Alocasia lauterbachiana on 5-1-09, #12-4.
Baroque Sword, Purple Sword, Silver Sword
Alocasia lauterbachiana
Synonyms of Alocasia lauterbachiana (3): Alocasia wavriniana Mast., Schizocasia lauterbachiana Engl., Xenophya lauterbachiana (Engl.) Nicolson
Alocasia lauterbachiana (Engl.) A. Hay is the accepted scientific name for this species. It was described as such by Alistair Hay in Aroids of Papua New Guinea in 1990. It was first described as Schizocasia lauterbachiana by Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler in Botanische Jahrbuecher fuer Systematik in 1898. Second, it was described as Xenophya lauterbachiana by Dan Henry Nicolson in Blumea in 1968. Another synonym is Alocasia wavriniana by Maxwell T. Masters in Garden Chronicles III in 1898.
The genus, Alocasia (Schott) G.Don, was named and described by George Don in Sweet’s Hortus Britannicus in 1839. They were first listed as Colocasia sect. Alocasia by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott in Meletemata Botanica in 1832.
As of 11-13-22 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 90 species in the Alocasia genus. It is a member of the plant family Araceae with 139 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
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Alocasia lauterbachiana on 9-17-09, #35-02.
I bought my Alocasia lauterbachiana from Wellspring Gardens in the spring of 2009. I first planted all the new Alocasia under a Crape Myrtle Tree behind the den. I later moved them to the west side of the house next to the west sunroom because I didn’t think they were getting enough sun. They did better.
Since the information I had read said that Alocasia can go dormant at 45° F, when the temps started getting cooler I dug them up and put them in pots and took them inside for the winter. Most of them went dormant anyway, including Alocasia lauterbachiana.
It was kind of funny, though. I was new to Alocasia and when they went dormant I thought they were dead. I stacked the pots, one on top of the other, and when I was moving them in the spring, Alocasia lauterbachiana was coming up.
<<<<2010>>>>
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 9-15-10, #59-5.
Although the Alocasia lauterbachiana went dormant over the winter, it came back up again when it was ready. I put it in the ground, pot and all, in a new bed I had made in front of the den. I know it sounds weird to put pot and all into the ground but I was experimenting. The plant was 6″ tall x 8 1/2″ wide when the above photo was taken on September 15, 2010. I didn’t take many photos in 2010.
According to most websites, Alocasia lauterbachiana can grow to a height of 18-48″. Probably depends on the location, size of the pot, what it is growing in, water, etc. It does well in part to full shade. It is cold hardy in USDA Zones maybe 9-11.
<<<<2011>>>>
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 8-1-11, #68-7.
We made it through the winter without going dormant and the Alocasia lauterbachiana was going very well. I put it back in the ground, in the same bed as in 2010. The above photo was taken on August 1, 2011.
<<<<2012>>>>
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 6-2-12, #95-6.
Once again we made it through another winter without going dormant and Alocasia lauterbachiana is really looking GREAT! The above photo was taken on June 2, 2012.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 6-11-12, #99-6.
Umm… Alocasia lauterbachiana was doing something weird. I thought it was producing flowers but they didn’t open…
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 6-11-12, #99-7.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 8-12-12, #115-8.
The Alocasia lauterbachiana on the back steps of the mansion on August 12, 2012. I had to borrow a friend’s camera when the above photo was taken. I didn’t realize his settings had not been set.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 11-23-12, #131-3.
I moved the plants inside once temps started getting cooler AGAIN. The above photo is the first offset for my Alocasia lauterbachiana on 11-23-12.
<<<<2013>>>>
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 6-29-13, #159-4.
I moved back to the family farm in mid-Missouri in February 2013. I gave away hundreds of plants, but I did bring most of my Alocasia, including this one. It didn’t like the 8-9 hour 30 degree trip in the back of a trailer and soon went dormant. I had put the Alocasia, and most all the plants, in the basement until they could be moved outside. When temps warmed up Alocasia lauterbachiana started coming back to life.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 7-14-13, #162-11.
SSSLLLOOOWWWLLLYYY but surely by July 14, 2014.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 8-23-13, #178-9.
Much better by 8-23-10 when the above photo was taken.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 8-30-13, #181-9.
Even though several months had gone by and there were three offsets, the main plant did NOT come back to life. My theory is DO NOT let your Alocasia go dormant… The other weird thing was that one of those offsets was the first to come up in June but it had a hard time growing.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 9-17-13, #188-13.
By September 17 when the above photo was taken, the Alocasia lauterbachiana was looking very good.
Alocasia lauterbachiana on 12-7-13, #208-3.
When temps started getting cooler I had to bring my plants inside AGAIN. I put the Alocasia lauterbachiana and Alocasia gageana in front of the sliding door in the dining room. The rest of the Alocasia went in the basement. While Alocasia gageana did great, Alocasia lauterbachiana DID NOT approve and was dormant by the time winter was over.
I do believe it came back up once it was outside during the summer of 2014 but it just couldn’t get with the program…
I will definitely find another Alocasia lauterbachiana someday because I really like this species. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about this species, I would love to hear from you.
The Belmont Rooster 