Colocasia Hilo Beauty / Caladium Praetermissum LIVE PLANT (not bulbs) 1ft TALL - Elephant ear Alocasia - shipped from Florida

Height of the plant is about 1ft The Alocasia Hilo Beauty is also called the Hilo Beauty Alocasia or the Hilo Beauty Elephant Ear. It also goes by the Caladium praetermissum, Caladium Hilo Beauty or Caladium praetermissum Hilo Beauty. The reason why some people call it an alocasia while some call it a caladium is that the plant has a short rhizome that looks like that of a caladium. Since the plant is a hybrid and nobody knows what two plants were crossed to create the Alocasia Hilo Beauty, some refer to it as the Alocasia Hilo Beauty, while others call it the Caladium Hilo Beauty. So, what is its real name? Apparently, both. That’s because different people call it by different names. But if you want to official word to date, its scientific name is Caladium Praetermissum. It used to be Alocasia Hilo beauty since 1981. But in 2009, the plant was officially reidentified or reclassified as a caladium. This was noted in the Journal of the International Aroid Society ‘Aroideana’. This is why you’ll see people still use both names. But what is important to know is they both mean the same plant. How do you care for the Alocasia Hilo Beauty? The plant needs medium to bright indirect light and high humidity. It also prefers warm to hot environments and is not cold hardy. Keep the soil moist but avoid leaving it wet or soggy. Use well-draining soil and fertilize the plant monthly during its growing season. Alocasia Hilo Beauty Plant Care Light Requirements The Alocasia Hilo Beauty needs medium to bright indirect light to maintain its beautiful leaf colors. This is because it is a variegated alocasia plant. As such, the non-green sections of its leaves do not contribute to the photosynthesis process. This means that the plant needs more light compared to its solid-green leaved counterparts since fewer parts of its leave absorb light. If you leave the plant in insufficient light, you’ll soon notice it begin to lose some of its variegations and turn more green. This is how to the plant will respond to lack of light. It will produce more chlorophyll, which will turn some of the yellow variegations green in order to absorb light. Because survival is more important than looks, it will sacrifice the former in time of difficult. This also means that the darker the location, the more green the leaves will become. Sometimes, you’ll see the plant revert to having all green foliage as well. Thus, avoid low light as much as possible with your Alocasia Hilo Beauty. On the other hand, very strong light is also something it cannot tolerant. If you leave the plant in direct sunlight for more than 2 hours a day, its leaves will likewise become pale and discolored. In some cases, it will burn the leaves as well leaving you with brown or black marks. Therefore, keep the plant away from the sun’s rays during mid-day or summer. Temperature The Alocasia Hilo Beauty is a tropical plant that enjoys temperature between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It will likewise be okay with hotter environments even up to 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, because the plant does not see winter in its native habitat, it cannot withstand much of the cold. The plant is neither cold or frost hardy. In fact, it does not like being left in temperature below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Here, you’ll see its growth slow, and the plant will struggle. The longer it stays there or the further the temperature drops, the more problems the Alocasia Hilo Beauty will experience. This means that it is a good idea to keep the plant away from air conditioners and areas with cold drafts indoors. Outdoors, it is important to bring it inside once the weather gets colder around fall. The plant will not get through the winter outdoors. Instead, it prefers USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11 where the sun is always up and the weather is warm throughout the year. in these locations, the Hilo Beauty Elephant Ear can be left outdoors all year round without any fear

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