive.
Use a Pebble Tray
Alternatively, you can use a pebble tray to keep the houseplant well-nourished. The setup is simple. All you have to do is get a tray and fill it evenly with pebbles. Then, fill the pebble tray with enough water so that it doesn’t go above the pebbles.
Place the potted Alocasia Cuprea on top. Make sure to keep the pot above the water level. Otherwise, you’ll risk sogging up the soil underneath. Overall, this method should effectively provide a humid-rich environment for the Mirror Plant.
Cleaning
Just like any other surface in your home, your houseplant can also be prone to dust build-up. That being so, dust particles tend to cover too much of the leaves’ surface area and clog their pores. These small holes are where the plant gathers its light nutrients from.
This is why you’ll want to wipe off or rinse the leaves every month to keep the growing conditions stable.
Fertilizer
Alocasia Cuprea plants enjoy a nutrient-rich diet during their growing season or summer and spring. After purchasing an all-purpose fertilizer, dilute it to half-strength. Afterward, feed it to the Cuprea every month or two.
Aside from that, you don’t need to fertilize the plant during the winter and fall. Over-fertilizing can cause too much salt in your soil and burn the Alocasia Cuprea’s leaves.
Soil
Since Alocasia Cuprea is prone to overwatering, sticking with well-draining soil is your best bet. That way, all the excess water will be filtered out and your houseplant can get its proper oxygen intake.
The most ideal soil approach you can take is mixing perlite and peat moss. Alternatively, you can substitute peat moss with coconut coir. This is a nutrient-dense soil mix, albeit, it’s a little pricier than peat moss.
That being said, the perlite ingredient is composed of volcanic rock which helps drain any excess moisture from the plant’s soil.
Repotting
After a couple of years in its first pot, your Alocasia Cuprea is ready for a bigger home. You’ll only need to get a pot one or two sizes bigger than its original pot.
Getting an oversized pot can risk issues like overwatering since the mix may take a longer time to absorb the water. After you take out the plant from its old pot, be sure to use a new soiling mix for its new pot.
Having said that, the best time to repot Alocasia Cuprea plants is during spring. During that time, it’s at its healthiest and strongest to handle a repotting.
Growing in Garden
If you’re growing your Alocasia Cuprea in the garden, then placement is everything. The optimal region should be shaded, preferably under a tree. You can group it with other plants to keep the humidity levels high.
During the cold months, you may want to think about transferring the plant indoors to avoid any frost damage. Other than that, if your area isn’t humid enough, then you might want to reconsider keeping it outdoors.
How and When to Prune Alocasia Cuprea
The good news Alocasia Cuprea should require little maintenance in the pruning section. Pruning season runs annually and usually begins at the start of spring.
During this time, inspect the plant for any yellowing, discolored, damaged, or withered leaves and stems. On top of that, check your houseplant’s roots for any potential rot. Next, sterilize a pair of pruning shears to avoid any infections then cut off all the dying parts of the plant.
Overall, pruning promotes healthy growth since it allows the Mirror Plant to point its energy away from damaged areas. Plus, it controls any bacterial growth that may emerge from the roots.
Problems with Alocasia Cuprea Plants
Alocasia Cuprea plants are prone to developing some diseases which can become fatal when not treated fast. Here are some of the problems below.
Pests
With 24-inch leaves, it’s hard for pets to deny themselves a tasty meal from your Alocasia Cuprea. Some of these pests include mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites.
You can treat your leaves with insecticide soap and neem oil to get rid of these pests. To prevent any future damage, try to regularly inspect the plant’s leaves on both sides.
Root Rot
Root rot affects all kinds of plants. The culprit? Overwatering. The sogging soil created the perfect environment for bacteria and fungi to live in. In more severe cases, the rot can extend to the plant’s stems and crown.
You’ll notice root rot in your plant from the pungent smell. If you take out the plant, the infected roots are much darker. That said, if you see that most of the roots are affected, then the plant needs to be disposed of.
