'Black Velvet'

Dwarf Jewel Elephant Ear

Alocasia reginula

origin: Borneo

        AKA: Alocasia cuprea ‘Black Velvet’, ‘Blackie’, Dwarf Elephant Ear.

      Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet' is one of the Dwarf Jewel Elephant Ears. The dark, almost black leaves, adorned with brilliant silvery-white veins and velvety look make for an beautiful and unforgettable sight.

   An exotic tropical aroid which offers beautiful eye-catching foliage. Does well under low light levels with medium to high humidity.

 A beautiful dwarf variety which contains a significant amount of black coloration on the leaf surface.

item size is small starter

   You are bidding on small starter bare root plants with vigorous root systems 2-4 inches tall with * leaves grown in Hawaii.

photos of adult plants

       Alocasia reginula is also known as the Little Queen of Alocasia, monarch of the tropical rainforest.

 The leaves have a regal velvety look, and they feel somewhat velvety, but with an added rippled texture, as though the leaf veins were embossed. Additional reddish patches on the undersides of the leaves and the pale cast of the petioles with small highlights beneath the silvery-white main veins, add a hint of sparkle to this Little Queen. The leaves are unusually thick for an Alocasia, almost succulent.

 Leaves are ovate, elliptic and almost totally peltate. The upper leaf surface is a dramatic green-black to black color, and the lower leaf surface is a rich purple. Petioles are long, cylindrical with a long sheath.

       Spathe with margins overlapping below to form a cylindrical or ovoid tube: usually boat-shaped, becoming reflexed, falling after flowering. Spadix is shorter than spathe, with a sterile appendix.

 Alocasia reginula cannot tolerate wet soil. Even soil that is moist all the time is going to make her ill. First and foremost, she needs air to the roots. Soil media mix must be very well draining, preferably with less peat moss and plenty of washed perlite, composted pine bark, or silica sand. Secondly, to keep fresh air in the root zone, water deeply but infrequently. Deeply means such that the water percolates down and drains quickly out of the pot, allowing fresh air into the soil pores. Infrequently means so the roots of your Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet' don't stay too wet between waterings.

This Little Queen can be a finicky alocasia, Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet' needs to be kept warm, but not too humid, in bright light, but not full sun, and cozy, but not over size potting. Pot them very well draining soil media, let dry out between deep waterings, give them bright light but not sun, and fertilize lightly, or not at all if the weather is cool and your Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet' is not growing much.

This is an excellent container plant.

Mature Height: 12-18 in. (30-45 cm)

Hardiness: USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)

Sun Exposure: 65%-73% shade, likes high light, but will do reasonably well in 80% shade

Danger: All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested

Bloom Color: White/Near White

Bloom Time: Blooms all year

Foliage: Dark/Black, Velvet/Fuzzy-Textured Veined

Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)

Growing Information

Temp: below 45°F plant may go dormant
Soil: aerated mix containing bark, coarse perlite and peat moss
Pot Size: 4-6"
Hardiness: Zone 9
Major Pests: Mites (Control: Avid, Pentac, and Kelthane)
Diseases: Alternaria, Botrytis Blight, Anthractnose, Phytophthora/Pythium Rot, Rhizoctonia Root and Stem Rot, and Xanthomonas Blight

 

          Polynesian Produce Stand           

   Shipping    

      We ship via USPS Mondays-Wednesday with Delivery confirmation.

            All live plants are Inspected By USDA Plant Inspectors before they are shipped to insure you get healthy pest free plants and seeds.

   All live plants are shipped bare-root wrapped in moist sphagnum moss to ensure the plant’s healthy transit to you.

   Payment

            We accept online payments only through PayPal, Cash payments are only acceptable for in-person payments and cash-on-delivery (COD). Cash payment can not be sent through the mail.

      Please only one Paypal payment. SO THE COMBINED SHIPPING RULE WILL CAN BE USED. Multiple paypal payments are NOT eligible for discounts.

        We will ship once a week - ON or BEFORE WEDNESDAYS, because of the special stamps needed to ship plants and cuttings to you.  This can only be done at the Dept. of Agriculture.  If payments are not met before that MONDAY, your items will be shipped the following week and lose the combined discount opportunity.

         Non-paying bidders may receive negative feedback and will be reported as an unpaid item to eBay.

COMBINED SHIPPING POLICY

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING is not included in this offer.  

        We will combine shipping for auctions won on the same week paid with same paypal payment.

   This policy is good for all items bought and paid for in the week ending MONDAY.

Payment must be received within 7 days of the auction ending.

Combined Discounts Won Auctions

     For 2-3 winning auctions, the combined discount is 10% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 4-7 winning auctions, the combined discount is 20% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 7+ winning auctions, the combined discount is 30% of the total Shipping and Handling charges.

         As each order is packed and prepared separately you will pay the quoted S/H charges individually per item. If you buy the same species in that item it does calculate out the discount (i.e.: additional item $3.61). My stores' combined shipping is built in for same items rather than a varied selection. Includes postage, USDA certification and inspection, proper packing and delivery to Airport for prompt delivery. I can’t really change any of these. If you want one of this and one of that, it gets hard to discount much as each different species requires it's own prep & packing, then at USDA each has to be unwrapped and inspected then repacked. USDA requires me to clean and prepare every last piece before we drive them to the Inspection Station on the other side of the island. It takes my wife and I, a day to pack items and get ready to ship. The whole next day we drive around the island and get inspected (2-3 hours), then drive to the Airport Post Office to drop off. It takes the same work with the same type item if you can understand.

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If you are dissatisfied with the item, please contact me   

before leaving a negative or neutral comment.

I want you to be satisfied.

Mahalo iâ `oe no ke kipa `ana mai. E kipa mai hou!

Mahalo & Aloha!! 

Rare Palm Seeds

Fresh Highest Quality

         Seller warrants seed to be of the variety and quantity advertised. Safe delivery is guaranteed and seeds lost or damaged during shipment will be replaced at seller's expense. Claims must be made within 7 days of shipment. All other replacements, refunds, returns and exchanges will be made at the sole discretion of the seller.

  Seed is a live product which depends on many important related grower skills such as proper planting time, seed depth, type of soil, irrigation, proper use of fertilizers, weed controls, fungicides, insecticides, disease free soil, and reasonable weather conditions during the growing period. Germination is affected by such factors as temperature, moisture content, light intensity and contamination of planting media. These factors are totally out of the seller's control and are the buyer's responsibility and risk. Consequentially, the seller cannot unconditionally guarantee seed to perform properly regardless of conditions or the buyer's methods or mistakes.