Black Velvet Alocasia
4.0 out of 5 (32 experiences)
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
About Black Velvet Alocasia
The black velvet Alocasia’s ancestors appeared 24 million years ago in Borneo, the largest island in Asia and home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Alocasia ‘Black Velvet’ was named a plant variety, or cultivar, by Scott Hyndman, who obtained it from the Lyon Arboretum in Hawaii. However, a Japanese collector in Borneo found it in the wild—growing naturally in a 140-million-year-old rainforest in Borneo—and categorized it as a new species in 1998. 🖤
Taxonomy
Alocasia reginula
Alocasia
Araceae
Alismatales
Also known as
The Dwarf Black Queen, Black Velvet Elephant Ear, Little Queen and Black Velvet Pink Variegated
How to care for Black Velvet Alocasia
How often to water your Black Velvet Alocasia
every 9
Black Velvet Alocasia needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Black Velvet Alocasia in your home
a window
Black Velvet Alocasia may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Black Velvet Alocasia in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Black Velvet Alocasia
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Black Velvet Alocasia after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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How can I fix the leaves curling?! #BlackVelvetAlocasia
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Got an Alocasia ‘Black Velvet’ yesterday. Meet Persephone! But look at that new leaf- I don’t think she likes me very much. 😆 #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict
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Help!! Black Velvet Alocasia My black velvet alocasia was one of my first plants and is a few years old now. She was a gift from my dad (who has a super green thumb and can grow anything anywhere). She had three leaves when I received her, then got up to five!! Last spring, she started flowering and she’s growing out of the pot. She has not stopped flowering. Everytime I see new growth, IT’S ANOTHER FLOWER!! And she is STRUGGLING now! Only two leaves, one is unhealthy so I’m going to cut it. I’m not sure if she needs to be repotted with how she is growing out of the pot, but I know repotting whole flowering is a huge no-no. I don’t know what to do! Any advice? I tagged her so you can see what she looked like before! I’ll add some photos of what she looks like now on this post!
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I was checking out my new Black Velvet alocasia this morning to see if she was ready for a repot and what did I find…? These are the kinds of stowaways I’m here for!
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My beautiful addition… Name it Mufasa 🥰🥰🥰
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Hi, I’m new to owning a black velvet alocasia. The new leaf bud died and I can’t figure out why. I have it on a windowsill. Is it getting too much sun?
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i love this guy 🥹🖤 just repotted
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My plant got this bulb at the top and a pistol came out. It has been about a week or two now the pistol is drooping. Is that normal or should I be worried? #BlackVelvetAlocasia
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I'm taking over the care of this girl from my mother. Would succulent and cactus mix be ok to use? Do you think she needs a bigger pot? Thank you #BlackVelvetAlocasia
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cause of browning on leaves? i noticed that two of the three leaves had brown spots but they seem to be getting bigger. the soil is specific for alocasia, i bottom water it once a week, and i have a humidifier/ defuser that blows towards it 8 hours a day. any advice? #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #help #helpneeded
Care Summary for Black Velvet Alocasia
Black Velvet Alocasia
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 3ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Large, lush leaves 19
Survivor 10
Browns easily 9
Fast grower 7
Pest magnet 3
Easy to propagate 2
Blooms easily 1
10/07/2021
Got this plant delivered and straight away she didn’t like me, died off after a couple of weeks with me. or so i thought, i have since moved to putting her in hydro and have got what seems like new life out of her, so id say incredibly temperamental
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
Browns easily
05/27/2021
Pure, concentrated evil. But the leaves are so beautiful you’ll put up with this drama queen and her bizarre upkeep requirements. Picky about light. Picky about watering. Picky about anything even thinking about touching its leaves. After a year of following the directions of the plant shop and every care guide without much success, our black velvet is now thriving after a move to our darkish bathroom and being watered only by misting the soil.
Large, lush leaves
05/18/2021
Mine loves being right next to the humidifier but having the soil dry out just a bit. It’s currently in peat and is about a foot and a half away from a west facing window. It does not get direct sun. Has a tendency to drop its lower leaves as it prepares to push out new leaves.
Browns easily
Pest magnet