Alocasia Dragon Scale

Originating from the rainforests of Kalimantan on the Island of Borneo, Alocasia Dragon Scale is a unique and aesthetically pleasing plant that is a great addition to your home or garden. Besides its stunning appearance, the Alocasia Dragon Scale is relatively small, making it great for small places, too, if you do not have much room!

The Alocasia Dragon Scale is a tropical plant that got its name from the black textured veins that run on the surface of the leaves, as well as its silvery-green color, which seems to resemble the scales of a dragon. The plant thrives in warmer and humid climates and rich and saturated soil.

For anyone who is looking to learn more about this fantasy-like plant, then look no further! Here we will discuss the Alocasia Dragon Scale in more detail. So keep reading!

What Is The Botanical Name Of The Alocasia Dragon Scale?

The botanical name of the Alocasia Dragon Scale is Alocasia Baginda. The Alocasia Dragon scale is a flowering plant species that belongs to the family Araceae which is native to Kalimantan. Kalimantan is an area located on the Indonesian Island known as Borneo.

What Is The Common Name For The Alocasia Dragon Scale?

Alocasia Dragon Scale is the most popular common name for this plant. However, Alocasia Dragon Scale does have another common name, Dragon Scale Elephant Ears.

Alocasia Dragon Scale Description

The Alocasia Dragon Scale is a delicate tropical plant found in the rainforests on the Island of Borneo. This incredibly unique plant can grow up to 3 feet tall when grown outdoors and 1-2 feet indoors.

The plant has 3-7 inches long striking heart-shaped leaves that seem almost fantasy-like due to its silvery-green tone, darker emerald green center, and veined texture, which is black in color. These combined features of the Alocasia Baginda resemble the scales of a dragon, hence how it got its name as the Alocasia Dragon Scale.

Despite being delicate and sensitive, the leaves are surprisingly pliable and tough.

Furthermore, although the Alocasia Dragon Scale is known and wanted by many for its fantasy-like and stunning foliage, it too produces white spathe-like flowers. However, most owners of this plant prefer to cut the flowers off to preserve the beautiful appearance of the leaves.

Growing Preferences For Alocasia Dragon Scale

Although the Alocasia Dragon Scales is not difficult to grow, the plant still has a few growing preferences/requirements, such as how much light and water it needs and the temperature and soil it prefers. Let us discuss these preferences in more detail.

Light

Alocasia Dragon Scale prefers bright but indirect sunlight, as direct sunlight will scorch the leaves. Alocasia Dragon Scale plants grown or kept indoors should be placed close to a sunny window with the sunlight slightly blocked by a curtain.

If the plant is outdoors, it should be planted in a shady area that still receives some sunlight but is protected from the heat of a sunny day.

Temperature

Alocasia Dragon Scale grows best in temperatures between 61 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Growing Alocasia Dragon Scale in cool weather will, without a doubt, trigger dormancy, prevent the plant from growing, and cause it to look ragged.

It is also crucial to keep the Alocasia Dragon Scale plant away from both hot and cold drafts as it often results in:

Yellowing of the leaves.
The tips of the leaves turn brown.

Furthermore, Alocasia Dragon Scale prefers high humidity levels similar to the humidity levels in rainforests. 60-80% humidity is this plant’s preferred humidity level.

Watering

Watering an Alocasia Dragon Scale should be similar to watering a succulent, as this plant does not require much water. The best way to water the Alocasia Dragon Scale is to wait until the top 2-3 inches of soil is dry, as this will indicate it is time to water the plant.

To water the plant, make sure the soil is entirely saturated, as the Alocasia Dragon Scale absorbs water quite quickly. Overwatering the plant should be avoided because it causes the roots to rot and fungal infections to develop.

Moreover, the best water to use is either rainwater or purified water. This plant requires high-quality water that does not have many impurities.

Soil

Alocasia Dragon Scale prefers to grow in rich, chunky, loamy soil that will allow water to drain quickly to ensure the roots can breathe. The soil should also be mildly acidic, preferably with a PH between 5.5 and 6.5.

