Alocasia princeps
Princeps Shield Alocasia
Typical UK price
£27
Limited data
Price by size
- Sold, 90 days
- 0
- Middle half
- -
- Last sold
- 23 Jul 2026
- On record
- 1
Cutting/cormEstimate
7cm1 sold
12cmEstimate
MatureEstimate
- Sale
- Typical
- Middle half
- Estimate
for a 7cm pot
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Recent UK sales
For sale in the UK
By month
| Month | Median | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | £27 | 1 |
Before you buy
- Check the corm is firm; a soft or shrunken corm indicates dehydration or rot and is very difficult to recover
- Verify there is at least one established leaf; avoid bare corms from unknown sellers unless you have experience germinating alocasia corms
- Spider mites are the most common pest: inspect leaf undersides for fine webbing or stippling, especially in dry indoor environments
- Alocasias can enter dormancy when stressed by shipping. A plant arriving with no leaves but a firm corm is not necessarily dead
About Alocasia princeps
Alocasia princeps is an Alocasia species native to Borneo. It has erect, triangular, shield-shaped (sagittate) leaves with strongly undulated, wavy margins and deep purplish-green to copper undersides. The petioles are often mottled or striped. It grows from a central corm, forming an upright clump, and needs high humidity and bright indirect light.
Native range
Borneo
Classification
- Genus
- Alocasia
- Family
- Araceae
- Type
- Wild
- Growth habit
- Erect, clump-forming
Morphology
- Leaf shape
- SagittateArrowhead-shaped leaves, with pointed lobes at the base pointing downwards., triangular, wavy margins
- Leaf length
- 25-40cm
- Leaf width
- 15-25cm
- Petiole colour
- Mottled purplish-brown and green
- Venation
- Prominent green
- Texture
- Coriaceous, matte to semi-glossy
- Variegation
- None
- Growth habit
- Upright basal clump
Alocasia princeps care
- Substrate
- Well-draining loamy mix: 40% potting compost, 30% perlite, 20% orchid bark, 10% worm castings. Alocasias need moisture retention unlike most aroids but still require good drainage.
- Watering
- Keep evenly moist during the growing season: never waterlogged, never bone dry. Check soil every 3–4 days in summer. Reduce significantly in winter when growth slows.
- Humidity
- 60–80%. Lower humidity causes brown leaf edges; very low humidity combined with dry compost will trigger dormancy.
- Feeding
- Balanced fertiliser at half strength every 2 weeks during spring and summer. Stop feeding in winter.
- Repotting
- Every 12–18 months in spring. Alocasias like being slightly snug in their pots, so don't overpot.
Common problems
Leaves yellowing and dropping
Cause: Overwatering, cold temperatures, or natural dormancy
Fix: Reduce watering; ensure temperatures stay above 16°C; dormancy is normal in winter
Brown leaf edges
Cause: Low humidity or irregular watering
Fix: Increase humidity and maintain consistent watering routine
Spider mites
Cause: Most common pest; thrive in hot, dry conditions
Fix: Mist regularly; treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap; increase humidity
Gear for this plant
- Flowers of Sulphur, 99.99% PurityDusted onto a fresh corm or rhizome cut to guard against rot before repotting.
- Precision Bonsai Pruning Scissors, 200mmFine-bladed snips for clean node cuts when taking a cutting.
- Humidity Dome, Heavy-Duty Germination KitVented propagation dome for holding humidity around fresh cuttings.
- Digital Hygrometer & ThermometerLCD humidity and temperature gauge for checking a grow spot against a plant's target range.
How to propagate Alocasia princeps
- Methods
- Offset (corm/pup), Corm division. Step-by-step guide
- Difficulty
- Easy. Forgiving of missed waterings, average home humidity, and imperfect light. A solid pick for beginners or low-fuss collections.
- Time to establish
- 3-6 months
- Notes
- Wait for the mother plant to produce corms or pups before dividing. Larger, well-established plants produce offsets most readily. Alocasias do not propagate reliably from stem cuttings.