Alocasia Silver Dragon

• Overview Of The Alocasia Silver Dragon :

As the name implies, this plant resembles the scales of a silver dragon, hence the name Alocasia Silver Dragon. If you want to add this unique houseplant to your home or office, consider this species a valuable choice. Apart from being incredibly beautiful and eye-catching, these are very simple to care for and maintain.

• Classification

– Family: Araceae

– Subfamily: Aroideae

– Genus: Alocasia

• About the Genus Alocasia

Alocasia is a large group of annual plants consisting of 79 species. All are flowering and belong to the tropical region of Asia in the subtropical lands of East Australia. Apart from these areas, this plant is widely cultivated throughout the world.

• Common Names and Synonyms

– Alocasia Your Majesty Silver Dragon

– Elephant Ear Silver Dragon

• Origin and Distribution

Initially, the Alocasia plant came from Southeast Asia and Eastern Australia.

• Foliage and Stem

This plant is famous for its unique foliage. Its large, silvery, striped leaves looked graceful and sinister, both present at the same time. This plant is arrow-shaped and can grow up to 2 meters long. The large petioles can hold these leaves, but need support as the plant grows larger and heavier. The plant is silver in color overall but filled with dark green leaf veins. Its foliage remains compact throughout its life.

• Evergreen

Luckily for people who want to use this plant as an ornament, the leaves are always green, meaning they stay silver and “creepy” all year round. The passing seasons did not have a negative impact on him.

• Tall

When fully mature, this plant can grow to a height of 0.45 meters and can spread as wide as 0.4 meters. Its perfect size makes it very easy to display in empty corners of the house.

• Temperature Tolerance

Although the Alocasia Silver Dragon is tolerant of warm temperatures, they will not grow well in freezing weather. Therefore, they are not very temperature-tolerant during the winter in a four-season country and will start to look unwell soon if exposed to cold temperatures.

• Humidity Tolerance

Fortunately, for those who want to buy this plant but live in an area with high humidity, the Alocasia Silver Dragon loves humidity and prefers the humidity of the air around it. Therefore, they are very tolerant of humid environments.

• Drought Resistant

Because these plants love water, they don't like being left dry and dehydrated. Alocasia Silver Dragon is not a drought tolerant plant so keep it well hydrated.

• Resistance to Diseases and Pests

In terms of growing problems, this plant has very few problems. Bacterial and fungal infections such as leaf spot, root rot, and Xanthomonas can attack. Concerning unwanted pests and insects, mealybugs, spider mites and aphids are common findings.

While all of these problems are different, they all have the same origin: overly moist plant surfaces and soil. So the best way to prevent all these problems is to make sure the plants are always clean and dry. However, if a plant can catch insects or disease, appropriate treatment includes isolation and spraying of fungicides or insecticides as required.

• Growth

Alocasia Silver Dragon is a fast growing plant. If properly cared for, this species can take weeks to just a few months to fully develop to adult size. Their growth can be very fast if the environment is ideal.

• Toxicity

Unfortunately, the Alocasia plant is not edible. On the other hand, they are highly toxic. They can result in various painful and uncomfortable symptoms that can become severe and eventually lead to death if not treated in time. Therefore, you should keep your pets and children away from this plant.

• Durability

In warmer climates, it grows as a perennial. But in cold areas, they need to be replanted every year.

• Maintenance

As evidence, this plant is quite low maintenance because it has no extra or special care or requirements. You also don't need to spend extra time or money on it.

• Dormancy

During the cooler months in the subtropics, this plant tends to be dormant. In simple words, it means to stop growing and generally go into a period of "sleep." Over-watering or over-fertilizing the plant in hopes of waking it up is not a good idea. The best approach is to leave it alone and treat it as it should. Water as needed and avoid plant propagation or pruning during this phase.

Alocasia Silver Dragon Treatment


Alocasia Silver Dragon care requires full sun to partial shade. You can water it occasionally as the soil dries. Just make sure the soil is moist, nutrient-rich and has a pH of 5.0 to 7.5. Very cold temperatures are strictly prohibited for this plant.

