ALOCASIA brisbanensis - Elephant Ears

Alocasia brisbanensis commonly known as Elephant Ears or native lily is a popular house or understory plant with exceptionally large spade-shaped glossy green leaves. Fragrant creamy-greenish flowers followed by a cluster of red berries during the warmer months.

Native to the rainforests of Eastern Australia it has become a popular potted house plant, planted in the garden they can make a spectacular tropical look and reach up to 2 metre in height in ideal conditions.

Grow notes:

Although seed can be sown most of the year in many parts of Australia seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn, avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 18-22°C.

1. Soak seed in warm water overnight.
2. Sow in a mixture of peat moss and perlite in humid conditions.
3. Keep moist, and avoid drying out or over-watering.
4. Germination should start to occur in around 15-20 days at around 18-22°C.
5. Transplant to a sandier mix after the first leaves open and they are large enough to handle.

General note: Seeds of many species are dormant and require specific conditions or pre-treatment for germination.
Do not be too hasty to discard seed that does not germinate, seeds will often lay dormant until the conditions are similar to their natural requirements for germination to occur. Containers put to one side will often surprise long after they were discarded.