- Author: Constance Harrington
- Published: July 2, 2020
- Last Updated: June 28, 2022
“Why is my Alocasia Frydrek drooping?” is a question I hear a lot from gardeners. It’s usually followed by asking me what can be done about it. I answer both questions extensively in this post, but I’m going to kick things off with a quick list of the most likely reasons why your Alocasia Frydesk is drooping.
- Lack of sunlight
- Under-watering
- Inappropriate temperatures
- Lack of humidity
- Insufficient aeration
Don’t be alarmed by the number of reasons for a drooping Alocasia Frydek. The good news is that these are all related to improper care. More often than not, you can prevent your Alocasia Frydek leaves from drooping simply by looking after your plant properly in the first place.
As Alocasia Frydek is not the easiest plant to grow at home, it’s important to understand exactly what proper care entails. I cover what you need to know below. I also explain why your Alocasia Frydek might droop even if you do everything right, and recommend some actions you can take to fix the problem. I take a look at some other common problems you might experience with this plant, too, and suggest some alternative Alocasia plants to consider.
Before all that, I provide a short introduction to the plant for those of you who may not know much about it.
About Alocasia Frydek Plants
Alocasia Fydrek is actually a cultivar of Alocasia micholitziana. Its full and “correct” name is therefore Alocasia micholitziana Frydek, but that’s not very widely used. You’re more likely to hear the plant referred to as Green Velvet, African Mask, or Elephant Ear.
Although Alocasia Frydek is a flowering plant, it’s the foliage that makes it so attractive. Most people buy or grow this plant because of the large, triangular leaves that are usually dark green with pronounced white veins. The contrast between the white and the dark green gives the plant a striking appearance and means it looks great in any home.
You’ll find these plants available at many garden stores and online nurseries, but they’re not as widely available as other popular plants. You can also propagate Alocasia Frydrek from seeds and cuttings if you can find them. Just be aware that this is not among the easiest plants to grow and is not ideal for beginner gardeners.
Alocasia Frydek plants typically grow up to a height of 65 centimeters (around 25 inches). Under perfect conditions, they can grow to a height of 90 centimeters (around three feet). The leaves can grow as long as 45 centimeters (around 18 inches). Smaller and younger plants require the most attention and must not be neglected. The plants require a little less care as they grow.
Warning: Alocasia Frydek is toxic to cats and most other house pets. It contains calcium oxalates which can be very harmful to animals.
Tips for Preventing Drooping Alocasia Frydek
Prevention is almost always the best form of cure when it comes to looking after plants. If you don’t want to be asking “why are my Alocasia Frydek leaves drooping?” then you should learn how to take care of this plant properly.
Here’s my advice for Alocasia Frydek care. Follow these tips and you’re much less likely to end up with droopy plants.
Soil
Alocasia Frydek grows best in fertile and nutrient-rich soil. It should be potted in soil that is well-draining and offers good aeration. Adding humus or peat can help make the soil even more rich and fertile while adding bark and sand can improve the drainage.
I recommend aerating the soil at least every few months. This will help with draining and can also help to keep pests away.
Light
Bright but indirect sunlight is best for Alocasia Frydek plants. A couple of hours of direct sunlight each day will not cause any damage, but more than that will be harmful. If you’re growing Alocasia Frydek outside, consider placing it in the shade of other plants.
Top Tip: It’s a good idea to turn Alocasia Frydek plants regularly. This will ensure that all parts of a plant get the necessary exposure to light, which will lead to better and more even growth.
Water
You must thoroughly and regularly water a Frydek to keep it healthy and thriving. In my experience, under-watering is the single biggest cause of Frydek drooping. A lack of water very quickly causes the leaves to hang down, and things soon get worse if the problem is not remedied.
One slight problem with watering Alocasia Frydek is that it needs water but the roots don’t like soggy soil. This is why well-draining soil is required and it’s also important that you don’t add too much water and end up over-watering.
The optimal approach is to make sure the plant itself is properly soaked each time you water it but that there is no excess water sitting on top of the soil. You should then wait for the surface of the soil to dry out before watering again. It’s vital that you never let the soil dry out completely, though.
Temperature
Alocasia Frydek originated in the tropical and sub-tropical climates of southeast Asia. As you can probably guess, this means they like warm temperatures. They are very likely to droop if they get too cold, and may not even grow at all.
The minimum temperature for these plants is 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit). Warmer than that is preferable and I’d recommend aiming for at least 18 degrees Celsius (65 degrees Fahrenheit).
