I WISH I Knew This Before Buying Alocasia! 

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I just wanted to say, it is obviouse you put a ton of work into your filming and editing. It must take forever. I just wanted you to know someone noticed your hard work. Great job! And thank you for all the helpful tips. :)

This was not only very helpful, but incredibly entertaining. I would listen to him read the back of a food label and be engaged!

Chunky Aroid mix with lots of bark chips and perlite, charcoal etc will help control the watering situation as it will drain through straight away. Give it a water and wait ‘til it dries a little bit before the next water. I found the fibrous cocoa coir/soil/perlite mixes retained too much water and contributed to root rot and was too easy to over water. This chunky mix is also helpful for Calathea. Don’t let them go dry for long though, they hate that too! You’ll notice an uptick in watering demand as they start putting energy into new growth.

Honestly, highly recommend semi-hydro for alocasias, takes away a lot of the fuss. Mine are thriving through winter even on the colder windowsills.

Ughh the uk is hard for plants in the winter especially when you're already in a low light house. I have to move all mine into the living room window and then pray for spring lol

I got me a black velvet from the grocery store- I know big no no- but it was doing well and then leaves started turning. I thought old leaves they are dying off so I chopped them all off and then, boom I got me a new leaf. I surprised myself. I do find this video very helpful because this black velvet is my first Alocasia.

Neither of my alocasia's like to be watered... Strange as that may sound it's true. I haven't watered my big one for a few months and she seems happy, the little one is the same. Every time I would water, a whole beautiful leave would yellow and die so I got scared to water again. She is huge and takes up a whole corner and is around 4ft tall atm so... I will try the food for them both and a bit more water at spring time. Not sure what to do with them both, but they look healthy and happy.

i got an alocasia Jackyln a couple weeks ago .I spray it weekly with Neem oil to prevent bugs

From my experience (Poland) the growing light only doesn't do much. Alocasias need also higher temperature to thrive. And around 20*, which I have in winter in the middle of room (not by the windows I mean), seem to not satisfy alocasias. And I actually threw out Sarian and Zebrina, because they were so weak that they constantly had one leaf and spider mites. Even in summer the amount of light wasn't good for them. I tried to make them good environment for 3 years, and I just don't want to experiment anymore 😅 And yes, that "thing" is a flower. Some people are cutting it, because they are thinking flowers are taking plants energy. But sometimes alocasia won't stop giving flowers, so I usually hold one flower for a little longer, and then I cut it, and give plant more fertilizer for "greens", and less for "flowering" (especially for these in semi-hydroponics).

I'm Irish and I do say what the bejesus is happening to my alocasias! I bought loads of different ones, and they are now all corms sitting in my grow cabinet. I kind of hate them now but also can't wait until they return from the dead

I've found that feeding them roughly every 2 weeks with a liquid houseplant fertilizer can help them retain leaves in their dormant period. If you don't want scraggly looking dead leaves lying around, then pruning off the dead leaf once it's, for lack of a better term, crispy helps a bunch. The plant has already gotten what it needed from that leaf and taking it away can help keep the plant healthy. Mine got a little cold damage when we bought it and it predictably dropped the worst affected leaves. It then lost everything that wasn't new growth through winter despite my best efforts. Alocasia are gonna alocasia. It looks like it's woken up though, as I can see a new bud emerging from the base. Fingers crossed for leaf number 4.

Yes oof. My first batch of plants included one. I managed to keep it alive for 4 years now and it's even lost all its leaves at one point but came back. Now it's looking sad again. These brown spots too.. I only keep it because it's one of my oldest plants at this point. It reaps very small reward

Hey just found your channel.Love it.Very helpful.Thanks.Happy greetings from germany 🙋

I just picked one up in the forrest. Someone throw it away last year and it somehow survived cold winter. It had super healthy leaves. I don't doubt it would be better for the plant to leave it in the forrest, but it was too tempting not to try raising it at home😅

You threw that poor plant in the trash?! Imagine waking up from dormancy buried alive by rubbish. You monster

That weird nub is a flower mine did that was confusing at first

Thats the flower, surprisingly i had that flower on my Azlanii in winter 😂

Did you hear Planterina is no longer on ytube?

