Alocasia ‚Dorayaki‘ / ‚London Eye‘ Albo Variegata – Care

The Dorayaki likes it bright, but without direct midday sun, which quickly scorches the velvety, partly white leaf areas. A spot with plenty of indirect light, a bit away from the window or behind a curtain, works well. If it's too dark, it will grow long, unstable stems and shed older leaves faster than new ones can grow – a clear sign that more brightness would be beneficial.

Water as soon as the top layer of substrate (roughly the top 2–3 cm) has dried out – the root ball should then be evenly moist, but never waterlogged. Dorayaki is sensitive to both extremes: waterlogging threatens tuber and root rot, while soil that is too dry causes the leaves to droop. It's best to water with room-temperature, low-lime water. In autumn and winter, when the plant enters a quieter phase, water significantly less than in summer.

During the growth phase, the Dorayaki benefits from feeding every 2 to 3 weeks with a heavily diluted liquid fertilizer (a quarter to a maximum of half the recommended amount). As a guideline for those who prefer more precision, a pH value of 5.5 to 6.5 is repeatedly mentioned for the Frydek line, to which the Dorayaki belongs. We could not find a variety-specific EC value, but a general approximation for Alocasias is rather low, between 1.0 and 1.5 mS/cm, as the genus is considered salt-sensitive. How precisely you dose depends on the respective product – stick to the packaging instructions rather than a general rule, as this plant does not tolerate over-fertilization well. Unlike the Monstera and Philodendron varieties in our range, the Dorayaki has a true, temperature-controlled dormancy phase: when it gets cooler and darker in autumn, its growth slows down regardless of the light available. Therefore, the fertilization is completely stopped from around the end of September, even if the plant is under a grow light – additional lighting does not override this dormancy phase for the Dorayaki.

We consciously alternate between different fertilizers for our own plants – currently including COMPO COMPLETE, Foliage Focus, Liquid Gold Leaf, and Hesi TNT-Complex, supplemented with Hesi Root Complex, Hesi PowerZyme, and CalMag as needed.

It should be loose, rich in humus, and well-draining, ideally slightly acidic – a high-quality potting mix with a top layer of pine bark or a classic aroid mix of soil, bark, and perlite work well. Some growers also cultivate Alocasias entirely in mineral substrates (e.g., Pon), but this requires watering that is less intuitive than with soil.

As a velvety-leaved „Jewel Alocasia,“ the Dorayaki is one of the more demanding varieties when it comes to humidity: It should be at least 60 %, preferably 70 to 80 %. Normal indoor air in winter (often only 35–50 % with heated air) isn’t sufficient in the long run—a greenhouse, display case, or plant cabinet with a humidifier is the most reliable solution here. Directly spraying the leaves can also leave white lime spots on the velvety surface, which is particularly noticeable with this variety—so a humidifier or a tray of pebbles is the better choice anyway. Temperatures between 18 and 27 °C are ideal; the temperature should not drop below 15 °C for extended periods, and the plant cannot tolerate drafts at all.

The Dorayaki grows from a tuber and usually only holds a limited number of leaves at a time. It is normal for an older leaf to die off as soon as a new one appears, and there's no cause for concern. Only if several leaves show problems simultaneously is it worth taking a closer look. In autumn and winter, the plant noticeably reduces its growth, sometimes shedding several leaves – this is also a normal process with sufficiently moist, but not wet, substrate, from which it will sprout again in spring.