How to Revive a Dying Alocasia Houseplant

Low humidity is the most common reason for alocasia plants dying. Alocasia are native to humid tropical climates and need up to 40% humidity, whereas the indoors it can be as low as 10% humidity. The dry air indoors causes the margins of the leaves to turn brown and die back.

To revive a dying alocasia it is important to recreate the conditions of its native environment with high humidity, ensure the temperature is above 60°F (16°C), bright indirect sunlight, an waiting until the top inch of the soil feels somewhat dry between bouts of watering.

Keep reading to learn why your alocasia is dying and how to implement the solutions to save your dying alocasia…

Alocasia Dying in Winter due to Dormancy

• Symptoms. Alocasia often turn yellow and brown die back in Winter
• Causes. Temperatures lower then 60°F (16°C), fewer hours of light.

Alocasia are native to warm humid, tropical environments throughout Asia and typically do not experience cold temperatures in their natural habitat.

Therefore alocasia are very sensitive to any cold temperatures (more so then most tropical houseplants) which can cause the leaves to droop, turn yellow and brown and die back to the base.

Cold temperatures combined with fewer hours of light in Winter and lower light intensity trigger a state of dormancy in the plant.

However whilst the foliage has died back, the plant itself is not dead and can be revived as they store energy in their corms (which are like bulbs) from which they can start to grow new leaves when the conditions are more favorable…

How to Revive a Dying Alocasia After Winter

Once the alocasia leaves have died back for the Winter the, individual leaves do not recover. However To save the alocasia maintain a favorable environment and the corms should produce new leaves in the Spring.

You can also follow these tips to prevent your alocasia dying back next year.

• Ideally keep the temperature above 60°F (16°C). If the temperature is lower then this for several days then this signals to the alocasia that it is too cold to grow and its leaves die back to preserve energy in the corms. Keep them in a nice warm room but ideally keep them away from any air currents (forced air) and do not place them directly next to any indoor heating (such as radiators) as this can cause unfavorable temperature fluctuations.
• Alocasia prefer the humidity to be as high as 40% or more. To increase the humidity to this level I personally recommend using a plant humidifier as other means of increasing the humidity (such as spraying the levels or using a saucer of water and pebbles) do not increase the humidity sufficiently. Placing the alocasia in a bathroom or around other plants (to create a humid micro-climate) can help to some extent.
• Water the soil occasionally to ensure they corms do not dry out completely. Typically this means watering the soil once every 2 to 3 weeks, but I would use a moisture meter or feel the weight of the pot periodically after watering to see when it feels lighter (and therefore the soil has dried out) and water accordingly.

If you follow these steps the alocasia would reemerge in the Spring with the growth of new leaves. At which point I would recommend using a general houseplant fertilizer at half strength once a month to provide the nutrients that the alocasia needs to regrow.

However it is possible to prevent the alocasia from dying back in Winter…

• Use a grow light in Winter if your rooms are not sufficiently bright during Winter. Alocasia need bright indirect light to thrive. In shadier rooms with less natural light they inevitably die back into dormancy. Either move the alocasia to a brighter South facing room or use a grow light to supplement the light for the alocasia. Typically turning on a grow light (available at some garden centers or online) for a few extra hours a day should recreate the brighter conditions of the alocasia’s native environment and prevent dying leaves.
• Keep the humidity and temperature relatively high. Temperature and humidity are the 2 other important factors after daylight so keep temperatures consistently above 60°F (16°F) and keep the humidity high, ideally with a humidifer.

If you successfully replicate some of the conditions of the alocasia’s natural habitat with warm temperatures, more light and high humidity as the alocasia should stay healthy throughout Winter.

Alocasia do not typically go dormant in Winter in their natural environment (where it is consistently warm and humid) so by mimicking the conditions the leaves should stay green.

Alocasia Leaves Turning Yellow and Brown (Overwatering and Underwatering)

• Symptoms. Leaves turn yellow or somewhat brown with drooping stems.
• Causes. Overwatering or poor drainage. Not watering often enough or watering too lightly.

In my personal experience in caring for Alocasia they always prefer the top inch of the soil to dry slightly between each bout of watering and they prefer a somewhat grittier potting mix that achieves the balance of consistently moist soil around the roots whilst still being well draining enough to prevent the affects associated with overwatering such as yellowing leaves and root rot.

The potting soil may be too damp due to:

• Overwatering.
• Slow draining soils.
• The saucers, trays or decorative outer pots underneath the alocasia’s pot cause excess water to pool around the base after watering.

In addition to this, it should be noted that alocasia typically grow better in smaller pots. If the pot is too large then it can contain too much much soil which retains too much moisture and dries out more slowly which promotes the conditions for root rot.

Plastic and ceramic pots can are also impermeable and can therefore retain too much moisture. Terracotta and unglazed clay pots are porous which allows the soil to dry more evenly to help prevent yellow leaves due to root rot.