I wonder if the amount of leaves an alocasia has correlates to if it goes dormant? My silver dragon with 12 leaves is thriving but my black velvet, Polly and Corazon with only a couple leaves each all went dormant.

And they are spider mite magnets

I'm going to try converting alocacia elephant ears to fish water and lecca. I would love to challenge you to try to grow your alocacia on lecca "semi hydro" I've heard it called .

It’s a flower, but they don’t look like much. I let mine go fully dormant in the winter and try not to look.

my alocasia are pretty thirsty...

Will my zebrina come back after i completly chopped her off her one leaf gave up so i had to cut it back to the soil. Also i have one ive cut the leaf off but left the stem, will i be better off doing the same with that and just completely cutting it back? I rescued them from my mother as i have a few myself. Roots are fine as i checked and repotted them. No corms in one and a couple in the other that were loose. Will these ladies come back to life??😢😂

sadly cant buy your amazon products in europe :(

You have it backwards. I've grown many Alocasia for 30 years here in a cold climate. The trouble is not seasonally lower light levels. It's *heat, heat, heat!* You can prove this to yourself in about 3 weeks by putting any lame Alocasia on a heat mat in winter. New leaves shoot out. Overwatering problems go away,. They become very easy plants if you also give just decent light & water like any regular houseplant. The prefer temps in the 25-35 C range. Alocasia are not benefited by dormancy, that's just an emergency response to low temps. Get your minimum night temps up and your plants will thrive! :)

I put my Alocasia to quarantine in my hallway, where the heater barely ever turns on. Safe to say she let me know that Dutch winter will not be tolerated, unless I put her in my cosy living room. Doing much better now.

I bought a very sick looking little alocaría in Aug/Sept at Lowe’s for $2. It has been living outside under a tree and regularly jumped on by my dachshund. It’s almost 3 feet tall now…the magic if South Florida humidity and sunshine!

The way I've been through 3 already and 3 barely hanging on right now. This is good to know that it's them and not me

I love my Alocasias, all ~20 of them (I think 9 species). Some are definitely more dramatic than others, but they are all beautiful. Growing plants from the corms is a treat too! They start life already acclimated to your home 💚💚

It’s crazy how fast your channel grew❤️ keep up the good work

I've had my alocasia for about 6 months and It was doing great, 3 new leaves, great colors then one day I looked at her and she had yellow and black spots on 3 of her 6 leaves. I immediately removed the leaves and put her in quarantine. Remaining leaves looked good for a month then again...lost another. I removed her from the pot to see if she had root rot and found the nursery had started it in a net and the roots were not able to grow...I removed the net and found 4 croms inside🤗❤ Hope to see some new growth soon. Oh and baby Alocasias

This is a very timely video! I’ve tried growing these very alocasia numerous times before to only see the winter months take them out. I recently bought two alocasia black velvet plants at my local big box store because they had more than 3 leaves and I couldn’t resist the price! For fun I ordered a frydek placed the plants on my desk and crossed my fingers. I read somewhere that alocasia are big foodies so I started feeding them regularly. I have a desk lamp on my desk with just an LED bulb and pointed the lamp towards the plants.. 🌱 Eureka! I literally have 3 new leaves on the black velvet and one on the frydek in this cold ass city I live in😊. I may have success yet!

I'm glad I watched your video before even considering buying an Alocasia.

I found that Alocasias should come with a warning. Yes you will probably get Spider Mites and they will look ugly at some time of the year. Even in Florida it takes a while for them to come out of dormancy

Your positivity is contagious!

