Alocasia Bisma | Care Guide for Alocasia Platinum

Araceae is among the most famous families of indoor ornamental plants worldwide, and Alocasia Bisma is a distinguished member of this family. It is also commonly known as Emerald Dragon Scale and Alocasia Platinum. This nature’s bounty has beautiful vibe-emitting, attractive-looking, and refreshing foliage. Its leaves are heart-shaped having a silvery blue color. Down the midrib, its leaves emit a darker hue. This adorable ornamental indoor plant can be a beautiful addition to your living room.

Alocasia Bisma | Care Guide for Alocasia Platinum

Alocasia Bisma doesn’t grow tall; however, with optimum care, the plant keeps growing new leaves and is an excellent choice for a compact tabletop plant. This Alocasia species hails from subtropical Asia and Eastern Australia.

Allied Species: Alocasia Sarian, Alocasia Pink Dragon, Alocasia Cuprea, Alocasia LauterbachianaAlocasia Silver Dragon, Alocasia Stingray, Alocasia Regal Shields, Alocasia Nebula, Alocasia Maharani, Alocasia Jacklyn , Alocasia Melo.

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Habitat & Ecology

Botanical Name: Alocasia Bisma
Family Name: Araceae
Common names: Alocasia Platinum, Emerald Dragon Scale
OriginIndonesia
Plant Size2ft. tall , 2 ft. wide
Plant type:Flowering Perennial
Humidity:60%-80%.
Temperature:55F-80F
Light NeedBright Indirect light
SoilMoist but well-draining 
WaterWater when the top 40% of soil is dry.
Pest and DiseasesSpider mites and root rot


How do you care for Alocasia Bisma?


Because of its delicacy, Alocasia Bisma requires proper care and attention to grow and thrive. Because of its origin in subtropical regions, it enjoys the warm temperature underneath the canopy of the forests. Hence, it grows larger leaves to compete for sunlight and has an edge over other plants growing in the same area.

Hot months of the year are the best time for your Alocasia Bisma to proliferate. When the weather turns cold, expect your Alocasia holding its growth because of dormancy. So, the plant awaits the hot conditions to restart flourishing.

How do you care for Alocasia Bisma?

Alocasia Platinum Initial Care at Home

While bringing a new plant home, inspect it for pests and infections. Later on, provide it with all the necessary conditions it requires to thrive and grow. All Alocasia species are sensitive to direct sunlight. So, place your pot with Alocasia Platinum near a window to get bright indirect light and proper aeration. During the season of fast growth, water it frequently. If you notice leaves becoming crispy and dry, humidify your Bisma regularly to bring it back to life.

Keep inspecting your stunning indoor plant to check for attacks of pests; although they rarely happen, yet there is always a chance.

humidity and temperature

Humidity and Temperature Requirements:

Alocasia Platinum flourishes when it gets lots of humidity because of its subtropical origin. An area with over 50 % humidity level is the minimal requirement for Alocasia Platinum. Use a pebble tray , group your plants or humidifier in a room with a drier climate. This practice offers your plant the boost of moisture it requires.

humidity need of alocasia bisma

Being a subtropical plant, Alocasia prefers high temperatures. So, a temperature of more than 60°F is perfectly adequate. If you place your Alocasia Bisma outdoors, bring it indoors before the temperature drops to 50 °F. Avoid placing your plant near a heating vent, drafty window, exterior door, or in front of an air conditioning. This is so because these fluctuations can potentially damage the foliage and inhibit overall growth.

watering requirements

How often do you water Alocasia Bisma?

Alocasias are sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering. So, you must be very cautious about watering Alocasia. An essential factor you must focus on is the season because different seasons have different water requirements. In the summer season, your Bisma requires more water. However, in winter, it can survive with less water content. Therefore, always look for soil moisture content before rewatering the plant; only water when topsoil has become dry.

