Alocasia Pink Dragon Plant, Grow & Care Guide 2023

When many people see an Alocasia pink dragon, their curiosity kicks in to know more about this beautiful, bold plant.

The alocasia pink dragon is a tropical foliage plant that is related to the family Araceae. Its big, dark green shiny leaves with deep veining and pink stem make them a unique indoor plant.

The plant is not only lovely, but it also requires very little effort to maintain and grow.

Keep reading as in this article we’ve provided detailed information related to this rare alocasia.

Origin and Classification

Hailing from tropical Asia and eastern Australia, the alocasia pink dragon is one of the species in the Alocasia plant family. Since their unique look and beauty, these plants have been grown and cultivated widely in hybrids, which can be found worldwide.

The Alocasia genus has over 90 species. The Alocasia pink dragon in specifically, has dark green glossy leaves, light green veins and a striking pink stem.

Features of Alocasia Pink Dragon

As being a tropical environmental plant, the alocasia pink dragon will do pretty well in humidity, keeping its leaves clean and moist. The pink dragon will take up a corner in your house, but a large one will need more space. Under the right circumstances, they grow pretty big and are durable plants that last for years.

Instead of being a bushy plant, alocasia pink dragons grow one giant leaf per stem. And even if it sheds all its leaves, they tend to grow it back from the bulb.

The alocasia pink dragon is an evergreen plant that creates a tropical and colourful vibe indoors. To keep it fresh and alive, it needs easy few steps of care as the leaves are prone to extreme weather and direct sun rays. Below, we are breaking down the features of the alocasia pink dragon structure-wise.

Flowers and Leaves

The pink dragon alocasia leaves have striking features. They are glossy dark green on the top side and burgundy on the underside. The slightly curled up sides and pointy ends form a dragon’s scale. And they grow about 50 cm (20 inches), no wonder why they are called the elephant’s ear.

Some alocasia plants like Polly and Amazonia forms flowers when producing a leaf. However, the pink dragon alocasia in specific doesn’t have any flowers.    

Tolerance and Resistance

As the alocasia pink dragon is a tropical plant, they are highly tolerant of humidity and warm weather. They thrive at 15-30 Celsius (59-86 °F). On the contrary, ensuring a discreet indoor space during the colder months of the year is essential.

One of the problems with these plants is they are not drought-resistant. So make sure that the soil is not completely dry and is always moist. Also, the dirt, mealybugs, and spider mites are their uninvited guests. Making sure of the cleaning and misting will help it grow healthy.

Height and Growth

The pink dragon alocasia grows to about 120 cm (4 feet) tall if cared for well enough. And under the right conditions, the growth speed is adequately fast.

Maintenance and Durability

The low maintenance feature of these alocasias is something everybody loves. You can just put them under your roof in warm and humid conditions, and they’ll thrive.

A usual cleaning, check and balance every once in a while is all it needs. And these tropical beauties will last for years to come.

Basic Care of Alocasia Pink Dragon

While caring for the alocasia pink dragon, you must put it in the right pot that easily drains access water. As these plants hold a lot of water in their bodies, they don’t need to have their pot always full of damp soil. Instead, keeping the soil nicely moist will do the job.

These plant growers should keep them in humid surroundings. For instance, if the pink dragon is indoors where the humidity level is low, you can always use a humidifier to ensure proper care.

To talk about the humidity level, they need around 50-60 per cent, but up to 70 per cent is preferred. Also, bright natural sunlight but indirect and away from cold breezes would aid in timely and healthy growth. 

For them to keep glowing and growing, they need good chemical or organic plant fertilizer during the growing season.

Light and Watering

As discussed earlier in this post, these plants need plenty of natural or indirect sunlight. Because of direct sun rays, the pink dragons’ leaves get sunburnt. An east, west, or south-facing window works best in this regard.

As far as the watering is concerned, you want to let the top part of the soil dry out about two to three inches between waters. For plant enthusiasts, a water meter comes really in handy here and make sure to avoid over irrigation.

Soil and Repotting

A favoured method of arranging the soil is to pack it loose in the pot, so the access water drains easily. Mixing of products like peat moss and perlite in the soil helps smooth water and airflow to the roots.

However, the mature alocasia pink dragon can be repotted every one to two years while a younger and growing twice a year.    

Temperature & Humidity

These plants are prone to cold temperatures by using your best judgment, don’t let it exposed to harsh weather. Also, to get a constant growth and a beautiful result growing the pink dragon, keep them in warm, humid places.

Fertilizing, Pruning, and Propagation

You can use a store-bought chemical, or organic fertilizer is preferred. Mixing the compost also boosts the growth.

Fertilize your plants when they are growing and in relatively warmer months. And if you wish to expand your pink dragon collection, you can:

·   Dig around a mature plant

·   Gently take out the roots

·   Separate them and put the bulbs in as many pots as you want 

Similarly, you can prune the dead ends of your pink dragon if you prefer to make it look tidy.

Common Problems Caring for Alocasia Pink Dragon

While an alocasia pink dragon is easy to care for, it still comes with some issues. Problems with alocasia rarely occur, especially when new plant enthusiasts or people who don’t have experience growing them misjudge the care level.

Here we will explain and point out the common problems it faces and how to avoid them while growing your favorite pink dragon alocasia.

Plant Insects

The worst problem you can have in the peak of summer is the spider mites and other bugs. So dusting off the leaves and gently spraying all the leaves with soap water will get rid of that problem for the most part.

Dead Leaves

As we have mentioned above, if a leaf and stem gets sunburnt or you know that it’s going to fall because of cold temperature. In that situation, the best method is to cut it off as close to the base as you can, and the rest of your plant won’t have any problem.

Drooping

Sometimes the leaves or stem of the pink dragon droop. The common causes for being in this condition could be the unadjusted level of fertilizer, water, or light. To avoid having hanging leaves and stems, provide these needs appropriately.

Common Diseases

While alocasia pink dragon is an eye-catching plant, they are prone to some diseases that include leaves, stem, and roots problems.

These problems are evident all over the plant having black spots and yellowish leaves. To avoid these problems, just don’t let the soil dry out completely. And expose the plant to indirect bright sunlight and fresh, natural air.

See a similar post: Philodendron Painted Lady?

Final Thoughts

The alocasia pink dragon is a striking plant to add to your indoor plant collection. For instance, they are less hassle and colourful to look good anywhere you wish to keep them. The only thing worth your consideration while having this plant is it is highly toxic when ingested.

The necessary factors of care you ought to provide them is water, protection from cold weather and exposure to natural light, and humidity. And for that, you can follow this article as your guide to raise a beautiful pink dragon alocasia.

Frequently Asked Questions