I hate my alocasia!🤬

Another stellar video. I also notice it more hungry too. I live in zone 10a and I can say 75% of my leaves are looking pretty good but there are a few that struggle with the light and temperature when the temps swing from day to night 30 degrees f. Keep the dry humor going

Question: when one of them loses all leaves (dormancy),…should I keep watering it or do I leave it to dry out and start watering in spring? Thank you for the whole video and answering this question

Had issues with my dragon scale which I purchased in December all the leaves bar one fell off - the remaining leaf looked awful - I was going to throw it away but decided against that. Instead I was a little rebellious repotted to semi hydro. It perked up and now has given me a new leaf!

I use a self watering pot for my alocasias, grow lights and heater keeping it at least 65. When they’re happy, I’m happy!

Well Hello Mr Sheffield!. I am kind of New to Alocasia Plants. I did toss a few out thinking they died! I have a Silver Dragon that is Loving Life still, and I live in Ontario, Canada. Where we have Cold Winters! My Dragon Fella lives on top of my Stove. And I have a Grow Light in the Fan Hood and Shes Loving it! The other one is the Zebra Plant that is quite a Diva. She is always thirsty! I water her, and she springs right back into her Gorgeous Self! How long will they keep Being Happy for me? No idea! But im really enjoying them❤ Question- When do you suggest i repot them? Seeing how im always watering them? Ofcourse my place is dry. So theres that😮 Thankyou for your Amazing Awesome Channel!!! I learn alot! I would love to see your puppy more! And maybe a vlog with your wife and kids! That would be fun! Thankyou!!! From one of your Loving Canadian Fans! ❤🤗❤️🐾🌿🇨🇦

I am an Alocasia 😂 but joking aside I bought a Ghost Dragon in the fall and every time he grows a new leaf its smaller on a really tall leggy stem. The only thing I can think of to compare him to is a Dr. Seuss drawing. I've put him into a south window with my purple oxalis which also looks skimpy and leggy. He turns to the sun but he has guttation on his leaves and they are turning wet and brown at the tip, I'm totally discouraged, I know looks aren't everything in a relationship but he's just let himself go. He has a new leaf coming and I'm waiting to see if it's going to be any bigger...........😢 By the way my purple oxalis is two toned isn't yours? And my leaves are more triangular and they move with the light, they open and close. You're lucky, it's bloody dark here by three o'clock and we've had two days so far where I saw the sun😢 we've got February March and April to get through and of course in all my wisdom I get all new plants in the fall, I'm even trying a lithops, don't ask about the one that I tried 20 years ago, it went poof! and disapeared 😱🥺

Mine has it's own UV light and I water it only when it gets dry. I give it Miracle Grow once every 6 weeks or so. It did all of this during the summer but actually started THRIVING during the winter - it now has five leaves and has even sprouted babies. The heater being on during the cold months seems to have woken it up. 👍🏻

I hate these plants.....though I love the look of them....love hate relationship

I forgot to turn on my humidifier for 1 day, and I woke up to droopy Alocasia the next day. I promised I'd never forget again.. Anyway, do you still fertilize it even in the winter? Thanks!

I actually have a frydek coming. I also have a Ninja coming. I'm hoping I can make these happy

Having to deal with the Divas of the plant world, orchids, I thought lets get something that hasn't got an attitude 🤔Potatoes next time

I feel you so much on the Alocasia. They are so beautiful, but I can only keep them happy in semihydro with a water reservoir. Also I hate how mine are leaning sideways to the window, so I cut them all back as I was frustrated. Now they have a grow light from above and are hopefully growing prettier. It looks like you Alocasia is about to flower. Are you planning on taking pollen?

They are so beautiful. I am saving for the Alocasia Frydek variegated type, but I have heard they are not so finnicky as some of the others!! Great information once again!

Hello, If any one can offer any advice id appreciate it. I started 2 lemon trees from seed. Same size pots, next to each other facing south . One has grown really well, the other tiny and it's leaves have dropped off. I'm really confused

I've got my frydec in pon, and she's loving and living her best life😊.

So I had an alocasia that declined and I didn't throw it out, luckily. I just checked and the bulbs are still alive. What do I do with them once it's spring? How do I plant them?

