Alocasia cuprea is one of the strangest of all the alocasias.  A. cuprea reaches a leaf size of approximately 30cm (12 inches) and the color can range from a greenish red to almost copper.  The leaves of the Copper Shield Alocasia are thick and stiff and feel more like cardboard cutouts than a living plant.  That leaf texture is known scientifically as coriacious.  It has a very strange glossy texture, almost lacquered, and is so reflective it often appears to be metallic.  The leaf appears to have been shaped with a hammer and anvil.  If it were larger, some might be tempted to use it as a warrior's shield.  The metallic effect is especially true when a camera flash goes off in it's presence.  The reflections  make the plant one of the more difficult to photograph.  I now use a silver or white photographic reflector which is nothing more than a reflective cloth to refocus sunlight on the plant instead of a flash. 

Reportedly from Borneo, where many very strange plants originate, we have found this plant to be a slow grower that prefers light shade.  We've tried A. cuprea several times and sometimes it will simply disappear without warning.  That is likely due to it's dislike for lower tempertures.  Any temp below 60 degrees can cause it to go into dormancy which is quite common in alocasias.  In some cases  Alocasia cuprea just never recovers.  I can only make assumptions about it's preferred care, even though it is commonly available, since factual information is limited.  Being from Borneo one would assume it enjoys a lot of water and steamy humid jungle conditions.  This is one weird plant I am still trying to master.

Alocasia species are known to be highly variable and not every leaf of every specimen will always appear the same.  This link explains in greater detail the scientific principals of natural variation and morphogenesis.  Click here.

Pollinate your own Aroids!
 As it occurs in nature and by any horticulturist