ALOCASIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



ALOCASIA 



Other species of Allium worth 

 growing aro A. coerideum (or azureum) 

 12 ins. high, sky-blue; A. flavum, 1 

 ft., yellow ; A. Macnahianum, deep 

 magenta ; A. iiardssiflorum (or pede- 

 montanum)^ with sweet-scented rosy- 

 purple bell-shaped flowers, in droop- 

 ing umbels ; A. OstrowsJci/anum, rose 

 or licac-purple ; A. Schuberti, with 

 large spikes of lilac or rose-coloured 

 flowers ; A. violaceum, violet ; A 

 Suivorotvi, purple ; A orientale, 2 ft., 

 creamy-white : A. stipitatum, 2 ft., 

 violet-purple, etc. 



Fig. 40 — Allium urpnum. 



ALOCASIA (a, privative ; and colo- 

 casia, a closely allied genus). Nat 

 Ord. Aroidese. — A genus of orna- 

 mental leaved plants chiefly natives of 

 Tropical Asia and the Malayan Archi- 

 pelago. There are about twenty 

 natural species, and several garden 

 hybrids, recognised by thickish root- 

 stocks, from which arise large sagit- 

 tate-cordate leaves on long stalks 



sheathing at the base. The flowers are 

 of no particular beauty from a garden 

 point of view, and both males and 

 females are borne together on a shortly 

 stalked spadix. 



All the Alocasias require to be 

 grown in the stove house, that is in 

 a warm and humid atmosphere, 

 throughout the year. Their elegant 

 foliage, often beautifully veined and 

 marked, and their bold habit render 

 them attractive subjects. They are 

 by no means difficult to grow, provided 

 they can be given a winter - night 

 temperature of not less than 65° F., 

 running up to 70° to 75° by day. 

 During the summer months the 

 temperature will naturally be from 

 5 to 10 degrees higher than this. 



The compost most generally suit- 

 able for Alocasias seems to be a 

 mixture of sandy loam and fibrous 

 peat in about equal proportions, with 

 ^ a little chopped sphagnum moss, and 

 7)ieces of charcoal added. The pots or 

 pans in which they are to be grown 

 should 'be well drained, because 

 although the plants require an abun- 

 dance of water, they dislike anything 

 in the way of stagnant liquid round 

 the roots It is generally better to 

 repot annually early in the year to 

 keep the plants increasing in size 

 and beauty, and pots of various sizes 

 will be used in accordance with the 

 bulk of the plants. The old soil 

 should be removed with a pointed 

 stick, or the root-stocks may be 

 washed clean in tepid water to free 

 them from sour material. The com- 

 post should be worked in firmly and 

 finished off with a dressing of short 

 sphagnum. The plants are then 

 watered from time to time, and the 

 syringe is kept going freely in the 

 mornings and afternoons When 

 growth is well established, syringing 

 indeed is not only a necessity to 

 maintain the requisite moisture in 



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