The perfect soil mix to grow this particular plant is the combination of the following:

Orchid mix
Perlite
Chopped coco coir
Peat
Potting soil
Compost

Tips On How To Care For Alocasia Dragon Scale

Taking care of the Alocasia Dragon Scale plant is neither easy nor difficult. However, the plant does have a few essential requirements to grow and be healthy. Below is a list of tips that can be used to care for an Alocasia Dragon Scale plant:

Do not overwater the plant but make sure the soil is saturated.
Avoid direct sunlight to prevent the leaves from being scorched.
Be aware of the quality of the water one uses to water the plant, as the Alocasia Dragon scale is sensitive to impurities such as chloride, high mineral content, or fluoride.
Be sure to shower your plant daily to wash away dust or pests.
Repot the Alocasia Dragon Scale every 2-3 years.
Only prune the plant to remove diseased or dead leaves to prevent the disease from spreading to other areas of the plant.
The Alocasia Dragon Scale should be potted in a glazed or plastic pot that will allow water to drain quickly and easily.

Common Issues And Troubleshooting Alocasia Dragon Scale

Although the Alocasia Dragon Scale is a strong and fairly easy plant to care for, some issues do arise. We will discuss these issues below.

Alocasia Dragon Scale Develops Bacterial Diseases

Root rot is the most common bacterial disease. This disease is often caused by overwatering the Alocasia Dragon Scale plant.

Root rot can cause several issues, such as:

The roots turn black and have a foul smell.
The stems start to soften.
The leaves turning yellow, curling and dropping.

Alocasia Dragon Scale Is Prone To Pest Infestation

Alocasia Dragon Scale plants are very much prone to household pest infestation. The most common pests that are found on these plants include:

Mealy Bugs

Mealy bugs are easily identifiable as they form cottony colonies that are white in color underneath the leaves of the Alocasia Dragon Scale. One can easily remove these bugs by soaking a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and cleaning them off the underside of the leaves.

Aphids

Aphids are tiny green pests that usually infest the stems and leaves of the Alocasia Dragon Scale plant. Giving the plant a good shower with water will effectively eliminate Aphids.

Scale Insects

Scale insects are brown in color and are tiny insects. When nestled on the stems and leaves, they look like tiny bumps or spores. These pests hang on quite tightly. Therefore, one would have to scrape them off to get rid of them.

How To Repot Alocasia Dragon Scale?

Repotting an Alocasia Dragon Scale can be done every 2-3 years. Repotting is extremely crucial when the plant becomes rootbound. Below are steps one can follow to repot the Alocasia Dragon Scale:

Prepare the larger pot. The new pot should only be 1-2 inches larger than the old pot. Put fresh soil and potting mix in the new pot.
Move the Alocasia Dragon Scale to the new pot. When removing the plant from the old pot, remove as much of the old soil and potting mix as possible but do not damage the roots. One can then place the plant in the new pot.
Water the Alocasia Dragon Scale plant. Once the plant is firmly placed in the new pot, proceed to water it and ensure the soil is adequately saturated.
Let the newly transferred Alocasia Dragon Scale adjust. After repotting and watering the Alocasia Dragon Scale, give the plant some time to adjust and acclimate.

How To Propagate Alocasia Dragon Scale?

Alocasia Dragon Scale propagation is fairly easy as it is done through division. Below is a list of steps one can follow to properly propagate this plant.

Prepare new pots. Select a few small pots and fill them with potting mix.
Remove the Alocasia Dragon Scale and pups from the pot. When one has removed the mother plant and the pups from the pot, it is important to clean off most of the old soil so that the roots can be exposed, but be careful not to break them.
Separate the mother plant from the pups. Carefully separate the root systems of the pups from that of the mother Alocasia Dragon Scale plant.
Pot the pups in the new pots. Gently place each pup in its individual small pot and pat the soil down firmly to hold them in place and water them.
Return the mother, Alocasia Dragon Scale, to the pot. One can now place the mother plant back in the original pot and add more soil if needed.

Conclusion

With all that said, we can see that one has the choice of having their Alocasia Dragon Scale plant either indoors in the home or outdoors in the garden. This plant is neither easy nor difficult to take care of. However, it does have a few growing preferences to thrive, stay healthy and prevent fungal or bacterial infections.

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