Do you need houseplants with impressive foliage and prominent veins? Then it would help if you looked into the Alocasia genus. Alocasia Frydek or Polly are the best matches for your houseplant needs.
Both of them have deep green leaves and prominent veins. Such similarities make many growers confuse one plant with another.
If you want to buy either of them and suffer from the same confusion, read on for insight.
This article will shed some light on the differences between both plants. After reading, you can easily differentiate between Alocasia Frydek and Polly.
Table of Contents
What is Alocasia Frydek?
Alocasia Frydek is one of the most popular decorative houseplants. Its scientific name is Alocasia Micholitziana Frydek. This plant is commercially known as the Alocasia green velvet.
It is a perennial evergreen member of the Araceae plant family and is highly appreciated for its large, deep green, smooth leaves.
Prominent, creamy, or white veins complement the deep-colored leaves. However, these leaves are not always dark green. Juvenile or freshly unfurled leaves have a brighter green shade.
Mature leaves resemble a big ace or an arrow. The natural habitat of this plant is the tropical parts of the Philippines.
Generally, you can’t start growing Alocasia Frydek as your first houseplant, as it can be demanding. However, it will only be demanding for a while.
All of the hard work will be in the early growing stages. As the plant heads towards maturity, it will be less demanding.
What is Alocasia Polly?
The full botanical name of this plant is Alocasia Amazonica Polly. It is commonly known as the African mask plant or Amazonian elephant ear. The Alocasia Polly resembles many other Alocasias in its growth style. It grows upright using its fleshy stems.
This variety of Alocasia gains its beauty from its stunningly large, deep green foliage, but the leaves are not the only reason. The plant has pink stems that increase its color variety. Also, the purple undersides of the green leaves add extra beauty to this lovely plant.
The name of this plant, “Amazonian Polly,” might imply that its natural habitat is in the Amazon Forest. However, this plant’s home is far away from the Amazons. It is in the tropical parts of Southeast Asia, India, and Australia.
This plant does not like overwatering, but it loves dampness. You will need to touch the soil before watering. It should be almost dry. As for light needs, the Alocasia Polly prefers medium-intensity indirect sunlight.
What are the Differences between Alocasia Frydek and Polly?
When you see both plants for the first time, you might think they are the same. But if you pay them more attention, you can detect some notable differences.
The details of the leaves and their dimensions are essential for determining which plant is which.
1. Leaf veins
While both plants have pronounced white or creamy veins, you can notice a difference in their appearance. For instance, the veins of the Frydek are less pronounced than those of the Alocasia Polly.
2. Leaf texture
As mentioned above, the veins of the Alocasia Polly are more prominent. This means you can feel them when you touch the leaves.
So, the leaves of the Alocasia Polly have more texture, whereas those of the Alocasia Frydek are softer.
3. Leaf appearance
The leaves of Alocasia Frydek are velvety and matt. They lack the glossy appearance of the Alocasia Polly.
Also, the leaves of the Alocasia Frydek appear more elongated and narrower, whereas those of the Polly are wider.
4. Leaf colors
Both the Alocasia Frydek and Polly have green leaves. However, the leaves of the Alocasia Polly are way darker than those of Alocasia Frydek. Alocasia Polly’s leaves are considered one of the darkest varieties of the Alocasia genus.
5. Leaf underside
The undersides of both plants are a guiding sign for differentiating them. The backsides of the Alocasia Frydek leaves are green, while that of Alocasia Polly leaves are purple.
6. Leaf size
Both plants are highly praised for their large leaves. However, there is a difference in their sizes. The leaves of the Alocasia Polly are longer and wider, unlike the leaves of the Alocasia Frydek, which can reach a length of 45 cm.
Fully-grown leaves of the Alocasia Polly grow up to 50 cm long and 30 cm wide.
7. Plant size
Alocasia Frydek and Polly are not large growers when kept indoors. This is why they fit perfectly in standard plant containers. However, there is a slight difference in their final mature size.
The Alocasia Frydek grows a bit larger, as it can reach a maximum height of 1 meter. The Alocasia Polly, on the other hand, grows some shorter as it gets to a maximum height of 70 cm.
8. Availability
It is not a secret that you find the Alocasia Polly in more households than the Frydek. This is a result of the rarity of the Alocasia Frydek.
As a common houseplant, the Alocasia Polly is typically cheaper than the rare Frydek variety.
Alocasia Frydek vs Polly: Are they the same?
No, the Alocasia Frydek and the Alocasia Polly are not the same plants. Alocasia Frydek and Polly resemble each other pretty much. These two share the most apparent similarities in the whole whole genus.
However, they are two different plants. Both plants are compact with beautiful big green leaves. Both of them have prominent white veins. No need to mention both are a bit tricky to maintain.
However, the veins of the Alocasia Polly are more pronounced, giving the leaves a more leathery texture. The leaves of the Alocasia Frydek are matt, whereas those of the Polly is glossier. The former has narrower leaves too. The leaves of Alocasia Polly are larger in length and width.
As for the colors, the leaves of the Alocasia Frydek are much lighter than those of the Alocasia Polly. Additionally, the leaves of the Alocasia Polly are noted for their purple undersides, whereas those of the Frydek are green.
As mature plants, the Alocasia Frydek is a bit larger. Lastly, the Alocasia Frydek falls into the category of rare and more expensive houseplants.
