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Alocasia reginula
Alocasia reginula, commonly sold as Black Velvet Alocasia, is a small jewel-type aroid native to shaded limestone cliffs in Sabah, Malaysia, and is grown as a houseplant. The key to success is fast-draining soil, because it rots easily in dense or wet media.
Alocasia reginula, black velvet, is a species of flowering cormous aroid (family Araceae), native to Sabah state in Malaysia. This plant, often referred to as one of the "jewel" Alocasias (along with several other diminutive Alocasia types), became increasingly popular among plant hobbyists between the years 2018 to 2020. Until as recently as 2021 though, not much was known about the plant or its origins. Originally described from cultivation, and often sold as "Alocasia 'Black Velvet'", it is not a modern cultivar or hybrid; A. reginula is its own natural species. It is only known from dry, deeply shaded limestone cliffs in Tabin Wildlife Reserve. As a houseplant it needs sharp drainage or it will very likely rot.
Many plant vendors and stores sell houseplants in far too thick and dense of potting media.
Alocasia azlanii · Alocasia baginda · Alocasia brancifolia · Cunjevoi · Chinese taro · Alocasia fornicata · Alocasia heterophylla · Alocasia infernalis · Alocasia lauterbachiana · Alocasia longiloba · Giant taro · Alocasia melo
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Alocasia reginula by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
