Alocasia baginda
Dragon Scale Alocasia (species)
Typical UK price
£12
Price by size
- Sold, 90 days
- 1
- Middle half
- -
- Last sold
- 20 Aug 2026
- On record
- 1
- Sale
- Typical
- Middle half
- Estimate
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About Alocasia baginda
Alocasia baginda is a small jewel Alocasia endemic to the limestone hills of East Kalimantan, Borneo, where it grows in the dappled shade of seasonally dry karst forest. The wild-type plant carries the same thick, corrugated, shield-shaped leaves and deeply recessed dark veining that made the species famous, but in a softer, more muted silvery-green than the intensified colour forms bred from it. Almost every plant sold in cultivation is one of these named colour selections: 'Dragon Scale' (deep, dense green), 'Silver Dragon' (paler, more silvery), and 'Pink Dragon' (rose-flushed new growth), rather than the plain wild type, which is rarely offered under its own name. All of them share the same compact, dwarf, clumping growth habit and the same limestone-forest origin.
Native range
Borneo (limestone hills of East Kalimantan, Indonesia)
Classification
- Genus
- Alocasia
- Family
- Araceae
- Type
- Wild
- Growth habit
- Dwarf, clumping, upright
Morphology
- Leaf shape
- Broadly ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base., shield-like
- Leaf length
- 15-22 cm
- Leaf width
- 10-15 cm
- Petiole colour
- Short, pale green-grey
- Venation
- Recessed dark green veins, less pronounced than the named colour cultivars
- Texture
- Leathery, thick, stiff, corrugated
- Variegation
- N/A: solid muted silvery-green wild-type leaf; the deeper 'Dragon Scale' green and rose-flushed 'Pink Dragon' colouration are selected forms bred from this species baseline
- Growth habit
- Upright dwarf clumping
Recent UK sales
For sale in the UK
By month
| Month | Median | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | £12 | 1 |
Before you buy
- Check the corm/base is firm, not soft or foul-smelling; Alocasia rot starts underground and spreads upward
- Expect some seasonal leaf loss to be normal on jewel Alocasias. A bare corm with visible new growth point is not necessarily a dead plant
- For named colour forms (Dragon Scale, Silver Dragon, Pink Dragon), confirm the leaf colouration and vein depth match the named form, since inconsistent labelling is common in this group
- Inspect the undersides of leaves and leaf axils for spider mite webbing or stippling before buying
Alocasia baginda care
- Substrate
- Chunky, fast-draining aroid mix: 40% orchid bark, 30% perlite, 20% potting compost, 10% horticultural charcoal. Jewel Alocasias are highly prone to rot in dense, wet substrate.
- Watering
- Allow the top 2-3cm of substrate to dry between waterings. Reduce significantly in winter dormancy, when the plant may lose leaves and rest; this is normal, not a sign of failing health.
- Humidity
- 60-80%. Below 50% humidity commonly causes crispy leaf edges and stalled growth; a humidity tent or cabinet is strongly recommended for consistent results.
- Feeding
- Balanced liquid fertiliser at quarter to half strength every 3-4 weeks during active growth. Stop feeding once the plant shows signs of seasonal dormancy.
- Repotting
- Every 12-18 months, or when offsets crowd the pot. Use a shallow, wide container that suits the dwarf clumping habit rather than a deep one.
Common problems
Sudden leaf loss / dormancy
Cause: Natural seasonal response to shorter days or cooler temperatures, normal for jewel Alocasias
Fix: Reduce watering significantly, keep the corm dry-ish but not bone dry, and wait for new growth in spring
Root/corm rot
Cause: Overwatering combined with dense, slow-draining substrate
Fix: Unpot, trim all soft/mushy tissue back to firm white flesh, dust with cinnamon, and repot into fresh dry chunky mix
Spider mites
Cause: Low humidity and still air, especially in centrally-heated UK homes over winter
Fix: Increase humidity, improve air circulation, and treat with insecticidal soap at the first sign of stippled leaves
Gear for this plant
- Flowers of Sulphur, 99.99% PurityDusted onto a fresh corm or rhizome cut to guard against rot before repotting.
- Precision Bonsai Pruning Scissors, 200mmFine-bladed snips for clean node cuts when taking a cutting.
- Digital Hygrometer & ThermometerLCD humidity and temperature gauge for checking a grow spot against a plant's target range.
How to propagate Alocasia baginda
- Methods
- Rhizome division, Offset (corm/pup). Step-by-step guide
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Rewards a consistent watering and light routine, but tolerates the occasional lapse. Suited to growers with some houseplant experience.
- Time to establish
- 2-4 months
- True from cuttings
- Yes. Cuttings keep the cultivar's character.
- Notes
- Jewel Alocasias produce basal offsets/pups once mature, which can be separated with a clean cut through the connecting rhizome once they have their own root system. Named colour forms (Dragon Scale, Silver Dragon, Pink Dragon) breed true from division since they are stable selections, not chimeric sports.