WILD SPECIESAlocasia cuprea
Also sold as: Red Secret
Alocasia cuprea is a species of plant in the genus Alocasia native to Borneo. This species derives its name, cuprea, from the unusual coppery appearance of the leaves, which are up to 60 cm long. This color is especially pronounced on juvenile leaves, and the back of the leaf is a deep purple, but there is also a greener leaf form of the plant. While rare in cultivation, A. cuprea has been known outside its native habitat since it was brought to Europe in the 1850s by Thomas Lobb for Veitch Nurseries. A popular trade cultivar, 'Red Secret', is sold for its intensified copper-red coloring; its exact origin (a selection of true cuprea vs. a hybrid) is not clearly documented, so treat that name as a low-confidence trade synonym rather than a confirmed match to wild-type cuprea.
Young plant
Grown & mature
Variegation examples
Forms & market value
Every named form of this plant, ordered by how hard it is to find.
- Standard (green)Common
- PinkUncommon
- AureaVery rare
Tiers are relative, not exact prices — see “Before you buy” below.
Before you buy
Cuprea's pink is the headline and expensive; its gold/aurea is rarer still. The plain metallic plant is comparatively affordable.
- Cuprea pink is a top scam target — never buy it as seed, and treat flat-priced bargain listings as fake.
- Sellers mix 'pink', 'pink mint', 'gold', 'aurea', and 'caramel latte' names; ask for clear photos, since these often describe the same one or two forms.
- It sulks after shipping; buy from sellers showing a healthy root system and recent growth.
Prices vary a lot by country — tiers show relative cost, not exact amounts.
