🌿 Alocasia

Use an aroid mix that's rich but not very draining and aerated: a moisture-retaining organic base (peat/coco coir + compost/leaf mold) cut with a coarse structure (orchid bark/chips, perlite/potato and a little charcoal). The substrate must retain moisture while allowing rapid drainage and good aeration of the roots. A slightly acidic to neutral substrate is suitable, and a pot with good drainage is essential.

Alocasia 'Pink Dragon' is almost always propagated vegetatively (division, cuttings, worms). Seeds are rare; when available, they must be very fresh, and seedlings are not always true to cultivar. Planting/propagation (recommended): - Best time: during active growth (spring-summer), when roots are recovering rapidly. - Method: depot the plant, carefully remove the mixture and separate the natural tips/divisions from the rhizomes, ensuring that each piece has at least one growing point and a few roots. It is also possible to detach the firm corms (bulb-like structures) from the root zone. - Potting: use a small pot with drainage and a thick, draining aroid mix (e.g. bark/chips + coco/peat substitute + perlite/potato) to retain moisture but avoid waterlogging. - Planting depth: plant divisions at the same depth as previous crops. Plant corms with the growing tip/eye upwards, just below the surface (lightly covered), keeping the medium evenly moist. - Conditions: warm (approx. 22-30°C), high humidity if possible, bright, indirect light, and constantly moist (not soggy) substrate. Avoid cold, damp conditions, which favor rotting. - Aftercare: water moderately until new growth begins, then water abundantly as the top layer begins to dry out; do not leave standing water. When sowing (rare): - Use only fresh seeds; sow immediately on a sterile, thin, moist medium; cover lightly (or barely) and keep warm and moist with bright, indirect light. Maintain regular humidity and good air circulation to reduce melting of seedlings. Transplant with care once seedlings have several true leaves.

Feed only during the active growth period (generally spring to early autumn). Use a complete, balanced houseplant fertilizer (e.g. N-P-K ratio of 1:1:1) at half or a quarter of the dose every 2 to 4 weeks, or use a slow-release granular fertilizer applied at the rates indicated on the label and renewed on schedule. Apply fertilizer to already moist soil to reduce root burn, and rinse the pot regularly with clean water to avoid fertilizer and salt build-up. Reduce fertilization considerably in case of low light or cool weather, and stop fertilizing in winter or in case of slow growth or dormancy; resume fertilization as soon as new growth starts. Avoid over-fertilization (leaf-edge burns, stressed roots); if symptoms appear, wash out the mixture and suspend fertilization for several weeks.

Prune sparingly. Remove only leaves that are yellowed, damaged or drooping as they senesce; support the petiole, then cut it cleanly at the base (as close to the crown/ground as possible without cutting into the central growing point) using sharp, sterilized scissors. Avoid removing healthy leaves, as this reduces photosynthesis and can slow growth. Exhausted inflorescences can be removed once they fade by cutting the flower stalk at the base. Wear gloves and avoid contact with sap (irritating calcium oxalate); disinfect tools between cuts and discard removed tissue to reduce the risk of disease.