Compare other alocasia varieties with Reversa and you will know why we called it alocasia Reversa. On other alocasia plants, the leaves are darker than the veins. But when you look at this plant you will observe that the veins in the middle of the leaves are darker green than the rest of the leaf.
This is why we called it the Reversa Alocasia plant.
Like other plants of the same genus, you can easily identify this plant from its leaves. It looks purely different than normal plants.
Bright indoor light, moderate watering, and occasional fertilizing is the secret to success. Maintain the constant temperature in the grow room. Spray neem oil once in 30 days to protect it from common houseplant pests and fungus problems.
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About the plant
It is small size plant, which makes it best for the indoor environment. Give it good care and its leaves will easily grow up to 8 inches. Fertilize it with a liquid organic fertilizer in the active season. Your plant will easily reach 16 inches in height.
Reversa plant is manageable even for beginners. No need to trim it because the large size leaves are disease-resistant leaves. they will not easily turn yellow or brown.
Just give it good light, water it on time and your plant will produce beautiful leaves. For green and vibrant colors use liquid fertilizer. Dilute it more than the recommended guidelines for extra safety of the plant. To protect it from sunburn, place the plant pot in indirect light.
Further details are discussed below
Light Needs
It is hard to arrange appropriate light for some tropical plants. Your Alocasia reversa plant only needs bright but indirect light. This is easy to arrange because we all use LED ceiling lights and they are enough bright for this plant.
It cannot handle too much direct sunlight. The light that the sun emits is sharp for the plant. If you really care for your plant then expose it to sunlight but only in the morning. In the morning the sun emits soft light waves. These light waves go deep into the plant and making it strong and improving its disease-resistant power.
If you do not have time for this practice, you can simply place it near the sunny window sill. Maintain the 2-meter distance between the plant and the sunny spot.
Potting Soil
You need potting soil that is good with draining and aeration. Both qualities are necessary for a healthy Reversa plant.
Coarse sand + Perlite + Peats in equal parts is the standard formula to grow alocasias.
Alocasia reversa is not picky about the potting soil. You can use any brand of aroid potting soil. Such soil acts as a miracle for alocasia plants.
I use a moisture control potting mix of Miracle-Gro brand. They include brilliant ingredients in the formula and it works best for my alocasia plants.
Do not try to make your general potting mix aroid by adding sand or other ingredients. This will not work for the plants. And your garden soil will also not work for the houseplants like reversa.
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Watering Alocasia Reversa
Just protect your plant from overwatering and it will never face any issues. Tropical plants do not like to live in soggy soil. This is the reason I recommend fast-draining soil. A few dry conditions are ok for the plant.
Water it regularly in the summer season and cut back water to once per week in winter.
For your plant’s safety check the soil condition before watering it. The soil should be dry and contain less moisture. Then you can water your plant.
Root rot is the main problem in these plants. It is only triggered by wet and water-logged soil. This is only possible when you use the wrong soil, or you give extra water to your plants, or your plant pot does not have a bottom hole.
The Quality of Water
To grow a healthy and disease-free Reversa plant the quality of water plays an important role. The tap water is not suitable for indoor plants.
Because the water authorities add chlorine to kill harmful bacteria and to make the water useable. But the chlorine content is not good for indoor plants like alocasia.
Chlorine gets collected at the base of the pot and blocks the natural function of plant roots. As a result, your plant does not get proper water and nutrition.
Hence your plant becomes weak and prone to many diseases and pest infestations.
The best water for watering Reversa Alocasia is filtered water. Because it needs minimal water so it cannot be a problem for you to use a few bottles of filtered water every month for watering it.
Fertilizing
In its active growing season fertilize it for a good and strong plant structure. In spring and summer, plants need a nutrient boost because they grow their stems and leaves.
Never fertilize reversa alocasia in winters.
You need a fertilizer that contains high content of nitrogen. I simply use foliage plant fertilizer for my foliage plants. These fertilizers have a balanced percentage of all essential ingredients. They are also cheaper than blooming and general fertilizers.
To use it, simply dilute the fertilizer in clean water and pour it into the base of the plant. Remember that liquid types are good for container-grown plants. Never use granular or powdered-type nutrients.
Best Pots for Alocasia Reversa
You will be surprised to know that as long as you are using well-draining potting soil. You don’t need to worry about the material of the plant pot.
