Alocasia baginda 'Dragon's Scale'

Alocasia baginda 'Dragon's Scale' is an exceptionally beautiful cultivar and makes an stunning houseplant, ideal in the moist humid air of a bathroom. Its leaves really do look like the skin of some large dark green lizard with its deeply corrugated metallic purple veins resembling reptilean scales. Alocasia baginda was only described as recently as 2011 and is endemic to the hot humid forests of East Kalimantan.

Alocasia baginda 'Dragon's Scale' is very much an indoor aroid and has none of the cold tolerance associated with species like Alocasia macrorrhizos or Alocasia odora. It makes a perfect low-maintenance houseplant that requires indirect light and to be keep moist in the growing season. A weekly or fortnightly feed with a liquid nitrogen-based fertiliser from April through to August will see it respond well and reward you with much new lush growth. Misting during the hot dry summer months is a good idea. It can be taken outdoors in summer but must always be in shade, well away from the possibility of direct sunlight. Bring it back indoors no later than mid-September. During winter it requires much less water and can be keep on the dry side or just moist. A warm humid atmosphere is ideal.