However underwatering can also be responsible for leaves turning yellow and brown. Alocasia should be watered with a generous soak, so that excess water trickles from the drainage holes in the base.

If the pot is watered too lightly then the water does not reach the roots where it is required cause the alocasia to droop and turn yellow, often with a brown tip.

It should be noted that the alocasia’s demand for water can increase significantly during active, when you see any new leaves forming in the Spring the soil can dry out much quicker.

Therefore frequent checks of the soils moisture is necessary when growing alocasia due to its fluctuating demand for the water in different seasons.

If the cause of the yellowing is underwatering, drooping is usually the first symptom and low humidity is often a compounding factor.

How to Revive a Alocasia With Yellow Leaves

To revive your alocasia it is essential to find the optimal balance of watering to meet the watering requirements without risking root rot.

To do this allow the top inch of the soil to dry between each bout of watering. The easiest way to check the moisture levels is with your finger each day after watering to establish then the top inch is starting to feel dry, at which point you can give it a good soak.

A moisture meter is another reliable way of detecting when the soil is drying out and when to water you alocasia, which I recommend as the alocasia’s demand for water fluctuates throughout the year.

If your soil feels dry and underwatering is the cause of the yellow leaves then:

• Place the alocasia in a basin of lukewarm water for 10 minutes or so ensuring the root ball is submerged. This allows the water to properly infiltrate the soil so that is evenly moist.
• Always water the alocasia to the extent that excess water trickles from the base of the pot to ensure the water has infiltrated properly.
• Increase the humidity, ideally with a humidifier. With some tropical plants, misting the leaves if often enough, however I find alocasia need particularly high humidity. With higher humidity the alocasia leaves do not lose as much moisture which prevents them from drooping and turning yellow.

With 2 or 3 watering cycles, the alocasia should perk up in appearance.

If the cause of the yellowing leaves is overwatering then:

• Reducing the frequency of watering so that the top inch of soil dries before each watering can sometimes be enough to help revive the plant, if it has only be slightly overwatered.
• If the potting soil retains too much moisture then its may be necessary to repot the alocasia into a more well draining potting mix. Alocasia respond well to a potting mix of around two thirds potting soil and one third perlite. This potting soil achieves the optimal balance of moisture yet allows the potting soil to drain efficiently around the roots to prevent root rot.
• Always ensure that the pot has a drainage hole in the base and empty any saucers and trays regularly to prevent excess water pooling around the base of the pot.

It should be considered that alocasia can deal better with underwatering then overwatering. If the alocasia continues to decline in conditions then you may have to take drastic action and inspect the roots.

Take the alocasia out of the pot and rinse away any soil from the roots so you can assess their conditions. The roots should be firm and light colored whereas diseased roots are dark brown, soft and have a foul smell.

Cut away any diseased mushy roots back to healthy growth with a sharp pair of pruners. Wipe the blades of the pruners with a cloth soaked in disinfectant between each snip to sterilize the blades and prevent passing fungal disease pathogens from rotting root to healthy part of the plant.

Repot the alocasia in new soil with 2 thirds potting soil and 1 third perlite. Wash the alsocasia’s pot with disinfectant before repotting.

The shock and trauma of this type of surgery is likely to cause the enter plant to die back, but the corms can be replanted and regrow new foliage if the conditions are favorable.

Should I Cut Off a Dying Alocasia Leaf

If the alocasia leaf is turning yellow it does not turn green again, wait until the leaf has die back completely as alocasia are capable of reabsorbing the nutrients in the dying leaf for the plant to recycle. Once the leaf has died back completely cut it back with a sharp pair of pruners.

Alocasia Stems Drooping

• Symptoms. Drooping stems and leaves.
• Causes. Underwatering, lack of light and low humidity.

Drooping stems are most often the first symptom of underwatering and is often compounded by low humidity.

The alocasia is losing too much moisture from the leaves and cannot draw up enough moisture at the roots which causes the stems to droop.

Whilst the alocasia need the top inch of soil to dry between each bout of watering (to prevent root rot) this should allow for some moisture around the deeper roots of the alocasia.

If the soil dries out off much then drooping is one of the first signs of drought stress. The humidity also needs to ideally be above 40% to prevent drooping.

However drooping stems can also be caused by a not enough bright light or because the alocasia is leaning towards the strongest source of light.

How to Revive Drooping Alocasia

If the soil feels dry then give the soil a good soak. Ideally, place the alocasia in a basin of lukewarm water for 10 minutes or so, with the root ball submerged to allow the soil to properly absorb the moisture.

Increase the humidity by locating your alocasia in a bathroom or use a plant humidifier to create a humid micro climate around the plant.

This should restore the moisture balance around the plant and with 2 or 3 cycles of watering the alocasia should perk up. Also ensure the temperature is above 60°F (16°C) to prevent any additional temperature stress.

Always locate your alocasia in a bright room (but protect the leaves from direct sunlight) to ensure the plant has enough energy for growth, and prevent the structure of the stems drooping.

