How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Mythic® Dragonite™ Alocasia
If you’re looking to squeeze another eye-catching houseplant into your collection without taking up too much space, look no further than Mythic® Dragonite Alocasia. This herbaceous species has scaly, dragon-esque leaves with a fun and unique texture. Once you have it set up properly, it’s fairly low-maintenance. Houseplant enthusiast Emily Estep will walk you through all the details on how to plant, grow, and care for Mythic® Dragonite.
Contents
Small Alocasia species are rapidly becoming some of the most popular houseplants, and it’s not hard to see why. They have bold, memorable leaves with unusual textures that stand out. They’re somewhat compact; and they don’t require much upkeep.
Alocasia melo, aka Mythic® Dragonite™ alocasia, has dark leaves reminiscent of dark dragon scales. It’s rapidly becoming a houseplant staple. Once you get over the learning curve of soil and water for this indoor perennial, caring for it is a breeze.
Whether you just picked up A. melo at a nursery or just received a corm from a friend, we’ll make sure you’re armed with knowledge to care for ‘Dragonite™’. From lighting needs to common pests and everything in between, here you’ll find all you need to know to help this plant thrive.
Overview
Plant Type
Herbaceous perennial
Family
Araceae
Genus
Alocasia
Species
melo
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Native Area
Malaysia
Exposure
Bright indirect light
Height
1-2 feet
Watering Requirements
Moderate
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Pests & Diseases
Spider mites, aphids, mealybugs; root rot, leaf spot
Maintenance
Low
Soil Type
Moist but well-drained
Hardiness Zone
10-11
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What Is It?
Mythic® Dragonite™ alocasia is a small houseplant with memorable, textured leaves. With growing popularity, this Alocasia is popping up in big box stores more and more often. Collectors love its reptilian leaves and fairly low-maintenance nature.
Various species and cultivars within the Alocasia genus have become trendy houseplants in the past few years. Like the Pokémon it’s named after, you’ll want to “catch ‘em all” and add ‘Dragonite™’ to your shelf.
Characteristics
‘Dragonite™’ is an herbaceous perennial plant with large, shield-shaped leaves that have a unique texture. The bumpy surface of this foliage appears “scaly,” presumably inspiring the “dragon” portion of the plant’s name. The leaves are typically a dark forest green, though sometimes they appear black or even purple.
The stunning leaves make this Alocasia stand out among houseplant collections, and since it’s fairly small—with a rounded growth habit that maxes out at about two feet—hobbyists can find room for this compact plant anywhere that conditions are ideal.
Native Area
A. melo is native to the rainforests of Sabah, Malaysia, which has a tropical climate extremely close to the equator. The temperature in this region is consistently warm without much seasonality. Precipitation occurs all year, with higher amounts from October through December. This species also grows in an ultramafic rock substrate that’s endemic to this region.
As such, ‘Dragonite™’ prefers warm, humid conditions, like those found in a greenhouse or a particularly humid room in the home, such as a bathroom or laundry room. It also grows best in soil that is both well-draining and able to retain some moisture to mimic its natural conditions.
Planting
Unless you live in a tropical zone, you won’t want to plant ‘Dragonite™’ outside or in the ground. Even within these areas, this small species may be overshadowed by other larger plants, and its signature foliage could be easily damaged. It’s best kept as a houseplant.
The best time to transplant or repot a new A. melo is in spring or summer when the plant is most actively growing. You’ll know that it’s time to repot this houseplant when its roots are protruding from the soil or through the drainage holes.
You may want to repot at other times, too, if it is in sub-par conditions. If you purchase this plant from a grocery store and believe it’s growing in a medium that holds too much water, you may want to repot regardless of the time of year.
Repotting
To repot, select a new container that is only one or two inches wider than the previous container. Since ‘Dragonite™’ doesn’t get very large, there is no reason to get a larger pot. A vessel that is too large for the plant’s current rootball may also encourage root rot.
Put a little bit of an airy houseplant potting mix into the bottom of the new pot. Place the plant in the pot and backfill around it with more of the mix. Water thoroughly. Handle carefully, as the roots are delicate.
Growing from Seed
Alocasia houseplant species are rarely grown from seed. While these plants do sometimes flower, their blooms are rare and difficult to encourage. Seeds are hard to come by, whether you’re searching online or trying to get your own plant to produce seeds. Instead, these plants are easily propagated by division or grown from their corms.
