Alocasia reginula ‘Black Velvet’ 6″ pot

The Black Velvet’s standout feature is dark leaves and prominent pale green, white, or silver veins. Its thick, succulent-like leaves are heart-shaped and have a velvety look and stiff texture. The leaves grow about six inches long and two-and-a-half inches wide.

The strikingly dark leaves developed as a light-gathering strategy in the gloom beneath a forest canopy. The foliage absorbs all visual light waves while their pale veins reflect them.

The Black Velvet is a rhizomatous perennial that stays compact, seldom reaching over eighteen inches high and wide. It goes dormant in cool weather but can stay active all year with adequate light and warmth.