Alocasia meloZoltan Bardi · All rights reserved
Houseplant

Alocasia melo

Bornean native aroid, named for its deeply wrinkled-bumpy, thick leaves that resemble the skin of a cantaloupe. It is often sold in commerce under the name "Alocasia rugosa." It is small in size, about 25–35 cm tall; it requires high humidity and warmth.

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Botanical fact sheet

Alocasia melo A.Hay, P.C.Boyce & K.M.Wong (1997)

✓ Verified fact sheet Nov 9, 2026
Alocasia melo
Photo: Zoltan BardiAll rights reservedInfringing image? Let us know
Taxonomy
Family: Araceae · Genus: Alocasia1112
Plant type
Perennial, herbaceous aroid (Araceae)
Native distribution
Borneo: exclusively Sabah (Malaysia), indigenous species213
Natural habitat
Lowland tropical rainforest on ultrabasic rock: in rock crevices and thin soil, on steep banks of fast-flowing streams, at an altitude of 120–400 m
Height / growth form
Small stature, about 25–35 cm tall; short, upright stem; shield-shaped, leathery leaves approximately 18–25 × 15 cm, deeply wrinkled-bumpy and bluish-green on top; smooth, pale greenish-white underneath3
Ecology
Rare, indigenous species tied to ultrabasic soil; requires high temperature and humidity, lives in a location protected from direct sunlight

Still missing: flowering period, growth & dormancy period.

Sources (14)
  1. powo.science.kew.org · Accepted name
  2. tb.plazi.org · Native distribution
  3. en.wikipedia.org · Height / growth form
  4. Bloomscape – Alocasia melo
  5. Bloomscape – Alocasia melo
  6. Plant Proper – Alocasia melo
  7. Plant Proper – Alocasia melo
  8. Monsteraholic – Alocasia melo
  9. Monsteraholic – Alocasia melo
  10. Wikipedia (en) – Alocasia melo · CC BY-SA 4.0
  11. World Flora Online – Alocasia melo · Scientific name
  12. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy – Alocasia melo · Scientific name · CC BY 4.0
  13. GBIF – distributions (Catalogue of Life; The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)) · Native distribution · CC BY 4.0
  14. Wikidata – Q15314396 · CC0
Community knowledge

Tips & experience from members

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Real data

How members water it

Not enough logs yet: at least 3 plants with regular watering logs are needed (now: 0). Waterings logged in Care feed this – anonymised and aggregated.

Care guidelines

How it thrives

Partly general data for the genus Alocasia
Watermedium
Lightbright indirect
Humidityhigh
Min. temperature18 °C
No dormancy · general genus dataDifficulty: ●●●○○ · general genus data⚠ May be toxic to pets / people

No monthly schedule is shown because cultivar-/species-level data is not yet sufficient. The general values above are guidance only.

Give bright, indirect light with no direct sun – the thick textured leaves scorch. Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry; rain or distilled water is best.

⚠ Pets & children · genus Alocasia
Cat moderateDog moderateHorse moderatePet bird moderateRabbit, rodent moderateCattle moderateSheep, goat moderatePig moderatePoultry moderateTortoise, herbivorous reptile moderateHuman (child) moderatedetails →
At a glance

Alocasia melo – what to know

Alocasia melo – family: Araceae, genus: Alocasia. Native range: Borneo: exclusively Sabah (Malaysia), indigenous species. Care guidelines: light: bright indirect; water: medium; min. 18 °C. One Perfect Plants Club member grows it (1 photos). For cats: moderately toxic; for dogs: moderately toxic. Keep it out of reach and call a vet straight away if you suspect poisoning.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Alocasia melo?

Moderately: water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry, and never let it sit in standing water.

How much light does Alocasia melo need?

It likes bright but indirect light, such as near an east- or west-facing window.

How cold can Alocasia melo get?

Keep it above 18 °C – it is frost-tender and needs a frost-free spot in winter.

Is Alocasia melo toxic to cats and dogs?

For cats: moderately toxic; for dogs: moderately toxic. Keep it out of reach and call a vet straight away if you suspect poisoning.

Community intelligence

What members’ data shows

When does it really bloom?

No blooms logged yet. If yours flowers, your data will be the first!

Average watering interval

Not enough watering logs yet. Waterings logged in the care hub feed this chart.

Conversation

Questions about this species

Same genus

Alocasia

Data sources: Wikipedia – en.wikipedia.org · GBIF.org – Alocasia melo (CC BY 4.0) · Wikidata – Q15314396 (CC0) · Care data is for guidance only.

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