How to Grow
‘Dragonite™’ is not a challenging houseplant to care for, as long as you set it up in the proper conditions. It is not very forgiving if planted in the wrong spot or in the wrong substrate. However, if you put some initial effort into meeting its needs regarding light, soil, and humidity, you’ll discover it’s low-maintenance and doesn’t require much care.
It’s vital to choose a soil/pot combination that keeps the plant in semi-moist soil without rotting its roots, and without requiring constant maintenance from the grower. For example, while a terracotta pot can help prevent rot, it may also ultimately lead to you needing to water the plant more often.
Light
In nature, this Alocasia would receive dappled sunlight through the canopy. Indoors, you can replicate this bright indirect sunlight by placing it in an east- or west-facing window, where it will receive light in either the morning or evening but remain protected from the harshest sunlight of midday.
If you have a south-facing window that receives dappled light through a bush or tree, or a sheer curtain, then this location could also work. Just make sure that the leaves aren’t getting scorched by direct sun. Keep this plant in a location where it receives bright, indirect light all day, such as offset from a grow light.
Water
‘Dragonite™’ can be a bit tricky when it comes to watering. Its soil should never be allowed to dry out completely, but it also shouldn’t be too wet. The best practice is to wait for the top inch of soil to dry out and then water the plant thoroughly. Water until excess drains out of the bottom of the pot.
A moisture meter may help you here if you aren’t confident in your ability to evaluate soil moisture. Use the meter to determine when the soil is approaching dryness. Just before the soil transitions from “moist” to “dry,” water it.
Soil
Choosing the proper soil is absolutely critical to providing the right moisture balance. These plants like consistently moist soil, but they do not want to sit in water. The mix has to be airy enough but not too dry, and it must be well-draining. It should also be somewhat rich.
Look for a good quality, all-purpose potting mix, and combine it with orchid bark and perlite to improve drainage. This should provide the proper soil composition for ‘Dragonite™’.
Temperature and Humidity
Providing the right temperature for this houseplant is easy since it appreciates average room temperature. All you need to do is maintain a temperature between 60 and 85°F (16-29°C). However, ‘Dragonite™’ prefers consistency, so keep it away from drafts, heating units, and vents.
High humidity goes a long way with this plant, mimicking its natural rainforest environment. You can achieve this by keeping the Alocasia in a greenhouse, in a room with high humidity (such as a bathroom or laundry room), or by raising the ambient humidity around it with a humidifier.
When it comes to “misting” the plant, don’t bother. Misting only briefly raises the humidity, barely making a difference. It can also lead to pest and disease problems down the line.
Fertilizing
Keep ‘Dragonite™’ in optimal health by feeding it occasionally during its growing season. Starting in spring (around March) and continuing into fall (around October), fertilize about once per month by adding water-soluble fertilizer at a diluted strength when watering.
Do not fertilize in winter. The plant will not be growing much during this time, as the days are so short. This is natural. If you continue adding fertilizer, you risk providing more nutrients than the Alocasia can absorb, leading to fertilizer burn and salt build-up in the soil.
Fertilizing properly is important. A lack of nutrients will prevent the plant from growing properly, weakening it and making it more susceptible to pest and disease issues. Conversely, fertilizing too much can also cause problems with pests and diseases, including root rot from excess salts.
Maintenance
This compact, leafy plant really doesn’t need much maintenance. No pruning or deadheading is necessary.
If you find that one of the leaves is crispy, yellowing, or otherwise not looking too hot, first do what you can to determine the cause and correct its care. Second, you may want to remove the leaf for aesthetic purposes. Use clean, sharp pruners to remove “ugly” leaves with minimal damage.
While blooms are rare, it’s possible that your ‘Dragonite™’ may flower. If so, you can leave the flower until it dies off, or you can remove it. Choosing the latter will allow the plant to put more energy towards leaf production, but it’s not particularly important. Whether you’re removing a spent bloom or a brand-new bloom, make sure your pruners or scissors are clean and sharp.
Propagation
Like other Alocasia, ‘Dragonite™’ grows from corms, which are small, bulb-like structures that grow underneath the soil line. As these plants mature, they produce new corms, from which “baby plants” crop up. Corms store nutrients, and new shoots emerge from them.