I gave up on all of my 12 alocasias, lost them to meelybugs and cold winter Just not worthy for me trying to keep them alive, even though i loove them

As I always do whatever I want, I have bought (yesterday) three alocasias (silver dragon, dragon scale and jacklyn - all in 6cm pots). They should arrive in about two days. As we are approaching colder months here in UK (end of Sep) and I learnt from the comments here that alocasias like it warm, I have also bought heat mats. My baby alocasias will be placed in NW window with max 2 hours direct sun... in summer. Wish me luck 🤣. I am planning to buy grow lights but didn't go that far yet.

That is indeed the flower. Looks like a peace lily flower when it opens up. My Alocasia Bambino flowered a few times last year.

LOL!! You had me cackling at the hummus @0:24....was not expecting that...lol

I live in Canada where winters are much colder than you and my Alocasia Bambino keeps on growing 🤷‍♀️ and doesn’t drop leaves. I only have one Alocasia going on two years old and she is big and beautiful with even some original leaves and giving me lots f babies.

Very captivating and spot on! I always learn something new whenever I watch your videos. So, I usually water my main avocado tree every 5-6 days. I pruned it 3 weeks ago and the last time I watered it before today int he morning was nearly 4 weeks ago. It was doing great after I pruned it, the browning stopped. I thought I was safe from that nightmare of the leaves falling off. BUT over the last 2-3 weeks it has done nothing but bad. Just a month ago, my avocado tree had over 20 leaves, which still wasn't a lot. But at the moment there is only 1 leaf, which is about to fall off, I can see the crack between the handle and the stem. This tree is practically a stick. I've been noticing more and more tiny black specs or dots on the stem. One tiny hole even goes into the trunk. Yesterday morning I took a closer look and I saw a tiny bug ccrawwling around the stem, smaller than a fungus gnat. Its color was yellow, orange or maybe even white with a rather soft body. The stem is awfully covered in white layer, perhaps dust. However, these last 2 weeks was the first time in a long time that my avocado tree started pushing out or trying to push out new growth. There are 5-7 viable buds, growing, although these last 2 days the buds haven't gotten much bigger. The buds are starting to have dead tips. My tree's health is greatly compromised. The tree is super unstable. There are a lot of dried up roots. The soil smells sooooo bad and weird. A lot of roots are missing. there are quite a few nematodes. I found out that these stupid dranage holes had caps and were too small. So I bought an insecticide, suggested by the seller. I poured nearly a liter, expected a lot of water to drain out through the holes, but there was NONE. There is so much water in the soil, that's definitely gonna trigger those pathogens. My whole room smells like paint because I applied that insecticide. I also put 3 nugget or I don't know what they are called, which apparently slowkly release nutrients. It's getting late, so I will continue another time with the solution and my suspicion about pests, not fungus gnats. I think one day if I have an Alocasia, I won't have much difficulty taking care of it, but they do seem fragile.

I love Alocasias and my frydeks are a pain in my ass. My main frydek lives in fluval stratum and that's the only thing that's kept her happy. My mother silver dragon scale went dormant 3 times this year and has officially went dormant again. But my Bambino andy African masks have been champs. I chopped them to start over from spider mites and theyve been slowly but surely been throwing new leaves since June. Oh and mine don't like to be fed much. It seems like if I personally grew them from corms myself they tolerate what I offer them so much better than if I buy them from the stores. 😂 So I have more than 1 of 6 types of alocasias. Lol

