Alocasia Cuprea Plant Care Guide

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Alocasia Cuprea is a sought-after plant due to its unique textured foliage.

There are some key things to know when taking care of Alocasia Cuprea and here’s what you need to know to keep it thriving.

Water. Alocasia Cuprea do well in well-draining soil or leca. Water your plant when the soil is on the dryer side or when the moisture meter is leaning toward the dryer side.
Light. Make sure your plant gets bright indirect sunlight but never direct sunlight as this can scorch the leaves. Place near a south facing window with a sheer curtain to get the best sunlight.
Fertilizer. Feed Alocasia Cuprea with a diluted synthetic fertilizer or a natural fertilizer. Fertilize during the active growing season which is typically from March through October.
Humidity. Alocasia Cuprea thrive in high humidity and would do best in a room or greenhouse getting at least 60%+ humidity.

Alocasia Cuprea thrive with these plant care tips.

Light

Alocasia Cuprea thrive in bright indirect sunlight or under plant grow lights. Make sure to place this plant in a spot that never receives direct sunlight as this can burn the foliage.

A good spot for an Alocasia Cuprea is a south facing room, a few feet away from the window. South facing rooms get the brightest, longest amount of sun throughout the day and make a great place of houseplants. The next best spot would be a room getting morning sun like an east facing bedroom.

You can also use lights like T5 Barrina plant grow lights. I use these lights and love them. I have them on a timer and run them for 13 hours a day.

Water

Water Alocasia Cuprea when the top two inches of soil are dry.

You can also use a moisture meter to get a better idea of when to water your plant. If the moisture meter is leaning toward the dryer side, it’s time to give your plant a thorough watering.

You can also bottom water your plant so the plant only takes the amount of water it needs. Place your plant in a large bowl filled with water for about 30 minutes and the plant will take the water it needs.

You want to make sure you’re also top watering as this drains out the salts that build up in the soil.

Soil

Alocasia Cuprea thrive in well-draining, chunky soil. This plant is prone to overwatering and root rot so well-draining soil helps prevent this from happening.

Fox Farm Ocean Forest is a high-quality houseplant soil mix that is already made and ready to go. This soil mix contains a blend of earthworm castings, bat guano, sea-going fish & crab meal, forest humus, moss and more.

Temperature

Alocasia Cuprea thrive in homes that are between the temperatures of 65°F to 90°F (18°C to 32°C).

Fertilizer

Use a natural or synthetic fertilizer to feed your plant the nutrients it craves. If using a synthetic fertilizer, make sure to dilute the fertilizer recipe in half as the full recipe can burn the foliage and kill your plant.

Fertilizing your plant promotes new healthy growth and even larger leaves. I fertilize my plants with a diluted synthetic fertilizer at every watering.

You can also place fertilizer granules on top of your plants soil so every time you water your plant, the water helps the fertilizer granules go into the soil.

While this is not technically a fertilizer, Liqui-Dirt is a plant food that has everything your plant needs to grow taller and larger leaves.

Humidity

Alocasia Cuprea thrive in high humidity and do best in humidity levels above 60%+. You’ll notice faster and healthier growth when the plant gets the humidity it needs.

If you need help increasing humidity, here are my best tips.

Put high humidity plants together in a group. When you group high humidity plants around each other, this creates a humid microclimate. The plants continue to release moisture around each other through transpiration.
Place a pebble tray underneath your high humidity plants. I purchased small rocks at a hardware store and placed them on a planter tray. Place your planter on the tray. Put enough water in the tray until it hits the planter bottom and the water will evaporate around the plant.
Purchase a humidifier and run it daily near your plants.
Place high-humidity plants in your bathroom. I place certain high humidity plants in my shower and they’re thriving.

Propagation

Propagate Alocasia Cuprea via root divison.

Once your plant is large enough, gently divide the plant into sections. Make sure not to tear off any roots.

Then you can place the new sections into moist well-draining soil.

Alocasia Cuprea Common Questions

Are Alocasia Cuprea rare?

Alocasia Cuprea are becoming more common and can be found at plant shops, but not at big box stores.

How much is a Alocasia Cuprea?

I’ve seen an Alocasia Cuprea on Facebook Marketplace for under $20 for a small 2 inch pot. While it was a baby plant, it’s still an affordable way to get started with this plant.

How do you care for Alocasia Cuprea?

