ALOCASIA NYCTERIS "BATWING" AUREA VAREIGATED
Alocasia nycteris "Batwing" Aurea Variegated Looking for Alocasia nycteris "Batwing" Aurea Variegated? This is a golden-variegated form of one of the most dramatically shaped species in the genus, and a real collector's plant. Alocasia nycteris earns its "Batwing" name honestly. The blade is deeply lobed and angular, hastate to sagittate, with the posterior lobes spreading wide like outstretched wings and the whole leaf carried on a long, blackish-streaked petiole. It is a robust species, growing tall in maturity, and the leaf is thickly leathery with a dark glossy green surface. Even without variegation it is one of the more architectural Alocasia you can grow. A small point of collector interest: nycteris is the Philippine species (from Panay) that the recently described Alocasia tandurusa is most often compared to, the two being close in overall shape but differing in the depth of their lobing. The aurea form lays golden-yellow variegation over that bold outline. Rather than clean blocks, it tends to come through as marbling and speckling, warm yellow drifting across the dark glossy green. Because the aurea variegation is chimeric, it lands differently on every leaf and every plant, and it cannot be guaranteed true-to-type through tissue culture. That unpredictability is part of the appeal. In cultivation it rewards bright, indirect light, which supports both vigour and the variegation, since the yellow tissue carries reduced chlorophyll. Keep humidity high and water once the top of the substrate begins to dry. We grow ours in our own pon mix, blended from components in our Soil Ninja range, with Fluval Stratum and Rockwool Cubes as our preferred substrates for any recovery or propagation work, paired with our Corm Keeper system for reliable corm growth. Variegation: golden-yellow aurea, chimeric, marbled and speckled across the blade Leaf: deeply lobed, angular, batwing-shaped blade, dark glossy green Origin: the true nycteris, a Philippine species from Panay Light: bright, indirect light to support healthy variegation Humidity: high, thrives at 60% and above Growth habit: robust terrestrial herb, growing tall when mature Rarity: highly limited availability, a bold aurea for the serious collector A rare chance to add a golden batwing to your collection. Get in touch with the team at The Alocasia Company if you'd like advice on care or variegation stability.