African mask plant vs Zebra alocasia

Alocasia × mortfontanensis · Alocasia zebrina

African mask plant and Zebra alocasia are close on every field we record, so choose on looks or price.

Why these two get mixed up

Both are sold as "elephant ear". That is not a nickname problem — a plant labelled elephant ear in a shop could be either of these, and they want different things.

African mask plant (Alocasia × mortfontanensis) — **African mask plant** — Alocasia × mortfontanensis. Photograph by Wiki Farazi, Wikimedia Commons , CC0.

Zebra alocasia (Alocasia zebrina) — **Zebra alocasia** — Alocasia zebrina. Photograph by Louis van Houtte, Wikimedia Commons , Public domain.

	African mask plant	Zebra alocasia
Scientific name	Alocasia × mortfontanensis	Alocasia zebrina
Family	Araceae	Araceae
Light floor	Medium	Medium
Water	5–10 days	5–10 days
Humidity floor	55%	55%
Mature height	18–36 in	18–36 in
Habit	upright	upright
Growth rate	moderate	moderate
Difficulty	Demanding	Demanding
Toxic to pets	Yes	Yes
Typical price	$20–60	$25–70

Highlighted cells are where the two actually differ. Everything else they share.

The differences that matter

On every field we record these two are close. Choose on looks, price or whichever the shop has — the care will be much the same.

Which should you buy?

In a dim room, take either — both have a medium light floor.
If you forget to water, take either.
If it is your first plant, take either — both score 4 of 5.
For a small shelf, take either.

Full entries

African mask plant — care fields with sources, toxicity with every authority consulted, propagation and diagnosis. Zebra alocasia — the same.

Sources

This database's own care records for Alocasia × mortfontanensis and Alocasia zebrina — every figure compared above.
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — accepted names and families for Alocasia × mortfontanensis and Alocasia zebrina
ASPCA Animal Poison Control — toxicity classification for both, cited on each species entry
Photographs: Wikimedia Commons, individually credited and licensed above

Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-12
Every comparison above is drawn from a recorded field. Where the honest distinguisher is visual we show both photographs rather than describing a leaf we have no field for. How this is sourced.