You can use any type of pot to grow and care for your Reversa plant. The pot you are going to use must have at least two drainage holes.
They allow the extra water to go out of the pot easily. This action of these pots saves your plant from overwatering problems.
Temperature & Humidity
The temperature will not be an issue if you have the plant pot inside your home. Because it needs a temperature between 55 to 85 degrees F. This is the general home temperature range of our houses.
If you place the pot outside then you need to bring it inside just before the winter. When you feel the winds are getting cold and the night temperature is dropping. Immediately bring your plant pot inside and keep it in a comfortable location.
The difficult part is maintaining the correct level of air moisture in the grow room.
In the natural habitat, the reversa plant stays in humidity above 70 %. This is the reason its cousins in the jungle are taller and wider.
We have our home humidity between 40 to 65 %. It can stand in humidity above 50% but for low humidity, you need to use plant humidifiers. They are easily available on amazon.
Pruning & Maintenance
It is a moderate-growing plant and does not create a mess like ferns. Therefore, you need to prune your plant occasionally.
Whenever you see yellow leaves pick your pruning tools and cut the yellow part. Do the same for brown and damaged leaves and stems.
For general maintenance keep the plant dust free. To do so use a clean cotton cloth and wipe the leaves by soaking the cloth in normal water.
Maintaining plant hygiene is the first and most important step toward a healthy Reversa plant.
Toxicity
Like other plants of its family, Reversa is also toxic to pets and humans. Just pinch the stem or a part of the leaf.
You will see a watery substance immediately coming out. This is called the sap of the plant and it contains calcium oxalate.
These crystals of calcium are toxic for us and pets only when ingested.
Common toxic symptoms are vomiting, excessive drooling, sore throat, and pain in the stomach. Call the poison control center for help.
For your protection use garden gloves to trim your plant. Also, keep it away from your pets and kids.
Repotting
Once you have brought this plant home you will not need to repot it for the next 2 years. This plant naturally likes to live in little bit congested places.
Slight root bounds are good for container plants. You only need to transfer it to the new home when you see a visible root on the top surface. Or when the roots are coming out of the bottom hole and the plant feels uncomfortable.
Take 2 inch wide and deep pot, and also change the potting soil.
In fresh soil, your plant will feel happy and this increases the life span of a plant.
Propagation
For effective and successful propagation, you must wait for the repotting of the plant. At the time of the repotting divide the shoots and use them to multiply this plant.
Plant each division in the new pot in fresh potting soil and keep the soil moist. Protect them from direct sunlight. To speed up the development of new roots you must place the plant pots in high humidity.
Within 8 to 9 weeks the division starts looking well established in the pots. This means the new roots are there in the pot and your propagation is successful.
Common Pests and Problems
Leggy Growth
Stretchy growth is a common problem with alocasia plants. Because they need low light and most of the time growers place them in extremely low light.
This triggers alocasia to grow its stems longer than normal. With long stems, it tries to reach the source of light to absorb more quantity of light.
To avoid this problem, you should place your plant near a sunny window. Or on the place where it can get bright indirect light.
Also rotate the plant pot so that each part of the plant can get the proper amount of light.
Root Rot
Overwatering is the cause of root rot. Early warning signs are yellow leaves, smelly soil, and decaying stems.
Limit the use of water to prevent root fungus disease. Always check the soil moisture before watering the plant.
To test soil moisture, use a soil moisture meter or poke your finger in the potting soil.
The only solution is repotting the plant in new potting soil. Gently unpot your plant, cut the infected roots and plant it in a new pot using fresh soil.
Pest Infestations
Spider mites are the main enemy of healthy Alocasia Reversa plants. Unhygienic surroundings and high humidity invite them to the place.
Use rubbing alcohol and wipe the leaves to kill them. Your plant will show healthy signs 6 to 7 days after the treatment.
To prevent pest infestations, you should use a neem oil spray. Use it once in 20 days on all your indoor plants. It is safe to use on all types of small to large size plants.
Use it all year round to keep your indoor plants healthy and pest free.
Conclusion
The care techniques and needs of alocasia reversa are the same as other alocasia plants.
Moist soil, less watering, on-time fertilizing, and indirect bright light are the basic care steps of every alocasia plant. For other alocasia plant care guides check our houseplant section.