To care for an Alocasia Cuprea, keep your plant in a spot getting bright indirect sunlight and high humidity in the 60%+ above range. Never let your plants soil fully dry out and regularly fertilize your plant to keep it actively growing and healthy.

Should you mist Alocasia Cuprea?

You can mist your Alocasia Cuprea, but save yourself time by putting your plant near a humidifier or in a greenhouse or under a dome.

How do I know if my Alocasia Cuprea is healthy?

If your Alocasia Cuprea is growing new foliage and doesn’t have brown tips, your plant is most likely healthy.

Can I grow Alocasia Cuprea in leca?

Many people successfully grow their Alocasia Cuprea in leca.

I love putting plants in leca, especially plants that I have a hard time knowing when to water because you always know when it’s time to refill your leca reservoir.

When should I repot Alocasia Cuprea?

If you’re noticing roots bulging out of the pot, it may be time to repot your Alocasia Cuprea. Make sure to only move your plant to a pot 2 inches larger.

How do you prune Alocasia Cuprea?

You can prune any dead or yellowing leaves from your Alocasia Cuprea.

Is Alocasia Cuprea easy to care for?

Alocasia Cuprea take a little bit of a learning curve if you’re brand new to houseplants. These are the kind of plants that thrive in higher humidity and prone to bugs.

Is Alocasia Cuprea a fast grower?

This isn’t necessarily a plant known for being fast growing, but as long as you give it regular fertilizer, high humidity, and bright light, your plant will grow at the pace it should.

How big do Alocasia Cuprea get?

Alocasia Cuprea can get up to 18 inches tall depending on the growing conditions of the plant.

Can Alocasia Cuprea take full sun?

Never put your Alocasia Cuprea in a spot getting full sun since intense light burns the foliage.

How do I make my Alocasia Cuprea larger?

Make sure your Alocasia Cuprea’s leaves get bright indirect sunlight and high humidity to encourage larger growth.

How do you propagate Alocasia Cuprea?

Propagating Alocasia Cuprea is best via root divison.

Once your plant has grown large enough, take your plant out of the pot and section the plant apart. Make sure not to break the roots when you divide the plant. Then you can place the cutting into a new pot of moist well-draining soil.

Is Alocasia Cuprea toxic to pets?

Yes, this plant is toxic to pets. You can get more information on toxic and pet-friendly plants at ASPCA here.

Common pests

Alocasia Cuprea is prone to spider mites. I didn’t get spider mites until I got my first Alocasia and that is very telling since I had over 200 plants before getting an Alocasia.

This is why it’s very important to use pest preventatives and monitor your Alocasias closely as they are prone to spider mites.

To help prevent any pest infestations on your plant, here are my best tips.

Regularly check your plants for pests. This is also a great time to clean your plants.
Keep your plant looking healthy by cutting off dead foliage.
Use a natural or synthetic pest preventative to keep pests at bay.
Quarantine new houseplants for two weeks before bringing them around your other houseplants.

If you find pests on your Alocasia Cuprea, quickly quarantine your plant away from your other houseplants. Clean the plant with an organic or nonorganic insecticide. Azamax works wonders on spidermites.

I also use Bonide Systemic Granules on my plants. Sprinkle the granules on top of your plants soil and let it do its magic.

Make sure to check all of your other plants as it is easy for pests to spread.

Bonide Systemic Granules are a great way to get rid of unwanted pests.

Common issues

Brown tips: If your Alocasia Cuprea has brown tips, this may mean your plant is drying out and needs more humidity. Make sure to place your plant in a spot getting at least 60%+ humidity.

Yellowing leaves: If your Alocasia Cuprea has yellowing leaves, this can be because you’re overwatering your plant. Only water your plant when the top two inches of soil are dry. To make things even easier, you can move your plant to leca as it’s easy to know when to fill your leca reservoir.

Curly leaves: If your Alocasia Cuprea has curly leaves, this may be due to low humidity or overwatering. Make sure your plant is getting humidity above 60%+ and only water your plant when the top two inches of soil are dry.

Key Points To Remember

Alocasia Cuprea is a stunning plant with some of the coolest foliage.

Make sure your plant gets high humidity and bright indirect sunlight and you’ll have a happy plant. Closely monitor your plant for spider mites as they are prone to getting mites. Regularly use a natural or synthetic pesticide to prevent any pests or spider mites.