If some roots are still surviving, you’ll want to prune the damaged ones and get rid of the infected soil. Next, repot the plant with a new soil mix. In addition to this, makes sure to treat the houseplant with a fungicide.
Leaf Spot
Leaf spotting in Alocasia Cuprea is, more often than not, caused by a bacterial illness named Xanthomonas Leaf Spot.
This bacterial disease originates from soggy soil. It’s only able to enter a plant’s system through open wounds, which is why the leaves appear spotty.
The main solution is to prune the leaves as soon as you can. Additionally, use a copper-based fungicide to prevent the spread of infection.
How to Propagate Alocasia Cuprea Plants
One Alocasia Cuprea can get lonely. Luckily, you can grow Alocasia cuprea by propagating it from the original plant. You can propagate the plant by using a root division method. Here’s how to go about it.
- Gently remove the plant from its soil and expose the root.
- Shake off any baby offsets or trim a clump of roots with sterilized pruning shears.
- Place the original plant back in its pot.
- Prepare a new pot for the baby offset or clump of roots with a pH-neutral soil mix.
- Plant the baby offset or roots in the pile of soil.
- Treat it like a mature Alocasia Cuprea and you should see it grow after a few weeks.
Why Should You Grow an Alocasia Cuprea?
Growing an Alocasia Cuprea indoors will add a pop of natural color and bring your living area to life. If you choose to grow it outdoors, it can add a purplish hue to your greenery.
Aside from the aesthetic value of owning an Alocasia Cuprea, the plant also brings health benefits. It helps decrease air pollution levels in your home by getting rid of carbon monoxide and other air pollutants.
Facts About Alocasia Cuprea
Aside from the benefits of owning An Alocasia Cuprea, let’s get into some facts.
How Big Does an Alocasia Cuprea Get?
Alocasia Cuprea plants are considerably small only growing between 12 to 18 inches.
What Are Alocasia Cuprea Good For?
The Mirror Plant provides a unique touch to your indoor area. Plus, it helps cleanse the air from most pollutants.
Are Alocasia Cuprea Poisonous?
While not necessarily poisonous, the calcium oxalate crystals in the plant can cause nausea, mouth pain, diarrhea, and vomiting when ingested or even chewed.
Are Alocasia Cuprea Poisonous to Pets?
Yes, Alocasia Cuprea are highly dangerous to pets. The calcium oxalate crystals can irritate the GI tract or mouth. In severe cases, the compound can cause swelling in the upper airways and block off your pets’ breathing.
How Fast Do Alocasia Cuprea Grow?
As a slow grower, Alocasia Cuprea can take up to five to eight years to fully mature.
Common FAQs
How much light do Alocasia Cuprea plants need?
Alocasia Cuprea plants need partial or indirect light.
What is special about Alocasia Cuprea plants?
Between their shiny appearance and large-sized foliage, these exotic plants add a jungle aesthetic to any room.
Are Alocasia Cuprea plants good indoor plants?
Yes, Alocasia Cuprea plants can grow well indoors provided they’re in a humid environment.
Can Alocasia Cuprea plants survive in low light?
No, the houseplant needs enough light to produce chlorophyll to maintain its coppery green color.
Why don’t Alocasia Cuprea plants grow?
Alocasia Cuprea don’t grow in winter or fall. On the other hand, it could be because they’re not receiving enough light or water sources.
Summary
Alocasia Cuprea are Bornean plants adorned with coppery green and purple foliage. The plant’s leaves are often larger than the plant itself. Caring for the Mirror Plant involves weekly and bi-weekly watering sessions in the summer and winter, respectively.
The Jewel Alocasia requires partial or indirect shade to grow healthily. As a tropical plant, Alocasia Cuprea needs to live in a moisture-rich environment.
Be sure to also watch out for any pests or disease symptoms lingering on the plant. The faster you notice and treat the plant the higher the chances of its survival.
Once these requirements are taken care of, you’ll enjoy a gorgeous houseplant kept far from children and pets.