Alocasia 'Portora'

every year this plant gets taller but the leaves get smaller. i'm not supposed to cut the trunk to rejuvenate it, am i?
just yesterday i cut the frosted leaves off but i started thinking about this and decided to ask someone here.

I haven't grown that one, but do you repot it in new soil? Or is it in the same old soil all the time?

I think she may grow it in the ground in her climate?

Yes, it's supposed to be a hybrid that's tolerant of cold climates, but sometimes cold and wet can cause root rot problems. And the question of what sort of soil it's in is still relevant in the ground where there can also be problems with competition from other nearby plants. Like with most plants, there's a certain balancing act that needs to be got right.

Very true. I've lost a few to rot over the years here in my zone. The cold wasn't much of a problem for the ones I had.

I grow mine in the ground each summer, but need to lift it at the end of summer due to my Zone 6 temps. I cut the tops off and let the bulb go dormant, each spring they start to grow again. I know that your growing conditions are different but if I cut the top off mine and it all returns the next year I would think your would do the same. Just a guess.

Thanks, Holly. Yes, I've done that. I just don't want to have to dig things right now - caregiving rquires a lot of my time and energy these days.

sorry for the late reply.....i've been gardening!

the plant is in ground, in a raised bed by itself. i did have Ruellia 'Ragin Cajun' in with it but that got totally out of hand so i took it out.

i need to feed this plant now but i still don't know if i am supposed to actually cut the trunk back to rejuvenate it. if i do, will babies sprout from the roots around it? the trunk is a little over 4' tall and quite a decent diameter at the bottom but the taller it gets, the skinnier it gets on top.

Hey, I have that plant inground and I haven't noticed it getting smaller leaves/bigger trunk. What's up with that?

hey nery! lack of feed is probably to blame but it just looks so sick and stupid right now....sigh. lol

I can't see any problem with cutting it back but why don't you email LariAnn and ask her.
http://aroidiaresearch.org/

thanks alice! i'll do that tomorrow.