Amongst gardeners who enjoy exotic, tropical style plants the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show has a lot to offer, including two new alocasias from Amulree Exotics.
Alocasia are native to South America where their corms are eaten - after prolonged boiling. But we grow them for their large and dramatic leaves which can be purple, green or variegated and Amulree have two new variegated forms.
Alocasia wentii ‘Aline' has a large, dark green, arrowhead-shaped leaf with a dark purple underside and the top side of the leaf is densely speckled in white. It's the first variegated alocasia and while no two leaves are quite the same, they are always densely marked.
Also seen for the first time at the show, and even newer, is Alocasia wentii ‘Victory'. This is a sport of ‘Aline' which is basically similar but without the dark purple underside to the leaf. The result is a plant which is equally well speckled in white, but the green colouring in the leaf is much less dark because there is no influence from a dark underside as there is with ‘Aline'.
Traditionally, alocasias have been used as indoor plants for the house, conservatory or greenhouse but they are now being used outside in large containers and even in rich and sunny borders. In fact both ‘Aline' and ‘Victory' should be hardy outside in many parts of Britain - if you fancy taking the chance.
You can buy plants of Alocosia wentii ‘Aline' and ‘Victory' at the Show or order online at the Amultee Exotics website.