Name: Alocasia micholitziana Sander ‘Frydek’
Etymology: The genus name Alocasia is etymologically derived from Colocasia. The epithet micholitziana honors the German botanist and plant collector Georg Micholitz.
First description: The species was described in 1912 by Henry Frederick Conrad Sander.
Origin / Habitat: Philippines, endemic to Luzon. It grows in primary and secondary forests and along roadsides, at elevations of around 1200–1500 m.
Description & Notes: A compact to robust-growing Alocasia with velvety, dark green, arrow-shaped leaves and markedly lighter venation; ‘Frydek’ is frequently used in the trade for this cultivated form. We grow it in bright to partially shaded conditions, warm, with high humidity and good air circulation. We keep the substrate consistently slightly moist, but not wet. We keep it at around 18–28 °C.