Besides that, watering requirements depends upon the type of pot, indoor climate, and composition of potting soil. Your pot must have a drainage hole inside it. It balances the soil’s moisture level by draining all the extra water from the pot, and the soil retains adequate moisture in it.

We highly recommend a moisture meter or sensor to monitor the moisture of the soil to eliminate the risk of overwatering.

sunlight requirement

Light Need

Emerald Dragon Scale is highly adaptable and handles a wide range of light from low to bright indirect light. The amount of light your plant gets impacts its growth rate. Although your plant keeps growing in low light, its rate will be much lesser compared to brighter light.

Place your favorite plant pet in a location that gets plenty of bright but indirect light if you wish your Bisma grows new leaves. Placing it in indirect sunlight for about six hours is the best practice. Please be careful, direct light can burn leaves.

light need of Alocasia Bisma Platinum
soil requirement

Soil Requirements

Like all Alocasias, Alocasia Platinum loves nutrient-rich, loose, well-drained, chunky and well-aerated potting soil. So, use a potting soil mix that retains enough water and drain the excess to avoid root rot. Ensure using a reasonable amount of organic matter like shredded leaves, coco-coir, or peat moss.

If you notice that your soil drains moisture very quickly, we suggest repotting it into a compost-rich soil mixture. An ideal potting mix contains an equal proportion of orchid bark, coco peat, sand and activated charcoal.

If you intend to use ready-made soil, we recommend selecting FoxFarm Ocean Forest or WONDER SOIL Organic Potting Soil .

Repotting

Repotting

Alocasia Bisma is a plant that loves to be bit bound with roots, so there is rarely an emergency to repot it. This plant does not like shifting from one to another pot, so do when necessary only. These indoor plants are fast growers, so they can overgrow their pots. While repotting, choose a pot that is a few inches larger than the previous one.

Besides that, you can separate the plant’s roots and take multiple containers to get many plants from a single parent plant.

Follow our simple guide to repot this beauty;

  • Gently take out the plant from the pot without damaging the roots.
  • Thoroughly inspect the roots looking for any disease or infection.
  • Trim the roots back if you are planning to use the same pot.
  • If you are going to use a slightly bigger pot, fill it up to half level with the potting mix.
  • Create a crater in the pot and place the root ball in it.
  • Cover the roots lightly with soil and fill the pot with potting mix up to the desired level.
  • Water the plant deeply and place it in a humid area.

Propagation

Propagation of Alocasia Bisma

Propagation is a simple method that helps you get multiple Alocasia Bisma indoor plants from a single parent plant. This is possible because every single offset plant contains a mini root system which allows faster growth. Using this method, you can gift this stunning indoor beauty to your loved ones also. The most effective way of propagation is rhizome propagation for Alocasia Bisma, like most other Alocasias.

propagation of alocasia bisma

Before the procedure, clean all the cleaning tools and use a sharp blade.

Rhizome propagation

First of all, remove the Alocasia Bisma plant from its pot. Then, shake it to remove the soil from the roots. Soak in water if the soil is clumpy. Later, you will see many root clumps like baby plants (offsets). Try separating them gently; use a sharp knife if the roots are too tangled.

Separated offsets of plants already come up with a mini root system that shortens the process of propagation and growth.

Water propagation

If you notice your Bisma does not have a mini root system, follow these steps to grow roots. Take a container or flask of your choice, and clean the soil. Take tap water in a container and leave roots for 24 hours.

Place your container in bright indirect light and use liquid houseplant fertilizer to boost growth if you wish.

Soil Propagation

You can use soil propagation to get new plants for the offsets with the root system. Being subtropical plants, Alocasia Bisma loves well-aerated, well-drained, and soft, loose soil to grow. Prepare a pot with a drainage hole to remove excess water and retain appropriate moisture.

You can use a homemade or ready-made potting mix for it. After doing so, plan the offset and water it. You will get to know about successful propagation upon watching foliage popping up!

