Alocasia Clypeolata Plant Care

Last Updated on April 14, 2022 by Admin

The Alocasia Clypeolata is better known by its common name the Alocasia Green Shield. This is why you’ll hear some people call it Alocasia Clypeolata Green Shield.

The Alocasia Clypeolata is an elephant ear plant thanks to its large leaves. These are thick once they mature and have a leathery texture.

The thickness of their leaves allow them to withstand heavy rains better than alocasia varieties with thinner leaves.

The plant is native to the Philippines.

How do you care for the Alocasia Clypeolata? Keep it in bright, indirect or filtered light. It enjoys high humidity and warm weather. It is not cold hardy.

The plant likes moist soil but is sensitive to wet, soggy soil. Avoid overwatering and waterlogged soil.

Table of Contents

Alocasia Green Shield Light Requirements

The Alocasia Clypeolata thrives in bright, indirect light. This will help the plant maintain its beautiful light green leaves.

Note that while the Alocasia Green Shield does best in plenty of light, not all light is good for it.

Instead, go for indirect, filtered, dappled or diffused light.

On the other be more discerning with direct sunlight.

The plant loves direct sunlight during the early mornings and late afternoons. But it cannot tolerate direct sunlight during the middle of the day.

That’s because mid-day sun between 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. is very harsh.

Its intensity it too much for the plant to withstand. While the Alocasia Clypeolata can take a few hours of this, anything more can burn its leaves. At the very least, it can make them pale.

Therefore, watch out for the these times and keep the plant away from the direct rays of mid-day sun.

This is why you want to be a bit more careful with positioning it near a south facing window as well as a west facing window.

Both directions get sunlight during these times of the day.

In contrast, the Alocasia Green Shield loves an east facing window since that’s were early morning sun shines.

On the other hand, I don’t suggest low light either.

That’s because this can turn its light green leaves dark green.

The reason is low light makes it harder for the plant to support itself via photosynthesis. So, to survive it produces more chlorophyll which helps it absorb more light from the insufficient source.

Chlorophyll is what makes leaves green. Thus, you’ll see the light green leaves turn more green.

Instead, I suggest using artificial lights if you don’t get a lot of natural light into your home.

Alocasia Green Shield Temperature

The Alocasia Green Shield has an ideal temperature range of 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where it is happiest and most comfortable.

It also makes it easy to care for the plant indoors since most homes have climate conditions within this range.

Additionally, since the Alocasia Green Shield is a tropical plant, it has no issues with warmer temperatures as well.

But it is quite sensitive to low temperatures.

In fact, it has trouble once the temperature drops under 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Here, you’ll notice its growth slow down.

Avoid leaving it there for long periods of time or letting the temperature drop even further as the plant can suffer cold injury.

This is why indoors, you want to be wary during winter.

Low temperature coupled with low light can make the Alocasia Clypeolata go into dormancy. This is when you’ll see the plant not grow at all.

Note that just because this happens does not mean the plant is dead.

You’ll easily see the difference if you insert your finger into the soil and lightly push against its rhizomes.

When the plant is dying, the rhizomes will become soft, mushy, squishy or rotten. But when it goes dormant, the rhizomes will feel firm.

The good news is that the plant will come out of dormancy once the warm weather of spring returns.

Still, try to avoid this if possible as it causes potential stress and uncertainty on your part.

Needless to say, leaving the Alocasia Green Shield outdoors is not an option during wintertime.

Keep it indoors instead and in a warm, cozy spot.

The only exception to this is in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12 where the weather stays fairly warm and sunny during their “winters”. Think Texas, Florida and California.

Alocasia Green Shield Humidity

The Alocasia Clypeolata enjoys high humidity. Its ideal humidity is between 60% to 90%.

That’s because the plant comes from the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. These countries are near the equator.

So, they not only have hot weather all year round, they’re also very humid.

As such, the Alocasia Green Shield is accustomed to this kind of air moisture.

That said, the plant can tolerate humidity of 50% and slightly lower.

But you want to be careful if you have dry air in your home. That’s because you’ll see its leaves turn brown. This begins in the edges and tips since these are the extremities of the plant.

If humidity continues to stay low, you’ll see more and more leaves turn brown.

This would be a waste considering that the brown leaves cannot turn green again. So, the only option is to prune them and wait for new leaves to grow.

A simple solution would be to get a humidifier.

But if you’re on a budget, I suggest making a pebble tray or humidity tray. You can create these in about 15 minutes from things you already have in your home.

How Often to Water Alocasia Clypeolata

Allow the soil to dry partially between waterings.

This is the simple rule to follow when watering the Alocasia Green Shield.

In general, the plant likes moist soil. Therefore, water one a week works. But what makes it tricky is that the weather changes based on the time of year.

When the sun is hot and the temperature is high, the soil will dry faster. On the other hand, when winter arrives and the weather is cold, it takes much longer for soil to dry.

Thus, you cannot just follow a fixed watering schedule.

Instead, it is important to adjust.

Since it is difficult to do this based on the weather, an easier way is to see what he soil is telling you.

Dry soil means it is time to water. Wet soil means don’t water just yet.

How often to water the Alocasia Green Shield will depend on whether the top 2 inches of soil is dry or not.

If is feels completely dry, add water. if not don’t add yet.