• Water

This plant only requires occasional watering. However they are very sensitive about the amount of water given to them. If you over-water, the soil will become waterlogged, the roots will suffocate, and the plant will die. If you water the plant under water, the plant will dehydrate to death.

So how do you know how much water is needed and when?

That is easy. Water the plant once until clean. Then use your finger to feel the texture of the soil before you water it again. If you feel that the topcoat has started to dry well, you can water the Alocasia again. If it's still wet, leave it for a few more days. You can also use a humidity meter for this purpose. Plus, these requirements vary according to the weather and climate. Generally, water demand increases during the summer and decreases during the rainy season months.

• Soil

Soil that is moist and rich in drainage is ideal for Alocasia Silver Dragon plants. Drainage is an important factor for the soil to avoid water accumulation near the roots. However, the soil must also be able to retain the necessary moisture. Balance is important. Therefore, stay away from dry, sandy textures, and soils such as clay that are difficult to drain water. You can add compost or peat moss as a planting medium mix and let the pH remain acidic to neutral (5.0 to 7.5).

• Sunlight

Like all Alocasia plants, this one is also very tolerant of sun exposure. They can live well in bright light but also don't care about shade. The key to healthy growth is finding moderation. Direct, intense light for hours on end can burn plant leaves. Thus, placing the plant in a well-lit room with lots of indirect, filtered, and diffused sunlight is far better than placing it outdoors without protection.

If you have to place it in such a place, use a net or paranet which will reduce the intensity of sunlight hitting the leaves. This factor is especially important if the plant is variegated. Such plants need extra light to help them photosynthesize properly.

The ideal routine is to expose the plant to direct sunlight in the morning as well as in the evening. During these two times, direct light is less harmful and damaging to plant leaves and variegation.

• Temperature

Since they are native to the tropics and subtropics, warm temperatures are a must. Temperatures above 16 degrees Celsius are good enough. However, slight variations can be tolerated by the species. What it doesn't respond to is cold. Lower temperatures and cold environments are not good for Alocasia Silver Dragon plants. So make sure you move the plant to a warmer place when the temperature starts to drop outside.

• Humidity

Although there are no set criteria or obligations, the Alocasia Silver Dragon plant loves humidity in the air and will thrive in such conditions. So make sure you provide plenty of moisture around it. If you live in a very humid area, then this plant is for you.

But if you live in a dry area, you may need to put a little extra effort into your plants. There are several ways to increase the humidity factor in your home. For example, you can install an indoor humidifier for your indoor garden or house plant collection. You can set it to provide the level of humidity you want.

Otherwise, you can install a regular spray/misting installation and use a pebbled water tray. For simplicity's sake, simply spray the plant with water several times a day or week (as needed) or place the pots in gravel trays each filled with water. In the last method, the water will evaporate and provide constant humidity in the air around the plant. This will act as a DIY moisturizer.

• Fertilizer

This plant prefers slow release fertilizer. Make sure the fertilizer is rich in organic matter and is a good quality fertilizer. Cheap fertilizers tend to contain heavy chemicals and salts that can kill your plants faster than you think. Slow-release fertilizers should only be applied about three or four times a year according to the needs of the plant and your assessment.

• Repotting

Allocation plants like when their roots fill the pot (rootbound), so they don't require repotting. Frequent repotting of the plant can irritate it and slow its growth. When you first grow the plant, place it in a properly sized container in the first place, and leave it for a year or so. After that, it is best to transplant them to a larger pot only every few years. However, you can take this step early in case of an emergency such as an overgrown plant or an infection.

• Care and Pruning

Since the Alocasia Silver Dragon plant has a naturally neat and orderly structure, you don't have to worry too much about pruning. Nonetheless, regular maintenance is a good thing. The cleaner the plant, the less likely it is to get infected and invite pests, and thus the healthier growth.