Alocasia wentii

Alocasia wentii, commonly known as Hardy Elephant Ear, is a robust species native to New Guinea. It is famous for its large, broadly ovate leaves that display a dual coloration. The upper surface is a glossy, deep green with a metallic sheen, while the underside features a deep, metallic purple-bronze or reddish-purple hue. The leaves are supported by thick, fleshy light-green petioles rising from a robust subterranean rhizome tuber.

Native range

Native to the highlands and rainforest understories of New Guinea.

Classification

Genus

Alocasia

Family

Araceae

Type

Wild

Growth habit

Upright, clumping, rhizomatous

Morphology

Leaf shape

Broadly ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base. to cordateHeart-shaped foliage, featuring a rounded notch (sinus) where the leaf stem attaches.

Leaf length

30-50cm

Leaf width

20-35cm

Petiole colour

Thick light green

Venation

Deeply grooved primary green veins

Texture

Leathery, thick, metallic sheen

Variegation

Purple-bronze leaf undersides

Growth habit

Upright clumping