Full Specimen Plate
Alocasia infernalis
Alocasia Infernalis
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Market Analysis
Alocasia infernalis Price Guide & Auction Value
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Before You Buy
Species-specific things to check when evaluating a listing
- Check the corm is firm — a soft or shrunken corm indicates dehydration or rot and is very difficult to recover
- Verify there is at least one established leaf; avoid bare corms from unknown sellers unless you have experience germinating alocasia corms
- Spider mites are the most common pest: inspect leaf undersides for fine webbing or stippling, especially in dry indoor environments
- Alocasias can enter dormancy when stressed by shipping — a plant arriving with no leaves but a firm corm is not necessarily dead
Alocasia infernalis Morphology
About Alocasia infernalis
Native to Borneo (Sarawak), Alocasia infernalis thrives as a terrestrial or lithophytic species in wet tropical forests. It prefers shaded, humid environments with rich organic matter and consistent moisture, typically found on the forest floor or on mossy limestone rocks. This compact, self-heading Alocasia is characterized by its corm-forming base and clumping growth habit. Its thick, glossy, ovate-sagittate leaves display a dark purple-black to near-black adaxial surface with a metallic sheen, complemented by a dusky purple abaxial surface and deeply impressed primary veins. Dark purple to near-black petioles arise individually from the corm.
Native Range
Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo
Propagation Guide
How to Propagate Alocasia infernalis
Wait for the mother plant to produce corms or pups before dividing. Larger, well-established plants produce offsets most readily. Alocasias do not propagate reliably from stem cuttings.
Care Guide
Alocasia infernalis Care Guide & Growing Conditions
Well-draining loamy mix: 40% potting compost, 30% perlite, 20% orchid bark, 10% worm castings. Alocasias need moisture retention unlike most aroids but still require good drainage.
Keep evenly moist during the growing season — never waterlogged, never bone dry. Check soil every 3–4 days in summer. Reduce significantly in winter when growth slows.
60–80%. Lower humidity causes brown leaf edges; very low humidity combined with dry compost will trigger dormancy.
Balanced fertiliser at half strength every 2 weeks during spring and summer. Stop feeding in winter.
Every 12–18 months in spring. Alocasias like being slightly snug in their pots — don't overpot.
Common Problems
Leaves yellowing and dropping
Overwatering, cold temperatures, or natural dormancy
Reduce watering; ensure temperatures stay above 16°C; dormancy is normal in winter
Brown leaf edges
Low humidity or irregular watering
Increase humidity and maintain consistent watering routine
Spider mites
Most common pest; thrive in hot, dry conditions
Mist regularly; treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap; increase humidity
A Spot of Infernal Beauty from Borneo
One rather does wonder if the naming of *Alocasia infernalis* P.C.Boyce wasn't a nod to the sheer effort involved in locating it, rather than just its appearance. Hailing from the shaded, humid undergrowth of Borneo’s Sarawak forests, often clinging to mossy limestone, this compact little corm-former certainly lives up to its 'dark' moniker. Its thick, glossy leaves, a magnificent ovate-sagittate form, are a startling near-black with a metallic sheen on top, a dusky purple underneath, and veins so deeply impressed they almost beg you to trace them. A splendid specimen, albeit one that makes my glasshouse feel positively tropical, even on a chilly British afternoon. Trying to propogate these beauties without proper humidity is a fool's errand. Still, a good cup of Darjeeling makes any botanical challenge a bit more manageable.
