Alocasia Red Secret is a member of the Alocasia plant family and is quickly becoming one of its most popular species. The Alocasia Cuprea, which has a metallic sheen on the surface of its leaves and a red glow on the undersides, is increasingly being used to decorate homes. However, when compared to other plants, this one requires a bit more care and attention to keep alive, so keep reading for our Alocasia Cuprea care guide.
Humidity
Because this plant is native to Borneo, it should come as no surprise that it prefers higher humidity levels. If you live in a drier climate, we recommend using a humidifier because arid air can quickly dry out the leaves of this plant, causing irreversible damage. If you do not want to use a humidifier, there are other options for increasing humidity for your plants.
Our first tip is to place your Alocasia on top of a watered pebble tray to try to create a microclimate around it. You can also leave jars and bowls of water around your plants, and we’ve discovered that misting them can be extremely beneficial.
Watering
Your Alocasia Cuprea will want to dry out between waterings, but it is a plant that requires regular watering. If you let it dry out or forget to water it, it will suffer damage. Watering this plant from the bottom up is preferable to watering from the top down. This allows the plant to absorb the necessary moisture. Like most plants, it prefers to be watered on a regular basis, but that doesn’t mean it should be sitting in soggy soil.
Light
If you place this plant in direct sunlight, the leaves will scorch and burn, especially if you have a south or west facing window. These plants, on the other hand, require indirect light. It would grow under the canopy of other trees on the forest floor in its natural environment, so providing it with shaded and dappled light will help to recreate its natural environment.
Temperature
Keep your Alocasia Cuprea away from drafts because they don’t like being cold, and away from radiators and heating systems because they can dry out. Your plant should be kept at a temperature of around 20°C. It can withstand higher temperatures as long as the air does not become too dry, but it will suffer if temperatures fall too low.
Soil
As with most watered plants, you’ll want a well-draining soil so that excess liquid can drain and your roots don’t become soggy. We would also recommend aerating your soil with perlite.
Fertiliser
Make sure to only fertilize your plant during the growing season and to leave it alone during the winter. Feeding your plant once every two weeks should suffice, and make sure to dilute the strength of your fertiliser as too strong a plant feed can cause burning on the leaves.
To summarize, in order to properly care for an Alocasia Cuprea, you will require:
rays of light
Waterings on a regular basis
a lot of humidity
Soil that drains well
Fertilizer diluted
Your Red Secret plant should thrive if you follow these basic guidelines. If it’s struggling, try changing things one at a time to see what makes a difference in your plant’s health. When you change everything at once, it can be difficult to tell what worked and what was just a coincidence.