These corms make it easy to propagate A. melo. but only if you have permission from the trademark holder. Otherwise, propagation of trademarked plants is illegal.
Popular Varieties
In addition to A. melo, there are quite a few similar-looking Alocasia species that make excellent houseplants. They require mostly the same care, loving high humidity and preferring consistently moist soil.
‘Black Velvet’ (A. reginula)
‘Black velvet’s’ leaves have a texture that resembles, you guessed it, black velvet. They are shield-shaped with rounded edges, sporting a mega-dark green hue that’s almost black. They are soft and velvety to the touch. While the leaves on ‘Dragonite™’ are the same color all the way through, black velvet leaves have contrastingly bright veins.
‘Dragon Scale’ (A. baginda)
‘Dragon Scale’ is perhaps the closest to ‘Dragonite™’ when it comes to the appearance of the leaves. They are shield-shaped, dark green, and have a bumpy, scaly texture, hence the common name. A. melo foliage is most consistently dark, while A. baginda foliage has more light coloring in between the veins.
‘Frydek’ or Green Velvet (A. micholitziana ‘Frydek’)
‘Frydek’ is also called “green velvet,” referencing its leaves. They are soft and velvety, but they have a bright, sprightly green color. Their leaves are a bit more elongated and arrowhead-like than ‘Dragonite™’ and dragon scale, and they also have bright, white veins.
‘Polly’ or African Mask (Alocasia × amazonica ‘Polly’)
‘Polly,’ or the African mask plant, has long, arrow-head shaped leaves with wavy edges. The dark green leaves appear to be leathery and shiny. This species reaches about two feet in height and width, just like ‘Dragonite™’. It’s a fairly common houseplant that is often hobbyists’ introduction to indoor Alocasia care.
Common Problems
As long as you maintain the right balance of moisture in the soil and protect A. melo from sudden changes in temperature and humidity, it shouldn’t experience many problems. However, it is subject to common houseplant pests, root rot, and leaf spot.
Pests
- Spider mites: Symptoms of these mites include webbing, tiny holes in leaves, and a dusty appearance. They are visible with a magnifying glass. You can blast them away with water or treat them with horticultural oil. Spider mites prefer dry conditions, so you can keep them away by maintaining the high humidity that Alocasia species prefer.
- Aphids: You may see these tiny bugs on the leaves. They may stunt growth and cause leaves to curl. Like spider mites, you can control aphids with sprays of water or horticultural oil. To prevent them, avoid over watering and over fertilizing.
- Mealybugs: You will likely see these pests, too. They look like white, fluffy masses. Mealybugs can cause leaves to turn yellow and deformed new growth. Pop mealybugs off the plant with a cotton swab soaked in isopropyl alcohol, which kills them on contact. Avoid infestations in the first place by quarantining new plants until you’re sure that they’re mealybug-free.
Diseases
- Root rot: If the leaves are droopy and yellow, if the roots feel mushy, or if there is a foul odor, then ‘Dragonite™’ may be experiencing root rot. There’s not much you can do to reverse it once it sets in. You can attempt to repot the plant in new media if the root mass still has healthy areas. Avoid root rot by never over watering the plant. Always make sure that the first inch or so of soil is dry before watering, and use a well-draining mix.
- Leaf spot: Small brown or black spots on the leaves indicate leaf spot. The spots may also seem watery and get bigger with time. Prune away the damaged leaves and treat the rest with neem oil. To prevent, maintain good air circulation and try not to splash the leaves with water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular potting soil for this plant?
Using just regular potting soil for A. melo is likely a mistake. This type of potting soil retains too much moisture and may lead to root rot. However, you can easily supplement regular potting mix with other materials like orchid bark and perlite, which will increase drainage.
Is ‘Dragonite™’ toxic to pets?
Yes, Alocasia species can be toxic to both animals and people. Keep them out of reach of pets and small children.
Why is my ‘Dragonite™’ wilting?
There are many reasons why the plant may be wilting. First, evaluate whether or not it needs water. If the soil is dry, it might. If the soil is moist, then it may be an issue of over watering. Check for signs of rot. If the issue doesn’t seem to be water-related, use a magnifying glass to look for pests. Additionally, consider if the plant is in the right conditions. Make sure that it’s getting enough light but not too much, that it’s in a room with high humidity, and that it’s not placed near any drafts.