My avocado tree officially has no leaves left. The buds aren't doing much. I have a much smaller pot, but the problem is that I don't know how I'll remove it from the pot without breakng any healthy roots. I can't exactly uproot it because the roots are very fragile. This tree defintely is dealing with multiple diseases and pests. The cutting I took from when I pruned it rotted away, almost that is. Which is strange because I too another cutting from another tree it still looks very much alive. I'm noticing some black dots in some areas of the stem, and some orange spots as well in the lower part of the trunk. Apart from fungus gnats, I think it has APHIDS. These could even be leafminers, but whatever it is, it's getting the better of my tree. I can't quite see with my magnifying glass, but I think I can see eggs on the buds. The soil doesn't smell like rot. As mentioned yesterday, it smells like paint (at least that's how I describe the smell of the insecticides I used). There are so many missing roots. I know it had many roots near the edges, but now it's replaced with a foul smell. Another problem with me unpotting it is that all of the soil has poor drainage. When I showed to the lady I was bying the insecticide from, she told me there is too much perlite, WHAT. The peat substrate to perlite ratio is probably 3:2. So it has like 40% perlite. I didn't mi the substrate. The soil I bought last winter came in mixed with perlite. And she said the soil from the chain stores is usually infected. But if it was infected than why is this happening right now, a year after I repotted my tree and not right after I repotted it. I mean, it did suffer root rot in February, but it started growing again in May until September, throughout the summer it was doing fantastic, the tree was growing almost like a weed. I don't know what I'll do if my tree dies. I've never been able to save a dying tree from root rot when it has no leaves left, especially when the stem starts to die back. I'll try to repot it if things get even worse.

My alocasia wentii is all thrips and can't get rid of them apparently 😢

I got an alocasia wentii on impulse and to my surprise its been super low maintenance, and doesn't seem to have gone dormant. I don't know if I'm just lucky with my home conditions or whether this particular variety is less fussy (though not as attractive)

Just bought one... Hope it doesn't die by this evening 😂

I had the same issue but when I see the beautiful foliage I can’t bear to part. So I just keep feeding and put in a diffuse light window. It has only ever given 3 leaves in 2 years. But they are healthy leaves.

Yes, it's a bloom on your Alocasia cuprea 'Red Secret'. This species seems to love putting out flowers. Mine is in perma bloom mode. As soon as I see them, I cut them out. Energy drain deluxe.

I just bout one of those meters .. moisture meter... Its going to be a like changer . Thanks for al your advice

My one of those died all the way down to the dirt over winter. It started to regrow last week. I want to dump the unidentified medium it is potted in and give it a container of nice fresh Pro Mix prebiotic potting medium. I'll let you know how it turns out.

All my alocasias are in semihydro and fertilized well or they die. There is barely any light now in the winter and they lost most of their leaves, but that's how it goes

I enjoy your vids immensely! I bought my alocasia off a clearance rack with only 1 leaf. It shot out few more leaves in the summer but moved some plants in from outside in the fall and did not quarantine them. Alocasia got mites really bad and i didnt think it would survive. It lost all but 2 leaves. Up until ydy it had 7 leaves! But alas i had to cut 2 off. I think i had let it get too dry. Im amazed that it grew like that in the winter time especially since we had a really big snow with temps below freezing. But i guess im very fortunate! I have stopped feeding everything cause a lot of what i read said stop feeding in the winter when dormant. Should i start feeding again. Thx for all youd help!

I just bought an Alocasia Silver Dragon last night, wish me luck

I love your videos and funny commentaries as well as expressions. You never fail to cheer me up when I have plant woes. My alocasia polly was throwing a hissy fit when we had a rainy and/or windy season even though I live in South-east Asia where it originates from. It had three sizeable leaves and then began yellowing, with one singular leaf remaining which was showing yellowing spots. I still watered it and fed it not knowing if it was going to survive but it hung on for several months. It is an outdoor growing plant placed along my flat corridor with lots of bright indirect light (usually). After months of it just looking like it is and very slowly deteriorating, I noticed a small young shoot growing out two days ago. Hooray!

I thought I had done something wrong, i had to remove 2 recently healthy leaves.. mind you, its booming now..our aussie summer is making it happy..

So a glass of milk every now and then isn't what they need, after all? 🤔 Not even lactose-free?

I gave up on these plants. Heart breaking, Calatheas on the other hand are like triffids in my home

I had a friend give me alocasia on two separate occasions and each time only an hour after being home all the leaves wilted; no change in temperature and light exposure. Absolute divas.

