Alocasia Silver Dragon
A compact jewel alocasia with thick, silver-white leaves veined in dark green, textured like dragon scales. The pale sibling of Dragon Scale, slightly easier, and a shelf-sized plant that stays under a foot.
Silver Dragon is a jewel alocasia, one of the small, thick-leaved species from Borneo grown for leaf texture rather than size. The leaves are a pale silvery green, almost white in good light, with dark green veins pressed into a surface that looks like scales, and a matte, leathery feel. It stays small, a foot at most, with four or five leaves at a time.
It is the lighter twin of Dragon Scale, from the same species, and is generally a little more forgiving: the thicker leaves store more water and it tolerates a missed watering. It still wants humidity and warmth and still rests in winter.
Light
Bright, indirect light keeps the silver bright and the leaves compact. An east window is ideal. In medium light the leaves come in greener. Direct sun scorches the thick leaves surprisingly fast, leaving pale dead patches.
Water
Let the top two inches dry out, then water and drain. Every six days or so in summer, every twelve in winter. Jewel alocasias hold water in their thick leaves and corm and rot readily if kept wet, so lean dry. Drooping leaves mean thirsty; yellow soft ones mean drowned.
Soil and potting
A very airy mix: orchid bark, perlite and a little potting soil, or a bark-based aroid mix. Small pot with drainage; it has a small root system. Repot every eighteen months, one size up, in spring.
Feeding
Quarter-strength balanced feed every four weeks in spring and summer. Light feeding only; it burns.
Propagation
Corm division when repotting. Small corms sprout in damp sphagnum in a warm, humid spot in a few weeks.
In a hot, dry home
Needs help, but less than a thin-leaved alocasia. Fifty-five percent humidity means a pebble tray and a plant group or a humidifier, and a spot far from the AC vent. It does well in a glass cabinet or a bright bathroom. Water when the top two inches dry, which will be about weekly in summer, with filtered water.
Alocasia Silver Dragon varieties
Same care, different look. These are the named forms you will see for sale.
-
The dark green sibling with the same scaled texture. Has its own profile.
Full profile - Pink Dragon
A hybrid with silver-veined green leaves on pink stems.
- Dragon's Breath
A larger hybrid with dark, heavily textured leaves.
Problems and fixes
Pale, papery dead patches
Likely cause: Sunburn
Fix: Move it out of direct sun.
Leaves yellow and soft
Likely cause: Overwatering
Fix: Dry it out; check the corm for rot.
Leaves dying back in winter
Likely cause: Dormancy
Fix: Keep the corm warm and barely watered; it regrows in spring.
Fine webbing, speckled leaves
Likely cause: Spider mites
Fix: Shower, humidify, treat with insecticidal soap.
Alocasia Silver Dragon questions
Is Alocasia Silver Dragon pet safe?
No. Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.
Is it easier than Dragon Scale?
Slightly. The thicker leaves tolerate a missed watering better. Care is otherwise identical.
How big does it get?
About a foot tall and wide. It is a shelf plant.
Plants with a similar rhythm
Alocasia Dragon Scale
- Light
- Medium to bright indirect
- Water
- Weekly
- Pets
- Toxic
