Alocasia plants are made up of tuberous or rhizomatous perennials that feature sagittate or cordate leaves and can get up to 20 to 90 cm long.
There are about 79 alocasia species under the genus Alocasia, all coming from the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Alocasia bambino and alocasia Polly are among the most popular and attractive of them all.
They are hybrid plants that are tricky to plant but will wow and impress you with their growth and beauty when given adequate care. This article will look at the differences between alocasia bambino vs polly.
It’s worth noting that both plants share similar features yet have slight differences, primarily in the leave sizes and shapes. The alocasia Polly has a very scalloped and edged look and deep heart-shaped leaves compared to that of arrow-shaped Bambino.
More details on that later!
Table of Contents
What is Alocasia Bambino?
Alocasia Bambino is arguably one of the best and most popular decorative plants of the alocasia genus species. Without a much closer look, you would be confusing the bambino for alocasia amazonica because it looks exactly like it and is often regarded as an average amazonica or its cultivar.
Just several other alocasia species, the bambino hybrid is quite tricky to grow, which is why as a beginner, you’ve to gain more knowledge about it if you must consider adding it to your indoor collections.
It features attractive arrowhead leaves with a purple underside and a bright, patterned venation at the top.
Even though the alocasia bambino is quite tricky to grow, it is not too difficult to maintain indoors once you can follow its appropriate care routine, including bright, indirect light, moderate watering, high humidity levels, and average temperature, amongst others.
As earlier mentioned, alocasia bambino is a cultivar of alocasia amazonica. In other words, it is produced in cultivation through selective breeding and doesn’t occur naturally.
It is a smaller version of the amazonica, and won’t grow more than 12 inches tall, thus making it a perfect option for small spaces.
What is Alocasia Polly?
Alocasia Polly is an evergreen exotic hybrid of the alocasia genus, which has its origin in the Asian region.
It is quite an attractive plant that can grow up to just 20 inches tall and has dense foliage. It also features beautiful dark green leaves that possess showy veins and borders with shades of white to grey color.
The alocasia Polly is a fascinating prospect for indoor planting, be it in pots or containers. It can also be grown outdoors under partial shelter conditions in USDA zones 3 to 11.
The plant features significant scalloped edges and arrow-shaped tips that make them even more attractive. Its leaves shape is why it is popularly called the Elephant Ear plant and African Mask plant.
Alocasia Bambino Vs Polly
Before we detail the differences between alocasia bambino vs alocasia polly, the table below shows their key distinctions.
| Alocasia Bambino | Alocasia Polly |
| It features more of an arrowhead leaves shape. | It features a very scalloped and edged look and deeper heart-shaped leaves than that of the alocasia bambino |
| It has slightly dwarfed leaves than that of the Polly | It has somewhat taller leaves than that of the alocasia bambino |
| It hardly produces folds and crests on its sides | It forms folds and crests on its sides. |
| Its green color leaves are more vibrant and darker | Its green color leaves are slightly less vibrant and lighter. |
| Its mature height stands at more than 40 cm | Its mature height stands at an average height of 25 to 40 cm |
| Its ideal soil pH is 5.0 to 6.5 | Its ideal soil pH level is 5.0 to 6.0 |
Differences Between Alocasia Bambino and Polly
The major comparisons that exist between the alocasia bambino and Polly are in their similarities, as they come from the same family and possess almost identical features. In other words, their differences are few and far between.
There is nothing much in terms of contrasting features other than the odd leaf sizes, shapes, maybe their leaves’ color.
Beginning with the leaf shape and look, the alocasia Polly features a very scalloped and edged look, and deeper heart-shaped leaves than that of the alocasia bambino, which features more of an arrowhead leaves shape.
In terms of leaves’ color, both features green leaves with a dim purple color beneath their leaves. However, that of the alocasia bambino is slightly harder and more vibrant in color than that of the alocasia polly.
In terms of height, the bambino can grow as tall as 40 cm compared to the average height of the Polly, which stands between 25 to 40 cm.
How are Alocasia Bambino and Polly Similar?
As we mentioned earlier, these plants possess similar characteristics. Despite the few differences highlighted above (which you can only often tell during their adult stages), you can hardly differentiate between the alocasia bambino and polly.
Their similarities come in various ways, including leaf shape and look, leaves’ color, flower, growth rate, care factors, etc.
In terms of the leaf appearance, both plants have leaves that take on glossy gleams. They can both be used as ornamental plants because of their beauty, uniqueness, and elegance.
Still, on the leaves, they both produce green leaves that have dark purple underneath. They both have shiny and impressive white linings on their leaves’ surfaces.
Again, they rarely produce flowers, as they are mostly grown and beneficial for their fantastic foliage. Unlike other alocasia varieties, both the bambino and Polly are rapid-growing plants under optimal conditions.
They both thrive under bright indoor areas yet require shelter outside because direct light can destroy their beautiful leaves.
They both need to be placed in warm areas and do best under humid and moist environs. Good humidity can be achieved by placing a tray of water underneath the pot to give extra moisture to the plants' area.
You can also place the plants close to a bathroom, kitchen, or any other moisture-filled area.
Both plants have identical fertilizing requirements, as they both can survive when given an occasional minimal dose of liquid quick-acting fertilizer during the beginning of the growing season.
But overfeeding for both plants can cause their stems to be like a spindle and make their leaves become thinner.