Fertilizing Alocasia Platinum

In the actively growing seasons, applying balanced mineral fertilizer can spur new growth. Feedings can be super advantageous for Alocasia Platinum to support growing large leaves with striking colors. For Alocasia Platinum, you may use a slow-release fertilizer, liquid fertilizer or seaweed emulsion for best results.

Avoid fertilizing your Bisma in winter when your plant is in a dormant condition.

maintenance and cleaning

Maintenance:

If you have an Alocasia Platinum, you must be glad to know that you have chosen the best indoor plant because it requires a minimum maintenance effort. To maintain good plant size, trim it when needed, and do not forget to prune the leaves that are dying. All Alocasias show more rapid growth in the spring and summer, and it is better to prune the plants during growing seasons.

To eradicate any chance of infection, pest attack, or algal growth, clean the foliage and pot regularly. You need to remove rotten and dead leaves from the pot. Cleaning helps plants look good as well as show better growth.

toxicity

Are Alocasia Bisma plants toxic?

Like most Alocasia species, Alocasia Bisma is toxic to humans and pets. Beware, it’s a foe as it has calcium oxalate crystals responsible for this behavior. If any pet or human consumes it by mistake, rush for a professional’s guidance.

common problems

Pests and Diseases:

Pests

Alocasia Bisma is a very delicate plant that is a target for many pests. The most common are mealybugs and spider mites. Using a shower head or garden hose, wash the problems off. Spray insecticidal soap or spray for better protection.

Common Problems

Most commonly, Alocasia Bisma faces include:

Leaves are turning brown:

Major cause is lack of enough light. Cold conditions and water unavailability can also trigger it. Taking care can help you get rid of them.

Leaves are turning yellow:

Most common because of the delicacy of Alocasia Bisma. Over-watering may turn their leaves yellow. If you ever notice this issue, look to root rot.

Diseases

Leaf infection and root rot are the most common diseases an indoor plant is prone to.

Leaf Infection:

Water retention in the foliage can cause fungal infection. Avoid wetting the leaves. Watering the plant late in the day is not a good thing because, at that time, moisture does not dry up to the adequate limit.

Root Rot:

Root rot is a common disease of Alocasia Bisma that can disturb the average growth of your plant. To keep your plant safe, follow these instructions:

  • Avoid over-watering
  • Use well-draining soil
  • Let the soil completely dry between waterings.
Symptoms:
  • Branches die-back
  • Poor growth
  • Small, pale leaves
  • Gradual decline without an apparent reason
  • Thinning of the canopy
  • Yellowed, wilted, or browned leaves
Treatment:
  • Remove Alocasia from the pot
  • Separate soil from roots
  • Use disinfected and cleaned scissors to trim away rotten roots
  • Prune back the leaves of your plant
  • Throw away extra soil
  • Wash the pot to kill any fungus or bacteria

Frequently Asked Questions

Why my Alocasia Bisma is showing poor growth?

These are the factors that influence their growth:

  • Water
  • Light
  • Minerals

If you are sure, your plant is getting enough of them, inspect it for root rot or infection.

What if my cat consumes a bit of Bisma?

Alocasia Bisma contains a calcium oxalate crystal that is toxic to humans and pets. A little proportion might not harm the cat, but it is wise to visit a professional for better advice.

Is it compulsory to use fertilizer?

Fertilizers speed up the growth of the plant. If you do not use them, your plant still grows but at a slower rate.

You use fertilizers for various purposes like:

  • To enhance the yield
  • To boost the overall growth
  • To meet essential minerals and nutrients of plants

Final Words

Emerald Dragon Scale or Alocasia Platinum

Alocasia Bisma can be a stunning addition to your indoors that requires good care to show better growth. Just follow some basic steps to make it live a healthy life. If you manage to keep her happy it will reward you with stunning textured huge leaves. It sure is a show stealer and worth all the efforts.

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