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MEET THE 2024 HOUSEPLANT OF THE YEAR™ – MYTHIC™ DRAGONITE™ALOCASIA

Top 3 reasons to grow Mythic® Dragonite™ Alocasia

IT’S HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE
You’ll love to show off this enchanting jewel alocasia in your houseplant collection.

IT’S SO TOUCHABLE!
The thick, rumpled texture of Mythic Dragonite just begs to be touched. So, go ahead and pet this dragon – we promise it won’t bite!

THIS TIDY HOUSEPLANT FITS ANYWHERE!
The smaller form and tidy nature of this jewel alocasia makes it easy to fit on your bathroom vanity, desktop or kitchen island.

Contributors: Susan Martin

The tantalizing texture of this jewel alocasia makes it one of the most unique houseplants you’ll own. Plus, it’s smaller, tidy nature and lower light tolerance makes it easy to display on your desk or countertop where you can appreciate all of its distinctive wrinkles and veining up close.

 

We Promise It Won’t Bite!

 

Feast your eyes on this enchanting jewel alocasia that looks as if it was plucked out of the deepest, darkest reaches of the earth. The deep olive green to near-black, shield-shaped leaves of Mythic® Dragonite™ jewel alocasia are thick and wrinkly in texture. One touch and you’ll agree it feels like you might imagine the reptilian skin of a real life dragon to be. It’s a collector’s plant that everyone will want to know – where did you get that?!

This well-behaved alocasia doesn’t need much room to thrive and won’t be continually dropping leaves. That makes it perfect for perching on the corner of your desk or bathroom vanity near a window where it will receive bright ambient light and some humidity.

 

  • Unique leafjoy® houseplant prized by collectors
  • Rugose, deeply pigmented leaves with tantalizing texture
  • Matures to 1 to 2 feet tall
  • Best in bright indirect light or filtered sunlight
  • Grows indoors year round
  • Pronounced “Aloe-KAY-shuh”
 

 PLANTING YOUR HOUSEPLANT 

  • Alocasia needs well-drained soil to grow well and appreciates a chunky, well-aerated growing medium. Sometimes, the soil used by growers is heavier so it retains moisture longer. If that’s the case, your plant may grow better if you repot it into a mix of all-purpose potting soil with orchid bark and perlite mixed in. The soil should drain freely and not stay wet for too long to avoid issues like root rot and fungus gnats.
  • Houseplants like Mythic Dragonite jewel alocasia like to feel snug in their pot. If you decide to repot it into a decorative container, choose one that is no more than one size larger than the pot it is currently growing in. Alternatively, you can set the plant in its existing pot into a cache pot and call it good.
  • If repotting, transplant your new jewel alocasia into a decorative container at the same level it was growing before, taking care not to bury the base of the plant. When you’re finished, the soil level in the container should be about a half-inch below the rim of the pot to avoid spillage when you water.
  • Water your newly potted plant immediately to help the soil settle in around the roots.
 

 

CARING FOR YOUR HOUSEPLANT


SUNLIGHT
 
  • Choose a place indoors that receives bright indirect light or filtered sunlight. Avoid placing jewel alocasias in direct sunlight as it can scorch their broad leaves.
  • Mythic Dragonite Alocasia will put on the most active growth when the temperature is between 60-85°F. Keep this range in mind when growing it indoors.
  • Avoid placing your Alocasia near a door or window where it could be exposed to cold drafts in the winter.

WATER
 
  • Alocasias prefer to be consistently moist, but not wet, and above all, they need to have good drainage. As such, water your Alocasia thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry. Ensure good drainage and do not allow the plant to sit in water, as Alocasias are susceptible to root rot.
  • Giving your houseplant a little bit of water frequently is not a healthy practice because the roots in the upper part of the pot will remain wet while the deeper roots are too dry. When you water, be sure to wet the entire root ball.
  • One easy way to determine if your houseplant needs water is to lift up the pot. You can develop a sense of whether or not to water based on how light or heavy it feels. If the pot is light, it is time to water your plant again. You can do this with confidence if you followed the instructions about using the proper soil for your plant.
  • Humidity is key to keeping the leaves of your Alocasia fresh and healthy looking. To raise the humidity indoors, you could either run a humidifier or set the pot on a saucer filled with pebbles and water. As the water evaporates, it will raise the humidity around the plant. Grouping your houseplants together also helps to keep humidity levels a bit higher.
 

PLANT FOOD

  • The best time to feed your houseplants is between March and October while they are actively growing. We recommend feeding them once per month at half strength with water soluble houseplant food during the growing season.
  • In the winter, when the days are shorter and light is diminished, your houseplant won’t be actively growing so it won’t need to be fed. It’s best to give it a rest during this time. Feeding plants while they are semi-dormant can lead to root rot and wastes fertilizer.
 

PEST MANAGEMENT

 
  • An unfortunate thing you’ll likely encounter at some point when you grow houseplants is insect pests and, less frequently, plant diseases. These problems most often occur on weakened plants that have not been watered properly, are staying too wet, are not receiving enough light, or have been overfertilized.
  • One of the most common houseplant diseases is root rot. This occurs when the soil is too heavy, is staying wet for too long, or you are watering too often. Once it sets in, it is difficult to stop. Fungicides may offer the plant some relief.
  • Two common houseplant pests are fungus gnats and spider mites. Fungus gnats tend to hatch under the same conditions that cause root rot, so watch your watering carefully. Spider mites tend to pop up in warm environments with low humidity. The first sign you’ll see is tiny holes or yellow spots on the leaves and spider webs in the foliage.
  • Also keep an eye out for mealy bugs on your houseplants. These soft-bodied, powdery white insects often cluster together in colonies and suck the sap out of the plant, reducing its vigor. These pests should be controlled at the first sign to prevent spread.

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