My Favorite Plant in My Entire Collection
Text written by Laura Pigeon
It's no secret to my Instagram followers: in my plant collection, my favorite is the Alocasia Frydek, with its forest green foliage and velvety texture.
I've had it for less than a year. I had been looking for it for a while, and it was given to me as a gift. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive because my experience with alocasias has never been very successful. Unfortunately, I've already managed to kill two, and a third will probably follow soon... In general, alocasias are quite challenging to care for because they require a high humidity level at all times. They also go dormant in the winter, so they don't look very nice during the cold season... but that's not the case with the Frydek!
The Alocasia Frydek is really different from other species of this kind, and that's probably why I manage very well with it. Strangely (for an alocasia), it doesn't tolerate being in an overly humid environment.
Here are my tips for a healthy Frydek
First, it prefers to be in a terracotta pot and for the soil to dry quickly. This means it appreciates a slightly more "airy" soil mix. I like to put mine in a mix of tropical plant soil, perlite, and sphagnum moss. I water it about once a week. In fact, I wait for the soil to be completely dry before watering. Often, it will "tell" me when it needs water because its leaves are much more droopy. As for light, it doesn't like its leaves to be directly in the sun but prefers to be in a well-lit room. Mine is placed on my desk in my bedroom, which has a large west-facing window. I fertilize it once a month or when it produces new leaves.
As I mentioned before, alocasias go dormant in the winter. Surprisingly, the Frydek doesn't really lose leaves (not as much as other alocasias). But it will still produce fewer leaves in winter than in spring or summer.
It's also a plant that doesn't like changes in environment. It's not uncommon for your Frydek to develop a few yellow leaves once you bring it home. This will settle over time. That's also why it's not ideal to move it around constantly.
Unwanted Guests in the Frydek
The unwanted insects commonly found in alocasias are mites or spider mites. To combat them, I recommend regularly cleaning the leaves with a good spray of water and black soap as a preventive measure.
If you notice an infestation, black soap might not be enough. In this case, an insecticide treatment is necessary. Another solution, less harmful to the plant, is purchasing predatory insects. But generally, the Frydek handles insecticide treatments well.
Will you also succumb to the charm of the Alocasia Frydek?
Tips and advice
