Alocasia Baginda Silver Dragon Care Guide

0 comments

The Silver Dragon is a rarer Alocasia plant, and a must have for anyone who wants to bring a modern feel to their space. This variety is native to the rainforests of Borneo where it thrives in humid and bright conditions. This dwarf Alocasia will grow to between 1.5 and 2 feet high, and produces tall, spend stems topped with heart shaped leaves. The leaves themselves have a velvety texture and are a light green with darker coloured ribs that give it a bumpy texture. When combined with it’s silvery sheen, the leaves are said to look like dragon scales, where it gets its name. 
Despite its rarity and exotic looks, the Alocasia Baginda Silver Dragon is an easy to look after houseplant that can be easily looked after by even novice houseplant owners. 

Alocasia Silver Dragon Care

Light

In the wild, the Silver Dragon grows on the forest floor under the canopy of larger trees. As a result, it has adapted to preferring bright, but filtered light. Try to avoid exposure to direct sunlight as it will blister and burn the leaves. A west or south-facing window that is covered with a light curtain is the best location. 
To get the best growth, the Alocasia should receive even light on all sides so you should rotate the pot once a week so that all the leaves get an even amount of light which will keep the leaves healthy and stop the plant leaning. 

Water

Watering your Alocasia correctly is a really important part of this plant's care. The Silver Dragon is sensitive to overwatering, so keeping an eye on how much you are watering is key to having a healthy plant. You should judge when to water your plant by testing how dry the soil is. Water your Alocasia Silver Dragon when the top inch of the soil has become dry. You should only water the plant lightly until the soil is damp. To prevent overwatering, you need to make sure the soil is well-draining by having drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. 
It won’t take you long to get used to how often your plant needs watering, but you should always be aware that how much you water your plant will change throughout the year. In the spring and summer, your plant is warmer and gets more sunlight so it will grow quicker and use up a lot more water. In the winter, your plant uses a lot less water but it is easy to get stuck into a set watering routine. If you do this you risk overwatering your plant which can cause root rot or yellowing leaves. 

Humidity

The rainforests that this Alocasia comes from have a humid environment, so it is the ideal plant for a kitchen or bathroom. To get the best results you should provide your plant with an environment with a humidity around 80 percent and more. You can measure the humidity levels by using a humidity meter. Unlike other tropical houseplants you shouldn’t mist the leaves of the Silver Dragon as the water will settle in the grooves and potentially cause damage to the leaves. Instead you can try some of the following steps: 
  • Use a pebble tray under the plant pot
  • Install a humidifier 
  • Put it in a kitchen or bathroom
  • Wipe the leaves regularly 

Temperature


This is a plant that loves warm temperatures. You can grow Alocasia Silver Dragon between 13°-27°C. However, these tropical evergreens become slow growing under temperatures below 16°C. At low temperatures the plant's metabolism slows down, they may shed leaves and go into dormancy in low temperatures. Try to keep your plant away from any cold draughts and in the winter months make sure that they are kept away from open windows. 

Fertilisers

This Alocasia responds well to regular feeding with a well balanced liquid-fertiliser. Feed once every two weeks in the spring and summer. Reduce throughout the autumn and stop feeding in the winter when the plant is dormant.

Pruning

The leaves of this Alocasia grow in a rosette that doesn’t need pruning. Remove wilted, damaged and diseased leaves when you see them begin to look abnormal. Good airflow between the leaves will help to avoid any of these issues. 

Possible problems

In ideal conditions, the Alocasia Silver Dragon is not prone to diseases. However, if some of the requirements are not adapted to its needs, you will find some issues occur such as: 
Yellowing of leaves -  This usually means there is something wrong with how often you are watering your plants. When you see the leaves begin to yellow, adjust your watering based on the dryness of the soil. 


Brown tips or edges of leaves -  This is most often the result of dry air in the room. If this happens, you should look to improve the humidity around your plant. 


Sudden leaf fall -  This is the result of exposure to draughts or cold air currents. If you see leaves beginning to fall, move them immediately to a spot away from any cold air. 


Brown spots on the leaves -  This may indicate a bacterial infection. Unfortunately, This is a common issue in plants that like high humidity. You should Immediately cut off the infected leaves and treat the plant with a fungicide.

Leave a comment

All blog comments are checked prior to publishing
You have successfully subscribed!
This email has been registered
ico-collapse
0
Recently Viewed
Top
ic-expand
ic-cross-line-top