How to Propagate Alocasia Amazonica

The Amazon elephant's ear, or Alocasia amazonica, is also known as the Amazon lily and African mask. In spite of the Amazon appellation, it is native to Southeast Asia. With its large, slightly fuzzy arrow-shaped leaves that have prominent light colored veins, it makes a stunning houseplant in all climate zones. Because it is tropical, it is frost-tender, so if you grow it outdoors in a pot, move it indoors for the winter. It reaches 2 feet tall and forms "pups," or baby plants, that make propagation easy. Root division is another propagation method.

Trowel
Knife
Peat moss
Potting soil
Small pots with drainage holes

Instructions

- 1
  Grow your elephant's ear in a container at least 10 inches in diameter. Use a potting soil that contains peat moss and keep it in a warm area with filtered sun. Keep the temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity high. Enjoy it until it grows large enough to divide or develops one or more pups at its base.
- 2
  Remove your elephant's ear from its pot in spring when you want to propagate it by root division. Cut the fleshy rhizome root into several pieces; pieces containing leaves will be most likely to succeed.
- 3
  Prepare a potting medium for your divided plant that contains standard potting soil and peat moss. Fill small pots about three-quarters full with this mixture and then set one piece of your divided plant into each pot. Fill with additional potting mix, leaving the top of the rhizome slightly above the soil surface. Water until the water runs out the pot's drainage hole.
- 4
  Divide pups from the mother plant by gently inserting a trowel or knife into the soil between the pup and the larger plant. Saw gently to remove it and then lift it from the soil.
- 5
  Plant one pup in each smaller pot. Use a potting soil that contains peat moss and keep the soil constantly moist until you see signs of new growth.

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