Rotate the plant by 90° each time you water to ensure that each side of the plant receives equal expsoure to light to prevent the plant from drooping towards the strongest source of light.

Alocasia Leaves Turning Brown

• Symptoms. Leaves turning brown and crispy in patches or leaves turning brown at the margins and tips.
• Causes. Too much direct sunlight, low humidity and underwatering.

One of the most common causes of alocasia leaves is too much direct sunlight. Whilst different alocasia cultivars can tolerate varying amounts of light, almost all do well with bright, indirect light. Often alocasia grow under a canopy in their native environment which shields them from harsh light.

Direct sunlight scorches the leaves brown and crispy.

Alocasia are adapted to growing in environments with high levels of humidity. The humidity indoors is typically around 10% (although this varies drastically according to climate) and can be much lower due to indoor heating sapping moisture from the air and due to draughts or air currents.

if the humidity is too low the alocasia typically droops and develops brown margins at the edges of the leaves.

Dry soil around the roots is also a contributing factor for the leaves drooping and turning brown.

How to Revive a Alocasia with Brown Leaves

To revive an alocasia plant with brown leaves, recreate some of the conditions of the plants native environment.

Increase the humidity ideally with a humidifier so that the humidity is around 40% or more. This is difficult to achieve without a humidifier in dry climates. Also consider sources of air currents from draughts, air conditioning, or forced air, which can all sap moisture from the leaves and cause them to turn brown.

Always water the alocasia with a generous soak, to ensure that there is enough moisture around the roots.

Locate your alocasia in a room with bright light, but avoid any direct sunlight.

Once you have corrected the environmental conditions that caused the alocasia to turn brown then the alocasia can start to recover.

The parts of the leaves that have turned brown are likely to stay brown, however I would wait until you see new growth before snipping off any brown leaves. Despite the fact part of the leaves if brown, any remaining green can actually photosynthesize and contribute energy to the plant. If you cut the leaves back too early then the plant may not have enough leaves to sustain it which can cause it to die back.

Alocasia Dying One Leaf at a Time

If the alocasia is dying one leaf at a time then this can be due to all the usual reasons for an alocasia dying such as low light, overwatering, underwatering low humidity and cold temperatures.

However I have seen this happen personally on some alocasia plants during the growing season. It typically happens when a new leaf is growing. Often the lower leaves die one at a time so that the alocasia can reabsorb some of the nutrients from the leaf to provide energy fro a new leaf.

In this case I have added some general all purpose fertilizer once a month at half strength during the Spring and Summer, increased the humidity and moved the alocasia to an area of brighter light to try and ensure that plant has all the resources it needs to grow its leaves.

Eventually after doing this the leaves stopped dying and the plant appeared to recover.

Why is My Alocasia Dripping Water?

Alocasia plants often appear to drip water from their leaves if the potting soil is too damp. Alocasia prefer the top inch of the soil to dry out between each bout of watering. If the leaves are dripping water then you should scale back the watering immediately.

The dropping water is a process known as ‘gluttation‘ and can usually be resolved if you let the potting soil dry slightly.

Typically this means allowing the top inch of the soil to dry slightly between each bout for watering. You can judge the how damp the soil is by lifting the pot occasionally to asses the weight or you can buy a moisture meter to help establish whether the soil is too damp or too dry.

Ensure that the potting soil is not too damp, due to poor drainage or saucers and trays underneath the pot retaining water and the plant should recover.

Key Takeaways:

• A dying alocasia is usually because of low humidity and cold temperatures. Alocasia are native to warm humid tropical climates. The air indoors is usually to dry for the alocasia to tolerate, causing the leaves to turn brown and die back.
• Alocasia turn dormant and die back in Winter if the temperature is below 60°F (16°C). Alocasia are native to warm climates and if the temperature is consistently cooler then 60°F (16°C), the leaves die back completely, yet the corms underneath the soil are still alive and can regrow in the Spring.
• Alocasia leaves turn yellow due to both overwatering and underwatering. Alocasia need the top inch of the soil to dry slightly between each bout of watering. If the soil is too damp or too dry the leaves turn yellow and brown.
• A drooping alocasia is usually as a result of a combination of low humidity, underwatering and a lack of bright light. Alocasia need bright indirect light and droop in the shade. If the soil is too dry and the humidity is under 40% then the leaves too much moisture causing them to droop.
• Alocasia leaves can die one at a time during the growing season when new leaves are also emerging. The lower alocasia leaves often die back and the energy is reabsorbed by the plant before growing new leaves.
• Alocasia leaves drop water as a reaction to overly damp soil from overwatering and poor drainage. The process is know as ‘gluttation’ which is a signal to reduce how often you water your alocasia. Too much moisture around the roots causes the alocasia to die of root rot.
• To revive a dying alocasia recreate the conditions of its natural habitat by increasing the level of humidity, locating the plant in bright indirect light and maintaining high temperatures of more then 60°F (16°C).