If you’ve ever browsed for an Alocasia and stumbled across both Alocasia Amazonica and Alocasia Polly, you may have asked yourself: what’s the difference? Are they the same plant with different names, or are they truly distinct varieties? The confusion is understandable — and the answer lies in a fascinating mix of plant genetics, tissue culture, and marketing history.

The Origin of Alocasia Amazonica

First, let’s clear up a common misconception: Alocasia Amazonica is not a naturally occurring species. It’s actually a hybrid, created by crossing two species:

• Alocasia Sanderiana (also known as Alocasia Nobilis)
• Alocasia Longiloba Watsoniana

This hybrid was originally developed by a nursery — not discovered in the wild — and became popular due to its striking foliage: dark green leaves with pronounced white veins and an architectural, arrowhead shape.

Enter Alocasia Polly: A Tissue Culture Offshoot

At some point, Alocasia Amazonica was propagated using tissue culture (TC) — a common method for mass-producing plants. But here’s where things got interesting. Some of the tissue-cultured specimens began showing slightly different characteristics:

• Smaller leaves
• More compact growth
• Slightly curled or crinkled leaf edges

These “mutated” versions didn’t match the original Amazonica form and began to be identified separately. This compact, altered version was eventually given a name of its own: Alocasia Polly (or sometimes Amazonica Polly).

Confusion in the Market

When Thailand first began importing these plants from China, many sellers and growers didn’t realize that this smaller variant (Polly) was different from the original hybrid. As a result, Alocasia Polly was often sold under the name Alocasia Amazonica, adding to the mix-up.

Eventually, when the true, original-form Alocasia Amazonica was introduced to Thailand, the need to distinguish between the two became clear. To help differentiate, the original version began to be referred to as Sanderiana bull — particularly in the U.S., where it’s often labeled as “true Amazonica.”

So, Are They the Same?

Technically speaking:

• Alocasia Polly is a cultivar (cultivated variety) derived from Alocasia Amazonica through tissue culture-induced mutation.
• Alocasia Amazonica is the original hybrid of A. sanderiana × A. longiloba watsoniana.

So while they share the same hybrid parentage, Polly is a genetically altered form — not entirely identical in appearance or growth habit.

In the world of aroids, especially Alocasias, names can be confusing due to hybridization, tissue culture changes, and regional naming differences. But if you’re choosing between Alocasia Polly and Alocasia Amazonica, just know this:

• Choose Polly if you want a smaller, more compact plant for indoor spaces.
• Choose Amazonica (true) if you prefer a larger, more dramatic foliage display.

Either way, you’re getting a piece of a fascinating horticultural history — and a stunning addition to your plant collection.