Alocasia ‘Dragon Scale’ – 6cm

Alocasia baginda ‘Dragon Scale’ is one of the most visually intricate plants in cultivation. Each leaf is deeply bullate, meaning the surface between the veins is raised and puckered, creating a three-dimensional scale-like texture that gives the plant its name. The colour shifts from dark emerald at the centre of each cell to a lighter silver-green at the edges, with a subtle metallic sheen that intensifies in good light. Compact enough for a shelf or desktop but dramatic enough to anchor a room, it sits in the category of plants often referred to as jewel aroids: small, slow, and entirely worth the patience they require.

Origins
Alocasia baginda is native to the Eastern Kalimantan region of Borneo, Indonesia, where it grows as an understorey plant in mixed dipterocarp forest at low elevations, typically rooted in rocky, well-drained clay and lateritic soils under filtered light and constant humidity.

Soil and Substrate
Alocasia baginda ‘Dragon Scale’ performs best in a substrate that drains freely while retaining enough moisture to keep the roots consistently hydrated. Its natural growing medium in Borneo is well-drained rocky clay, so it tolerates neither waterlogging nor prolonged drought well. Our Alocasia Premium Potting Mix is peat-free and formulated specifically for demanding Alocasias: light and airy for maximum oxygen exchange, with moisture retention calibrated to support healthy root growth without the risk of rot.