Hi, I am

Lola

WHO'S

THIS

Girl?

Hi, my name is Lola!

The experts also call me the Alocasia Lauterbachiana. I steal the show with my beautiful, elongated leaves. Have you seen the red underside of my leaves? Beautiful isn't it? I'm also called an Elephant's Ear, maybe that sounds familiar to you too. With me, you get a real eye-catcher in your home!

I am originally from the southern parts of Asia. Here it is nice and warm and I can grow several meters tall! Around here I am also used as an umbrella in rainstorms, thanks to my large leaves. Underneath, people can take shelter very well. Remarkable, isn't it?

Quick guide

meetlint
Height: 70 CM
plantenpot
Diameter: 19 CM
zon
Placement: semi-sun, no direct sunlight
water
Water: frequent, lukewarm water
air cleaning
Air purifying
do not eat
Toxic, not for consumption
schaar
Cut away old leaves
voeding
fertilize twice a month, not during winter
Monstera blad

MORE INFO

  • Where should you place me?
  • Put me in a place where I can catch some sun rays, but where I am not in full sun. For example, you can put me in front of a west or east-facing window, or two meters from a south-facing window. Just make sure I get enough light, otherwise my stems will get very long. This is because my leaves always want to grow towards the light, and as soon as my stems get too long, my heavy leaves will start drooping. Turn me a little every now and then so that all my leaves get light and don't grow crooked, and don't move me too often.

  • How much water do I drink?
  • I like a slightly moist soil and prefer not to dry out, as this causes my leaves to droop. Never give me too much water, as this causes root rot. Regular sips of lukewarm water are enough for me. This does vary per season: in winter I drink less than in summer, because it is warmer and lighter in summer. In addition, the brighter my location, the more I drink. Water me from below, it's better for my roots and this also reduces the chance of bugs. It also allows me to absorb the amount of water I need. You can give the rest of the water to another plant after I have drunk for 15 minutes. In between waterings, you can feel with your finger how wet the soil is. Does soil stick to your finger after you put it in the potting soil? Then it still has enough water. Is your finger dry and clean? Then give me something to drink. Also, feel free to lift me up. Am I heavy like a tree? Then I have enough to drink. Am I light as a leaf? Then I like a sip. Cheers!

  • How much fertilizer do I need?
  • I need fertilizer during the growing season, which runs from March to September. During this period, I like to have fertilizer twice a month. Please stick to the amount described on the packaging, as too much fertilizer is bad for me. Outside the growing season, you don't need to give me fertilizer, because I grow less during this period.

  • When do I need to be repotted?
  • If you have just bought me, you don’t need to repot me for the first few months. I need all the energy I have to adjust to my new environment. You can, of course, put me in a decorative pot. After the first repotting session, I’d like a new pot every two years that is 20% bigger than my previous pot. Please repot me in Spring, this is when I’m at my strongest. I also like fresh potting soil, because this is filled with nutrients that I need to grow. Sometimes, it happens that I go through a major growth spurt and need a new pot sooner. You can check if I need a new pot by checking my roots. Do they grow out of the bottom of the pot? Then you can repot me sooner.

    It is very important to plant me in an inner pot first before putting me in a decorative pot. Thus, you can check if you’ve overwatered me by checking if there is water on the bottom of the decorative pot. You can also easily water me from the bottom.

  • When do I need to be pruned?
  • No need to prune me, you know! Still, you might find that you don't like my shape anymore, or that I have old, yellow leaves. In this case, you can cut my leaf stalk down to 2 inches above the stem with clean, sharp scissors. Be sure to do this in the spring when I am at my strongest!

  • What is my superpower?
  • I am a real air purifier! Thus, I make sure that the room I am standing in is provided with clean air. I do this by converting the CO2 in the air into oxygen. This gives you a boost of energy, focus and creativity.

  • Did you know that...
  • It may be that I do lose some drops of water via my leaves. This often happens when I have had too much water. This is called guttation, and is also known as 'sweating'.  

  • Am I edible?
  • No, I am not edible.

Put me in a place where I can catch some sun rays, but where I am not in full sun. For example, you can put me in front of a west or east-facing window, or two meters from a south-facing window. Just make sure I get enough light, otherwise my stems will get very long. This is because my leaves always want to grow towards the light, and as soon as my stems get too long, my heavy leaves will start drooping. Turn me a little every now and then so that all my leaves get light and don't grow crooked, and don't move me too often.

I like a slightly moist soil and prefer not to dry out, as this causes my leaves to droop. Never give me too much water, as this causes root rot. Regular sips of lukewarm water are enough for me. This does vary per season: in winter I drink less than in summer, because it is warmer and lighter in summer. In addition, the brighter my location, the more I drink. Water me from below, it's better for my roots and this also reduces the chance of bugs. It also allows me to absorb the amount of water I need. You can give the rest of the water to another plant after I have drunk for 15 minutes. In between waterings, you can feel with your finger how wet the soil is. Does soil stick to your finger after you put it in the potting soil? Then it still has enough water. Is your finger dry and clean? Then give me something to drink. Also, feel free to lift me up. Am I heavy like a tree? Then I have enough to drink. Am I light as a leaf? Then I like a sip. Cheers!

I need fertilizer during the growing season, which runs from March to September. During this period, I like to have fertilizer twice a month. Please stick to the amount described on the packaging, as too much fertilizer is bad for me. Outside the growing season, you don't need to give me fertilizer, because I grow less during this period.

If you have just bought me, you don’t need to repot me for the first few months. I need all the energy I have to adjust to my new environment. You can, of course, put me in a decorative pot. After the first repotting session, I’d like a new pot every two years that is 20% bigger than my previous pot. Please repot me in Spring, this is when I’m at my strongest. I also like fresh potting soil, because this is filled with nutrients that I need to grow. Sometimes, it happens that I go through a major growth spurt and need a new pot sooner. You can check if I need a new pot by checking my roots. Do they grow out of the bottom of the pot? Then you can repot me sooner.

It is very important to plant me in an inner pot first before putting me in a decorative pot. Thus, you can check if you’ve overwatered me by checking if there is water on the bottom of the decorative pot. You can also easily water me from the bottom.

No need to prune me, you know! Still, you might find that you don't like my shape anymore, or that I have old, yellow leaves. In this case, you can cut my leaf stalk down to 2 inches above the stem with clean, sharp scissors. Be sure to do this in the spring when I am at my strongest!

I am a real air purifier! Thus, I make sure that the room I am standing in is provided with clean air. I do this by converting the CO2 in the air into oxygen. This gives you a boost of energy, focus and creativity.

It may be that I do lose some drops of water via my leaves. This often happens when I have had too much water. This is called guttation, and is also known as 'sweating'.  

No, I am not edible.

Fave spot

Where should you place me?

You can easily make me happy by placing me in a nice, bright spot. Be careful with direct sunlight, because it can be too bright.

Plant care

Medic heart

What do I like?

I love a regular sip of lukewarm water! Be careful not to give too much, because I do not like this very much. You may also give me some fertilizer twice a month during the growing season.

Adopt Rainforest

Plantanious works together with the Work with Nature foundation. Our tropical rainforests are disappearing at a rapid pace and an enormous biodiversity is being lost along with the trees. If it were up to us, the jaguar would soon walk around again in the rainforest in Costa Rica protected by 'Adopt Rainforest'! The place where many of our special plants originate. In order to make an important contribution to the goal of the foundation - to protect 2,000 hectares of rainforest in the next ten years - we donate part of our turnover to protect part of the tropical rainforest. To achieve their goal, the foundation puts money into protection, conservation, reforestation, education and research.