Full Specimen Plate
Alocasia cucullata
Buddha's Hand
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Other colour-form prices
Alocasia cucullata Morphology
About Alocasia cucullata
Alocasia cucullata, commonly known as Buddha's Hand or Chinese Taro, is a highly respected species traditionally grown in Buddhist temples across Asia. It features broadly ovate-cordate, heart-shaped leaves that are highly glossy and bright green. The leaf margins are slightly wavy, and the pointed tips curve gracefully downwards. Slender green petioles support the dense clumping foliage, which arises from thick upright stems.
Native Range
China
Market Analysis
Alocasia cucullata Price Guide & Auction Value
Historical eBay auction metrics and live retailer listings updated weekly.
No eBay auction history available yet. Data is collected automatically as sales appear on eBay UK.
Before You Buy
Species-specific things to check when evaluating a listing
- Widely available and inexpensive for the plain green species, so be cautious of pricing that implies rarity
- For Variegated or Mint forms, confirm the variegation pattern in listing photos, since these command notably higher prices (£20+ vs £9 for the base plant) and mislabelling occurs
- Check the stem base is firm and upright; this species grows from thick rhizomatous stems, not a bare corm
- Leaves should be highly glossy with a slight wave to the margin; dull or matte foliage may indicate poor growing conditions rather than a different form
A Common Plant With a Long History
Cucullata has been grown in Buddhist temples across Asia for generations under the name Buddha's Hand, long before it became a routine houseplant-shop fixture in the West: a reminder that common in the current market doesn't mean recently arrived. The plain green species is inexpensive and easy, but its Variegated and Mint colour forms sell for two to three times the base price on recent listings, which says more about the scarcity of stable variegation than about the species itself being special. The heart-shaped, glossy leaf with a softly wavy margin is the easiest way to confirm you're looking at true cucullata.