Humidity
As tropical plants, Alocasia Frydek like humidity as well as warm temperatures. A dry atmosphere is very likely to cause drooping and may even do a lot more damage. Moisture in the air is essential.
If you’re growing Alocasia Frydek somewhere without natural humidity, you might want to look into getting a plant humidifier. A basic, warm mist humidifier should prevent drooping leaves and other problems caused by a lack of humidity.
Top Tip: An easy way to protect tropical plants from a lack of humidity is to regularly mist them. Although not quite as effective as using a humidifier, this is usually enough to prevent major issues.
Fertilizing
I definitely recommend regular fertilizing if you want to avoid a drooping Alocasia Frydek. A balanced fertilizer is best for this plant as it will help to ensure your plant has all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
One potential problem when fertilizing potted plants is that the fertilizer can easily be washed away during watering. For this reason, I advise diluting the fertilizer with water and then pouring it onto the soil. This should also avoid the possibility of the fertilizer burning the plant.
You should fertilize most regularly during spring and summer, ideally around every two weeks or so. Less often is fine during the colder parts of the year.
Here are a couple of other resources which feature good advice for looking after Alocasia Frydek.
Dealing With Drooping Leaves on Your Alocasia Frydek
Giving your Alocasia Fydrek the right care and attention will give you a great chance of avoiding any drooping issues. However, you could well find your Frydrek leaves drooping despite your best efforts.
For instance, there are some garden pests that affect the plant. Frydek plants are susceptible to mealy bugs, spider mites, and aphids, and they can all cause drooping foliage. You should check your plants regularly for pest infestation and act fast if you notice anything. Spraying disinfectant can be an effective solution but an appropriate pesticide is a better option.
Another common reason for drooping Alocasia leaves is that they can grow to be too heavy for the plant to support. You could consider staking the plant if this happens, to provide extra support to the stem.
Alocasia Frydek plants can also droop and appear unhealthy during the winter, purely because they don’t like the colder temperature and reduced sunlight. There’s not a lot you can do about this other than try to provide some extra warmth and light if you can.
Top Tip: If you have a greenhouse, relocating your plants there during the winter can help. As long as you can keep them alive, they’re likely to make a full recovery when the warmer weather comes along.
Finally, droopy leaves can be the result of a change in habitat. This is why newly-bought Alocasia Frydek plants often suffer from drooping. They’ll usually recover once they get used to their new home if they get the proper care, but it’s worth giving them a bit of extra attention while they adjust.
Other Common Problems With Alocasia Frydek
Although Alocasia Frydek plants are not the easiest to look after, they don’t suffer from too many common problems. Drooping leaves is obviously one that we’ve already addressed, but there isn’t much else to worry about.
Yellow leaves can be an issue and are typically caused by too much or too little water, or a lack of warmth. If you notice your Frydek leaves starting to turn yellow, make sure you’re following my earlier advice for watering and temperature. If ALL the leaves go completely yellow, you should cut them all off. You’ll be left with just the base of the plant but the foliage should grow back with the right care.
Brown leaves can also be an issue. These are usually the result of leaf scorch from too much direct sunlight or too much fertilizer. The leaves can recover if they’re not too badly damaged, but you’ll need to cut off any that are completely brown.
Alocasia can also be susceptible to root rot and some other fungal diseases. Signs that your plants are suffering from such diseases include white and powdery patches on the leaves and stem, and small brown spots on the leaves. If you notice these, you should treat your plants with a fungicide. You could also consider repotting in fresh soil, removing the worst-affected parts of the plant at the same time.
Alternative Alocasia Plants for the Home and Garden
As I’ve already mentioned, Alocasia Frydek is one of the more difficult Alocasia plants to grow and care for. If you’re looking for something easier to manage, here are some other Alocasia varieties that work well in the home and garden.
- Alocasia amazonica “Polly”: One of the most popular Alocasia plants to grow indoors and widely available to buy.
- Alocasia Morrocco: A smaller Alocasia that’s also less susceptible to pests than other varieties.
- Alocasia Cuprea: A slow grower that rewards your patience with stunning foliage.
- Alocasia Rubra: One of the hardiest Alocasia varieties with leaves that point upwards.
This is just a small selection of Alocasia plants. There are many, many other varieties and, of course, plenty of other plants that you can grow at home. Take a look at our plant directory if you’re looking for some different ideas.