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Full Specimen Plate

Alocasia princeps

Princeps Shield Alocasia

LightHigh
LightMedium to bright indirect light
HumidityHigh
HumidityHigh humidity (70-85%)
TemperatureWarm
TemperatureWarm (18-28°C)
SizeMedium
SizeMedium (40-60cm)
Growth RateSlow
Growth RateSlow to Moderate
DifficultyModerate
DifficultyRewards a consistent watering and light routine, but tolerates the occasional lapse. Suited to growers with some houseplant experience.
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WildBorneo

7cm Target Price

£26.00

EstimatedFewer than 3 recorded sales. The figure comes from retail stock or the genus price tier, so treat it as a rough guide.

Target Price Guide

Select Plant Size

7cm Target Price

Base

£26.00

EstimatedFewer than 3 recorded sales. The figure comes from retail stock or the genus price tier, so treat it as a rough guide.

Based on recent online sales, adjusted to a standard 7cm pot size

About this target price: The figure above is the current market rate for an established 7cm whole pot specimen. Other sizes show their own recorded sale price where enough recent sales exist, or an estimate calculated proportionally from this one otherwise.
0Sold Matches

Based on current UK retail stock — no UK sold listings in the last 90 days.

See full auction data ↓
Retail Price?The average price across tracked UK retailers (nurseries and specialty stores).
Not tracked
Not currently stocked by tracked UK retailers

How prices are calculated: The target price uses online sold listings converted to GBP at current exchange rates, excluding extreme outliers to ensure a fair-value guide. Falls back to UK retail average when auction data is unavailable.

Market Hub

Alocasia princeps Sold Prices & Live Market

What the Target Price above is based on: eBay sold prices by plant size, live listings, and retailer stock.

No eBay sales recorded yet. Sold listings are collected as they appear on eBay.

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 princeps Morphology

leaf ShapeSagittateArrowhead-shaped leaves, with pointed lobes at the base pointing downwards., triangular, wavy margins
leaf Length25-40cm
leaf Width15-25cm
petiole ColorMottled purplish-brown and green
venationProminent green
textureCoriaceous, matte to semi-glossy
variegationNone
growth HabitUpright basal clump

About Alocasia princeps

Alocasia princeps is an Alocasia species native to Borneo. It has erect, triangular, shield-shaped (sagittate) leaves with strongly undulated, wavy margins and deep purplish-green to copper undersides. The petioles are often mottled or striped. It grows from a central corm, forming an upright clump, and needs high humidity and bright indirect light.

Native Range

Borneo

Propagation Guide

How to Propagate Alocasia princeps

Propagation Difficulty
Easy?Forgiving of missed waterings, average home humidity, and imperfect light. A solid pick for beginners or low-fuss collections.
Time to Establish

3-6 months

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 princeps Care Guide & Growing Conditions

Substrate

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.

Watering

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.

Humidity

60–80%. Lower humidity causes brown leaf edges; very low humidity combined with dry compost will trigger dormancy.

Fertilising

Balanced fertiliser at half strength every 2 weeks during spring and summer. Stop feeding in winter.

Repotting

Every 12–18 months in spring. Alocasias like being slightly snug in their pots, so don't overpot.

Common Problems

Problem

Leaves yellowing and dropping

Cause

Overwatering, cold temperatures, or natural dormancy

Fix

Reduce watering; ensure temperatures stay above 16°C; dormancy is normal in winter

Problem

Brown leaf edges

Cause

Low humidity or irregular watering

Fix

Increase humidity and maintain consistent watering routine

Problem

Spider mites

Cause

Most common pest; thrive in hot, dry conditions

Fix

Mist regularly; treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap; increase humidity

Field Reference

In the Wild

Field Notes
15 July 2020

The Undulating Prince

One finds oneself quite taken with *Alocasia princeps*, a recent introduction from Borneo by the indefatigable W. Bull. This rather handsome specimen, with its upright, architectural habit, certainly adds a certain gravitas to the glasshouse. The leaves are a most distinctive sagittate, almost triangular, with margins so strongly undulated they practically dance in the humid air, a charming adaptation to its tropical clime, one presumes. Beneath, a deep purplish-green often shades to copper, a subtle surprise. Its petioles, often beautifully mottled, lend further interest. Requires warmth and high humidity, mind, definately not one for a draughty British winter. Still, worth the trouble for such a regal, coriaceous presence.

Written at AroidAtlas research station— Aroid Atlas