I love my elephants ear - sadly it doesn’t care for me! Will be trying this . I live in a dark hole in Lancashire and think this is part of my problem. Will be dragging out my grow lights and baby bio - fingers crossed!

I live in Stockholm (at a latitude north of mainland Scotland) and my Alocasia has got 7 leaves all through winter without any extra lighting and only 16 C in the room.

I thought in the winter we suffer from Seasonal Affective ( not effective) disorder. Then we have S.A.D. which is a very fitting name for the condition 😁😩.

I got myself two moisture meters. One for upstairs and one for downstairs. 😅

It's a flower - they're bum ugly and lame. Mine pushed out 5 in a row and refused to put out new leaves! I kept cutting them once I realized that's what they were trying to get it to focus of foliar growth again (didn't work 😓).

I swear by growing alocasia in Lechuza pon with their slow release fertiliser. I have never experienced dormancy with any alocasia (with only 8 hours of day light in winter, 60 % humidity) - the Lechuza pon and fertiliser make a huge difference. They grow like mad in it. My largest is Silver Dragon with 13 leaves and a 5 leaves baby plant. I grow all my alocasias in Lechuza pon with self-watering system. P.S. Your Alocasia azlanii is blooming :-)

I have mine under a grow light and she still looks like she belongs in the ICU 😭😭😭

Another great video with tons of fun and info!😁🤓 I suspected but never fully researched, but now I know for sure why my Alocasia dies on me 😂 Glad I didn’t toss her in the bin 😂

Both of mine are really doing good, except that when a new leaf is coming in one is going out.

I am doing everything wrong with my Alocasia Polly; it's the oldest plant I own. It's in low light by the kitchen window, pot with no drainage. I have not been feeding it till recently. I live in CT and in the winter is gets dark at 4:00. It's been in the same spot since I bought it about 12 years ago. I do repot it every 3 years or so. I have only lost a leaf occasionally, but not very often. I have been thinking of splitting it to make 2 plants, but afraid I will get it upset.

I've been through a fair few Alocosias and did exactly what you did and think oh its dead and threw them out! And to think I had a Stingray and a Zebrina :( Now that i've learnt that i've got a Calcutta near a Sensi growlight and a humidifer and would you believe it has 10 leaves at the moment! Unheard of! Never had more than 7 before without one of the older ones dying off!

Do you fertilize Alocasia in winter month from Nov to Feb?

That shoot in the alocasia cuprea is a flower. It's better to cut off as they're not pretty and it takes a lot of time and energy to mature and bloom.

What. I could have saved my mickey mouse alocasia?!? Currently dying inside brb

I couldn't help it... Right when you say "Alocasias are sensitive souls", I couldn't help but call my two Alocasias to my right drama queens 😂 It looks like both of mine need to move under the grow lights and have more feedings (I may have been putting that off for too long 😅). Thank you for sharing this! I'm sure my drama queens will thank you, too! lol

The introduction was a bit off. My alocasia is now soil after having unexpectedly just died off after a year (I didn't make the mistake of thinking it's dead, I had already seen it almost die and bounce back before, this time it had no leaves left and wouldn't grow a new one in a month or so).

My Alocasias and Calatheas are the bane of my life, never have I felt such hatred and drama emit from a plant.

I've inherited my mums massive alocasia, not had one before. It needs a repot, but I dont know much about this one, the label doesn't say what variety it either

Great video. I love alocasias but the dormancy thing upsets me. After seeing yr video I have decided to try try again. Thank you Mr. Sheffield

I think I fried my alocasia zebrina under enthusiastically bright grow lights. Too much of a good thing

I was given one by my wife last night, a wentii she’s a big girl and I’m so in love.

Mine always go yellow at this time of year…

Good vid! Wish I'd seen it before my yucatan princess died and had learn the hard way too. I feel ya 😂 Btw, it is indeed a flower!