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4.1 out of 5 (35 experiences)


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 and Little Queen

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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Happy Harvesting!!! Be Thankful!! Thanks #happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #newgrowth #planttherapy #growlights #plantshelfie #
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A WISHLIST PLANT!! she’s here and she’s beautiful! #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #AlocasiaAddicts
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As promised, an update post! Lucky’s flower has started to bloom, she’s put out another, and her leaf has unfolded! #Lucky #update #progress #BlackVelvetAlocasia #Blooming #GregGang #variegatedplants #NewGrowth #HappyPlants
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Proud plant parent time! I found Lucky at a local grocery store of all places, and she was in really rough shape. A few months later and she’s starting to get rid of her old damaged leaves and has pushed out a full new leaf and is pushing out both a flower and a new leaf at the same time! Pictures of her adoption day versus today! #HappyPlants #BlackVelvetAlocasia #NewGrowth #Lucky #progress #variegatedplants #BeforeAndAfter
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#FreshLeafFriday Seymore’s Leaf!😭💪🏾 and Melodonia is growing too🌱
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What is this? I’ve been meaning to ask what this is for a while. It’s growing like a root from my Alocasia “Black Velvet” and doesn’t seem to be causing any problems. It almost looks like a bloom bud. 🤷🏼♀️ I have about 4-5 coming out from the soil. Just in time for Halloween. 😂 #AlocasiaAddicts #whatisit #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #Alocasia #plantznbirdz
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i forgot to post on friday for #FreshLeafFriday 😂 #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #BlackVelvetAlocasia
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i’m so proud🥹 y’all the emotional STRESS i’ve been through with this plant‼️ so when i adopted Seymore, i always said he was a BAD👏🏽 BISH👏🏽. and he was my baby. in my care, he sprouted some new leaves, even tried to flower.🤎 he was rolling strong… until i changed his soil. there was some soil called Black Gold?? i aint read the bag (deadly mistake😬), i just bought it and put all my plants in it. however, i noticed that the soil was always wet coming out the bag and took forever to dry out when potted… killed nearly all my plants.🫠 and Seymore… tore him down to one leaf! and a half-eaten bulb!😫 i was going to just throw him away, but something wouldn’t let me (Seymore probably whispering to me). i cleaned him up, repotted with regular potting mix and orchid bark, watered him regularly. AND BOOM! two new leaf sprouts.🥹 I KNEW HE WAS BAD.💪🏾 #PlantAddict #HappyPlants #NewGrowth #RootRot #AlocasiaAddicts #BlackVelvetAlocasia
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Is this dripping from the leaves typical? I’ve only had her for about a week #BlackVelvetAlocasia
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The one alocasia corm I planted in soil two and a half months ago has a tiny little sprout! 🌱🥹💚 It's in a tiny 2" plastic pot that one of my old succulents came in. I'm still waiting on the other corms I've been trying to water prop for the same amount of time to do something - maybe I should just plant those too, haha. The mother plant is still going bananas growing new leaves, and has four stolons/bulbils that have poked up near the edges of the pot. TBD when I'll end up needing to separate and repot everything! 😅 #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict
Black Velvet Alocasia is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!
💦 Water Needs
Black Velvet Alocasia prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
☀️ Sunlight Needs
Black Velvet Alocasia may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity
Black Velvet Alocasia is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.
Black Velvet Alocasia Toxicity to Cats →
💨 Humidity
Black Velvet Alocasia prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.
🪴 Soil
Black Velvet Alocasia is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.
💩 Fertilizer
Black Velvet Alocasia is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.
❄️ Dormancy
It’s common for Black Velvet Alocasia to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.
🌎 Native Region
Black Velvet Alocasia is native to tropical and subtropical Asia and Eastern Australia.
🌸 Flowers
Yes, you may see your Black Velvet Alocasia bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern
Black Velvet Alocasia is a clumping plant, meaning new growth will emerge from the soil around the parent plant.
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Black Velvet Alocasia can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-11a. Find your local hardiness zone here.
🌱 Propagation
Black Velvet Alocasia can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:
- Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
- To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.
🍂 Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Black Velvet Alocasia, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
🧐 Troubleshooting
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
Care Summary for Black Velvet Alocasia
Black Velvet Alocasia
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 3ft from a window

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












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








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.






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.


