Alocasia Azlanii Plant Care Guide

Alocasia Azlanii or Alocasia Red Mambo are a member of the Arum, Araceae family. The Alocasia Azlannii is a jewel alocasia and a cousin to the Alocasia Cuprea.

Like other Alocasias, the Alocasia Azlanii is one of 97 species of Alocasias and is native to Borneo. It grows in forests or riverbanks.

Alocasia Azlanii care at a glance.

Alocasia Azlanii Appearance & Leaf Colour

The Alocasia Azlanii is waxy with dark green leaves with fuchsia veins. It is prized for its unique, eye-catching foliage.

Each leaf features a dramatic, iridescent sheen that shifts between deep green, purple, and bronze, often highlighted by vivid pink or reddish veins.

The leaves are heart-shaped with slightly wavy edges, giving the plant an elegant, almost jewel-like presence (hence the nickname jewel alocasia).

The surface texture is glossy and smooth, reflecting light in a way that makes the colours appear to shimmer, and change throughout the day.

Light Requirements for Alocasia Azlanii

This plant grows in shadier environments in the wild so it needs bright, indirect, medium-bright light in your home. This will help it maintain its vibrant, iridescent foliage.

Too much direct sun can scorch or lead to the fading of leaves, brown edges, or a washed-out colour. Alocasia Azlanii prefer to be in an east-facing window, or several feet back from south- or west-facing windows.

While Azlanii can tolerate a couple of hours of gentle morning sun, you will want to place it somewhere it can avoid harsh afternoon rays. 

Although Azlanii doesn’t like full sun, it also doesn’t really want to be in lower light. In low light your Azlanii will not develop as full or lush foliage, and it may lose some of its signature shimmer. 

Ideal Temperature & Humidity for Alocasia Azlanii

Alocasia Azlanii like temperatures between 15-30 degrees celsius, and high humidity (60%).

When thinking about humidity, you can think about where the plant is native to and where it grows. Is it in a rainforest with high humidity? If yes, you will likely need a humidifier, and to set it somewhere between 40 and 60 humidity. I use two Levoit humidifiers on opposite sides of my apartment: the Levoit Hybrid Ultrasonic Humidifier (LV600HH) and Levoit Bedroom Humidifier. This allows me to set my preferred humidity level, and read the display so I know how humid my apartment is at all times. A moisture meter is also helpful for this.

Growth & Fertilizer Needs for Alocasia Azlanii

Like other alocasias, the new leaves of the Azlanii grow in a petiole, from the centre of the base of the plant. The petiole for the Azlanii is a pinker colour while the stem is a bit yellow-green. It grows up straight, with a curled leaf, and slowly opens itself up to the sun.

The foliage will be a deeper purple, coppery at first, and darken over time.

The plant can grows up to 60cm.

To encourage vibrant, healthy growth, fertilize your Alocasia Azlanii with a balanced fertilizer every 4-6 weeks in its growing season (spring and summer).

When & How to Repot Alocasia Azlanii

Signs your Black Velvet needs to be repotted include:

1. Roots growing out of the drainage holes
2. It has been 1.5 to 2 years and it could use a soil refresh
3. It looks a lot bigger than its current pot (it maybe even falls over if not supported)

How to Repot Alocasia Azlanii

1. To repot your Alocasia Azlanii choose a pot that is one size larger (2″) with a drainage hole.
2. Add fresh, well-draining soil to the bottom of the new pot.
3. Gently remove your Azlanii from its current pot, and detangle the roots.
4. Place your Azlanii in the new pot. Add additional soil as required to cover the roots. You want the base of the plant to be 1″ from the top of the pot.
5. Pat the soil around the base of the pot to secure your Alocasia. If the Azlanii doesn’t feel secure, you can add a stake into the soil, and secure it with plant velcro.
6. Water your Azlanii, and place it back in its regular spot within your home.

For everything you will need during repot of your Alocasia Azlanii, check-out my repotting essentials guide.

Alocasia Azlanii Blooming: What to Expect

Alocasia Azlanii can bloom, but it would direct its energy to the flower instead of new foliage. If you want new foliage, you can prune the bloom (like in the video below).

When Alocasia Azlanii does flower, it produces small, pale, hooded flowers (similar to other aroids). Blooming indoors is rare. Most growers acquire Alocasia Azlanii for its iridescent leaves rather than its inconspicuous blooms.

How to Propagate Alocasia Azlanii (Corms)

Propagation of Alocasia Azlanii is done by corms. Sometimes new plants may emerge from the soil (grown from a corm), but most of the time you will find the corms near the roots of the plant.

You will have to detangle the corms from the roots and place them in a bit of a humidity chamber or prop box. I just used a glass tupperware container with a lid and a bit of water, filled up half of the height of the corms. It is important to change the water every now and then to avoid algae buildup and molding.

If you used the humidity chamber method, once roots have grown you can pot the corm in soil. I personally wait until I see a petiole to be sure, and then pot that in a well-draining soil.

Watering Alocasia Azlanii: How & When

When the top half of the soil is dry. I typically bottom water this plant through the drainage hole of the pot on a tray. It’s the easiest way to know if your plant is thirsty or not. Overwatering can lead to fungus gnats, root rot, or the death of your plant.

You can top water, but it’s best to do so in a pot with drainage until water is flowing out of the hole. If your pot doesn’t have drainage, you might accidentally drown your plant or make some fungus gnats very happy.

You should top water from time to time to make sure any built up minerals can wash through the plant. The water should drip out of the bottom of your drainage hole.

If you are going away for more than a week, and are worried about watering your Azlanii, check-out my guide on 3 ways to keep your plants alive while on vacation.

Common Pests & Problems in Alocasia Azlanii

• Spider Mites: If you see webbing or or signs of damage on my leaves, spider mites may have taken to your plant. I spray the plant with a mixture of neem oil, dish soap and water. I repeat this about once or twice a week (depending on the severity of infestation) for about a month. It’s also good to do this preventatively once a month or so.
• Drooping Leaves: Your plant is likely thirsty. Just give it a little water and it should be as good as new.
• Yellowing Leaves: If you have a new leaf coming in, your plant is likely fine. Plants pull energy from older leaves to support new growth. But it can also indicate over- or under- watering
• Mealy Bugs: these look like little white cotton balls on the plant. You can remove these with your fingers if you catch them early enough, but I would use a cotton swab with a drop of Isopropyl alcohol and try to scrape them off the stem.
• Fungus gnats: Spray the plant with a mixture of neem oil, dish soap and water. I also let the soil dry out and add dryer sheets on top of the soil so the gnats can’t sense the moisture on the soil.
• Thrips: these are little, dark bugs that look like dirt. They suck the life out of the leaves, and lay eggs within the tissue of the leaf. As they age, they can grow wings and infect other plants. I spray the plant with a mixture of neem oil, dish soap and water. I repeat this every few days to try and get both the pest and the eggs. Sometimes I just chop the affected leaf since they are hard to eradicate. Complete guide on how to get rid of thrips.

Alocasia Azlanii Toxicity: Is It Safe?

Alocasia Azlanii is toxic to humans and pets if ingested as it contains calcium oxalate crystals. These crystals can cause swelling and irritation of the mouth, throat and digestive system if eaten. Some individuals are even allergic to the sap or juice of the plant, causing skin irritation.

Alocasia Azlanii Quick Care Guide