Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea'

The Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' prefers bright indirect light, without direct exposure to the sun.

In its natural tropical forest habitat, it grows under the canopy of tall trees, benefiting from diffuse and constant light. Indoors, an east or west-facing window, with a light curtain in summer, ideally reproduces these conditions.

In winter, move it closer to the window to compensate for the drop in light. In summer, move it slightly away or place a curtain to prevent direct rays from burning its large dark leaves.

Important tip 🌿Avoid rooms without natural light: without sufficient light, the golden veins fade and the plant stops producing new leaves.For low-light rooms, our full-spectrum horticultural lamp for indoor plants faithfully mimics natural light, without harmful UV rays.

Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' is toxic to cats, dogs, and young children.

Like all members of the Araceae family, it contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals found throughout all parts of the plant. These crystals cause immediate irritation to the mucous membranes if chewed or ingested.

If ingested, possible symptoms include: burning and swelling of the mouth and throat, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing and, in severe cases, digestive issues. These symptoms are generally localized and disappear quickly, but a veterinary or medical consultation is recommended.

What precautions should be taken on a daily basis?

Place your Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' out of reach or in a room inaccessible to pets and young children. Avoid prolonged contact with the sap during repotting or pruning: wear gloves.

With a few simple placement precautions, this majestic plant can coexist perfectly peacefully in your home.

The leaves of the Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' most often turn yellow due to overwatering, a lack of light, or a nutrient deficiency.

• If the leaves turn yellow and become limp, the problem is generally caused by too much water, which leads to the beginning of root rot.
• If the leaves gradually turn yellow while remaining firm and dry, the plant is often lacking light or fertilizer.
• If the yellowing is accompanied by small light-colored spots, a dull appearance, or fine webbing, it may be a spider mite infestation, which is common indoors, especially in dry conditions.

For the Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea', it is normal for an old leaf to turn yellow and fall off when a new leaf emerges: the plant concentrates its energy on the new foliage, especially during the active growing season in spring and summer.

Important tip 🌿One or two old leaves turning yellow from time to time is completely normal.However, you should be concerned if several leaves turn yellow quickly or if the problem spreads to the young leaves.

In the event of a spider mite infestation, choose our biological spider mite control solutions, which are effective and plant-friendly.

The Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' is ideally repotted in spring, between March and May, when growth actively resumes.

After receiving it, wait 2 to 3 weeks for it to acclimate before considering repotting, so as not to further stress the plant after transport.

Repotting is necessary when:

• roots grow out of the drainage holes,
• growth slows down,
• or the substrate compacts too quickly after watering.

Generally, repotting every 2 years is sufficient for an adult plant.

The Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' develops underground rhizomes that can form offsets: take advantage of repotting to gently separate them if you wish to propagate the plant.

Choose a pot 2 to 3 cm wider than the old one, which must have drainage holes. Our clear pots with holes for observing the roots after repotting are ideal: their transparency allows you to easily monitor root recovery without disturbing the plant.

We recommend our premium substrates made in France, designed for drainage, oxygenation, and healthy growth.

1. Gently remove the plant from its pot, tapping the pot if necessary.
2. Gently untangle the roots if they are very compacted, without breaking them.
3. Place a layer of substrate, position the plant upright, and fill in without burying the crown.

Important tip 🌿After repotting, water to help the substrate settle. Repotting every two years is sufficient.

Fertilize the Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' every 2 to 3 weeks from March to October with a liquid fertilizer diluted in the watering water.

From November to February, reduce fertilization significantly or stop it altogether. This is the plant's vegetative rest period.

Properly dosed fertilization promotes:

• denser, more vibrant foliage,
• steady growth,
• and greater plant resilience.

For the Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea', a nitrogen-rich fertilizer is particularly beneficial in spring and summer, as this nutrient stimulates the development of large, dark leaves with golden veins.

👉 For best results, we recommend our concentrated liquid fertilizer for tropical plants, which is easy to dose and delivers quickly visible results.

Important tip 🌿Never fertilize dry soil: this could burn the roots. Water first, then apply the fertilizer 2 to 3 days later.

Water the Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' when the substrate has dried out thoroughly, which is approximately every 7 to 10 days in summer and every 10 to 15 days in winter. Use room-temperature water.

How to know when to water?

The finger test remains the most reliable method: push your index finger 2 to 3 cm into the substrate. If the substrate is dry, it is time to water.

The Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' stores reserves in its underground rhizomes, which gives it tolerance to occasional drought: forgetting to water for a day or two is not fatal, unlike repeated overwatering, which quickly compromises its roots.

Important tip: If in doubt, wait rather than watering. Plants tolerate a lack of water better than an excess, which rots the roots.

Alocasia 'Nairobi Nights Aurea' is propagated by separating its rhizomatous offsets, ideally in spring during repotting.

Rhizome division methodThis Alocasia is not propagated by stem or leaf cuttings: it produces offsets (small bulbs or secondary rhizomes) at the base of the mother plant. Use our stainless steel straight-tip pruning shears to cleanly separate the offsets without damaging the roots.

1. Remove the mother plant from its pot in spring and identify the secondary rhizomes with roots or leaf buds. Carefully separate them with the stainless steel pruning shears.
2. Place each offset in one of our clear propagation pots to monitor root development without stressing the young plant.
3. Place in a warm, bright location (out of direct sunlight), with a stable temperature around 20–22°C (68–72°F). High ambient humidity promotes recovery.

Repot into a nutrient-enriched all-purpose potting mix once the roots are well developed. Live sphagnum moss can also be used as a temporary rooting medium to keep the young roots moist.

Important tip 🌿Recovery can take 3 to 6 weeks depending on the size of the offset and ambient conditions. The first new leaf is a sign that rooting was successful. Wear gloves when handling the plant: Alocasia sap is irritating.