To tell, just stick your finger into the potting mix to the second knuckle. Feel the soil for any sign of moisture.

Even a little bit of moisture means you wait at least a few days before testing again.

Only water if your feel that depth is completely dry.

This is important since the Alocasia Clypeolata does not like wet feet.

And you can observe the leaves to know what’s happening.

Yellow leaves often mean the plant is overwatered. Brown leaves means it is being underwatered.

Alocasia Clypeolata Potting Soil

The Alocasia Clypeolata needs well-draining potting mix that is loose, It does not like wet feet nor does it like waterlogged soil.

Therefore, avoid heavy soils as these will hold more water that the plant’s roots will tolerate.

Excess moisture be it from overwatering or waterlogging can lead to root rot.

That said, it is also important to keep in mind that the roots don’t like drying out. While they’re fine if you let the soil dry out completely, you cannot let this last long without water.

As such, avoid very sandy soils as well.

Too much drainage will remove water very quickly that the roots won’t get enough to drink.

It will also dry out fast.

Instead, always go for well-draining potting mix.

If you prefer buying your soil mixes commercially, look for an Aroid mix. This works perfectly for the Alocasia Green Shield.

On the other hand, you can also make your own DIY potting mix at home. Here’s one that works really well for this plant.

1 part potting soil
1 part peat
1 part perlite

Also, choose a pot with drainage holes at the bottom.

This is very important as it will let any excess moisture that drains from the soil escape out of the pot. Without the holes at the bottom, the water will pool and keep the soil wet.

Alocasia Green Shield Fertilizer

The Alocasia Green Shield is not fussy about fertilizer. So, you can use different kinds. The important thing is that the plant gets the nutrients it needs.

Additionally, don’t overfeed the plant.

Over fertilizing is the worst thing you can do with plant food.

Unfortunately, this is something many beginner home gardeners do believing that more fertilizer means faster and bigger growth.

What they’re not aware of is that commercial fertilizers contain salts which become toxic to plants as they build up in the soil.

Therefore, the more fertilizer you use, not only are you giving the Alocasia Clypeolata nutrients but also more salt.

This can result in fertilizer burn which damages the roots.

Pruning

The Alocasia Clypeolata can grow to a height of 3 feet or a little taller. It is a slow grower and will take a few years before you see it get bigger.

The plant also says fairly compact. Although, its leaves can get bushy.

Personally, I like it when the plant gets full.

But how the plant looks is up to you, the owner.

Since the leaves make up majority of the plant, pruning is not really needed unless you want to shape the plant or want to reduce its bushiness.

Of course, don’t forget to remove any damaged, yellow, brown, old and diseased leaves.

How to Propagate Alocasia Clypeolata

The Alocasia Clypeolata is commonly propagated through division. Like other alocasia varieties it does not propagate from stem cuttings.

Instead, you’ll need to separate the roots to grow new Alocasia Green Shield plants.

Here’s how to propagate the Alocasia Clypeolata through division.

Carefully take the plant out of its pot. Remove excess dirt and take out extra soil on the root ball. This will allow you to see the roots and how they attach to the stems.

From here, decide how many divisions you want to make and which sections you want to grow as new plants. You don’t need to make even splits. One division can be bigger than the other.

Gently tease apart the root ball. Make sure that each division has enough roots, stems and leaves for a new plant. Also, there should be enough roots to support the leaves above it.

Once you have the divisions, plant each one into their own pots with well-draining soil.

Water the soil for each pot until moist.

Since each of these new plants already has roots, you don’t need to wait for them to develop new ones. Instead, they will start growing new shoots in a while.

How to Repot or Transplant Alocasia Clypeolata

Since the Alocasia Clypeolata is a slow grower and will not grow into a very huge plant, it does not need frequently repotting.

On average, repot the plant every 18 to 24 months.

But avoid repotting it when not needed because it does not like being transplanted. Instead, only do so when you see its roots poking out from the bottom of the pot’s drainage holes.

This is your sign that it needs more room to grow.

The best time repot the Alocasia Green Shield is spring to early summer.

Move the plant to a larger container that is 2 inches wider. Also, replace the potting mix with fresh, well-draining soil mix.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Yes, the Alocasia Clypeolata is toxic, It contains calcium oxalate crystals which are toxic to people and animals.

The thing is, these crystals are only activated when consumed. So, keep it away from young children, cats and dogs who may accidentally, chew, ingest or swallow parts of the plant.

This will cause inflammation of the oral cavity as well as the digestive tract.

Alocasia Clypeolata Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

Mealybugs, aphids, scale, spider mites and whiteflies can attack the Alocasia Green Shield. These are all problematic pests because they feed on the plant.

Additionally, they grow in number very quickly.

So, in a short while they can weaken the plant, cause yellow leaves and holes.

Sadly, regular inspection is the only way to spot these insects early. Doing so will let you treat them with neem oil or insecticidal soap as soon as possible to eradicate them.

Diseases

Overwatering is the biggest issue to avoid since it leads to other more serious problems.

That’s because wet soil that does not dry can lead to root rot. It can also cause fungal infections.

Therefore, always be mindful of when you water and how you water the plant.

In addition to soi, wet leaves can also harm the plant as it can cause leaf infections including leaf spot disease.

Alocasia Clypeolata Plant Care – How to Grow Alocasia Green Shield