Alocasia (Kris Plant / Elephant Ear): Care Guide for This Stunning Foliage Plant

The Stunning Alocasia

Alocasia, known as Kris Plant or Elephant Ear, is grown for its spectacular foliage — arrowhead or shield-shaped leaves with bold white veins contrasting against deep green. While it occasionally flowers, that's not the draw.

The main houseplant varieties are 'Polly' and 'Amazonica'. Scientifically, they're nearly identical — 'Amazonica' appeared in homes in the 1950s; 'Polly' is a smaller variant renamed for marketing. Side by side, only size differs.

Alocasia can be quite difficult to keep alive — it won't tolerate substandard care or incorrect conditions for long.

Some plants enter winter dormancy, dying back completely. This disappoints owners expecting year-round presence. Both challenges are manageable — don't let them deter you if you love the look.

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Alocasia Care Instructions

Light

Avoid direct sun and deep shade. Bright, indirect light — the middle ground — is essential.

Watering

Keep compost consistently moist — not dry, not soggy. Unlike most houseplants, the best approach is little and often. Tepid rainwater is ideal.

Humidity

Critical. As a tropical, it needs reasonable to high humidity. Dry air causes failure. See our humidity guide for solutions.

Feeding

Weak all-purpose feed monthly. Skip winter unless actively growing (new leaves emerging). Never feed during die-back dormancy.

Temperature

Warmth required: no lower than 15°C / 59°F year-round. Occasional dips tolerated; prolonged cold triggers dormancy.

Repotting

Only if offsets crowd the pot or it's outgrown. Spring is best.

Propagation

Remove offsets during spring repotting for best survival. Autumn repotting is tolerated but less ideal for propagation.

Speed of Growth

Moderate in long, warm days (summer).

Height / Spread

Indoors: up to 45 cm / 18 in in both dimensions.

Flowers

Occasional, insignificant. Focus on foliage.

Anything Else?

Dormancy trigger: shorter days + cooler temps. Move to a warmer spot as winter approaches to prevent it. If dormancy occurs: reduce watering drastically, stop feeding, resume care when new shoots appear in spring.

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