Alocasia cucculata

Each year I can absorb up to 500g of CO2

That's about enough to:

• Fill 1 football
• Drive a car for up to 1 mile
• Make 8 cups of tea

*rough estimate using data sourced from:

haskins.co.uk

cogo.zendesk.com

I'm in my pomp during summer, and although I’m usually grown as a houseplant, I’ll be quite happy outside during summer. I won’t like being in full baking sun all day, so find a nice dappled shady spot for me. If you leave me outside and forget me, I’ll die back with the first frost. My underground tuber is not at all frost hardy, so you can either treat me as a houseplant, a summer annual, or cut my stems, lift my tuber and store it over winter in a dark cool place.

I don’t like to sit in soggy compost. Let the top of my compost dry out completely, then give me a good soaking. If you bring me inside then reduce watering to every few weeks during the coldest winter months.

I’m originally from South East Asia, where I grow in warm, humid dappled shade under the canopy of larger trees. I’m at my most happy in a warm bright spot away from cold winds. I’ll be happy indoors all year round in a bright warm room, or outside all summer provided you don’t leave me in full sun - if you do, my leaves will get scorched.

I’m quite slow growing here in the UK. Realistically, for most people, you can expect me to add up to 10cm of height each year, but give me perfect conditions and I might reach a couple of metres tall and a metre wide.