ALOCASIA ‘MARK CAMPBELL’
A. longiloba ‘Lowii Grandis’ x A. sanderiana
PARENTAGE: Alocasia longiloba ‘Lowii Grandis’ x Alocasia sanderiana
SYNONYMS: N/A
HYBRIDIZER: Hybridized by David Fell from Hawaiian Sunshine Nursery circa 1995-2000 and introduced at TPIE 2004
VARIEGATION: N/A
DESCRIPTION: Large leafed variety (24” x 18”) reaches a mature height of only 36”. The new foliage is extremely striking, coming out iridescent black with silver veins. Mature foliage is black-green with silver veins. While starting out with nearly round black leaves (iridescent eggplant purple), the foliage matures to a diminutively lobed form.
This hybrid was named after Mark Campbell, a close friend of David Fell’s who worked with him at Hawaiian Sunshine Nursery and passed away unexpectedly.
A photo of the ovule parent for Alocasia ‘Mark Campbell’, which David graciously shared
This cross has been one of the most prolific in the genus Alocasia, with some of its “cousins” being more famously known than the others:
Alocasia ‘Mortefontanensis’ by Édouard-François André
Alocasia ‘Purpley’ by Bill Rotolante of Silver Krome Gardens
Given the high variability of what literature labeled as Alocasia longiloba it is not surprising that the results of this cross by multiple hybridizers have produced such different hybrids. One can group Alocasia ‘Jean Merkel’ and Alocasia ‘Mark Campbell’ together, while Alocasia ‘Amazonica’, Alocasia ‘Mortefontanesis’ and Alocasia ‘Purpley’ are also closely related.
INFLORESCENCE: N/A
Photo by @amrand29
