overwatering and Alocasia Silver Dragon
Quick answer
If overwatering is what's going on with your Alocasia Silver Dragon, the most likely cause is: Alocasia silver dragon shares its genus-wide reputation as a bog-adapted tropical that likes to stay moist, but in a typical home the light level is too low for the plant to photosynthesize and use water at the rate its natural-habitat light allows, so a watering volume that would be fine outdoors sits in the substrate for days and saturates the root zone. The first tell is that the substrate stays wet most of the time, after which the foliage becomes flaccid or turns black or brown and the roots underneath turn black, mushy, and develop a distinctive rotten smell.
Start here:
- 1. Confirm watering need by lifting the pot to feel its weight and by pressing a finger deep into the substrate rather than just touching the surface, and only water when at least the top 50 percent of the substrate has dried out.
- 2. If the substrate is drying slowly, remove the plastic nursery pot from any outer display pot to increase airflow and move the plant to a brighter, warmer spot so it photosynthesizes faster and uses more water.
Why overwatering happens to Alocasia Silver Dragon
alocasia silver dragon
Alocasia silver dragon shares its genus-wide reputation as a bog-adapted tropical that likes to stay moist, but in a typical home the light level is too low for the plant to photosynthesize and use water at the rate its natural-habitat light allows, so a watering volume that would be fine outdoors sits in the substrate for days and saturates the root zone. The first tell is that the substrate stays wet most of the time, after which the foliage becomes flaccid or turns black or brown and the roots underneath turn black, mushy, and develop a distinctive rotten smell.
How to correct overwatering on Alocasia Silver Dragon
- 1
Confirm watering need by lifting the pot to feel its weight and by pressing a finger deep into the substrate rather than just touching the surface, and only water when at least the top 50 percent of the substrate has dried out.
- 2
If the substrate is drying slowly, remove the plastic nursery pot from any outer display pot to increase airflow and move the plant to a brighter, warmer spot so it photosynthesizes faster and uses more water.
- 3
Switch to a free-draining aroid mix (bark, perlite, coco chips) in a terra-cotta pot so excess water evaporates through the sides instead of pooling at the bottom.
Keep overwatering from repeating on this Alocasia Silver Dragon
Always research the watering need of the individual Alocasia species and reduce volume for indoor light levels, because in most homes the light and heat are considerably lower than outdoor climates and what looks like under-watering can actually be overwatering once the roots have rotted.