So , you want to grow some dracaena to spice up up your way .
I ’m not surprised . This plant is very pop because it ’s so freakin ’ easy to grow .
It fundamentally requires no sustentation after you set it up .
And it easily makes the centrepiece for any way with tis strike radiation pattern and foliage .
In this templet , you ’ll hear all the basics for plant and deal for this houseplant so you’re able to enjoy it in your authority , sleeping room , or john ?
Think about it : A small plant sitting in the niche of the room just soaking all that ignitor , get regard from Guest , and adding some green while asking next to nothing in return from YOU .
That ’s a good tradeoff .
emotional ? Let ’s get started to see how you’re able to grow this gentle giant .
Guide Contents
Quick care guide: Dracaena
What’s dracaena?
Dracaena is a pop indoor industrial plant that ’s super easy to take tending of .
If you ’re always on the clock and you do n’t have meter for needy plants , dracaena is a good selection because it adds some fleeceable to any elbow room without taking up all your fourth dimension .
This is one of the mostbeginner - friendlyindoor plants that can tolerate many rookie fault .
They also follow in a kind of different dracaena types so you could find one that fit any way in your home or office .
This plant is democratic because of its well-off care . The coloured foliage , strapped leave , and easy upkeep make it so .
There are over 120 confirmed case of dracaena plant . There ’s bound to be one suited for your needs .
Can you grow it outdoors?
Yes , dracaena can be arise outdoors in a container or the dirt if you ’re in a warmer zone . Hardiness zones8 - 12 should be OK for outdoor planting .
No penury to bring it back in during the winter . Leave it outside and let it go hibernating for next time of year .
Lower zone will require to keep it in a dope so you’re able to bring it indoors during the winter . If you want to keep it in the soil , use mulch or works covers to protect it from cold snaps .
That ’s how you keep it out of doors in colder geographical zone .
Types of dracaena
There are varieties of dracaena for nearly any purpose you want . Indoor , outdoor , bush , or even tall 10 footers . This plant come in in a variety of attractive pattern , colors , and sizes to accommodate any environs .
As bromide as it sounds , this is a diddlyshit of all trades plant .
Some of the most pop cultivars are the following :
Corn plant
This is the dracaena that you usually find in greenhouse or garden centers .
It has a rounded , buddy-buddy cane with foliage that droops over in a atomic number 92 - chassis . It grows super slowly and requires little maintenance making it a thoroughgoing houseplant .
The leaves are glossy light-green with yellow stripes in the center . The cane are woody and duncical and easily check under the leaf .
Song of Jamaica
This type is a weird one because the foliage curls around in a semi - spiral and lock upwards . They have a xanthous inspiration on the sides of each leafage with a light unripened unmarried chevron .
The pointed leaves and minute highlights make this dracaena worthy for the corner of the elbow room , where it wo n’t pull too much attention , but at the same clock time , spice up it up a bit .
Some other honorable honorable mention are leggy dracaena , tropic elite upright , warneckii , Florida beaut , ribbon flora , Janet Craig , and Citrus limon lime .
Is it toxic?
Yes , dracaena is toxic and should be handled with tending . You should always wear right equipment when pruning or wield it .
Keep kid and pets aside from it as an infestation can get a variety of symptoms like vomiting , salivation , looseness of the bowels , and more .
It ’s comparatively good for mankind , but why take chances ? you’re able to read more about the perniciousness of this planthere .
What’s it good for? Best uses?
Dracaena amount in everything from minor single plants to intact shrubs .
So there ’s something for everyone .
This plant is used as a decorative industrial plant indoors to add some unripened , but can also be used as a pathing plant life , moulding plant , or even a privacy plant !
There are also many different coloring , pattern , shapes , size , and plant life types for you to choose from .
So you have the options to do whatever you want as it’sextremely versatile .
These are plants that can be employ for their medal with their take stripes and high dividing line color . They ’re often confused with cordyline plant , but they are NOT the same .
How to grow dracaena
Dracaena is extremely easy to grow and care for .
They ’re proficient for the “ black ” quarter round who just ca n’t seem to get their plant develop well . This plant tolerates a lot of rookie mistakes and will be forgiving , so do n’t worry if you mess up .
fortune are you could revive your dracaena with some minor adjustments to your routine .
Check your hardiness zone
Dracaena grow well in zone 9 , 10 , and 11 . It can tolerate some lower zones if kept indoors and temperatures are stable .
If you ’re in a very cold zona , but you have the heater running all the time , you should be OK provided the ignition is sufficient .
This industrial plant can be grown outdoors all class if you ’re in zones 9 - 11 . low zones may have to bring it inside during the wintertime or tot mulch to protect it from cold snap .
Relocating to a greenhouse or using floating plant covering also may help . But take in it indoors is the easiest way .
Soil type
Use well - run out soil made for cosmopolitan houseplant .
Nothing special is needed . Dracaena only want soil that does n’t get waterlogged and clump over metre . This is important because it ’s sensitive to additive in the water .
If your soil does n’t drain well , it can build up fluoride in the grease to toxic levels .
The same goes for works food . So choose a filth that DRAINS .
Watering
This plant is sensitive to piss impurities- and that ’s in all likelihood as “ needy ” as it beat .
Avoid using H2O from the sink if it ’s high in municipal additives , such as fluoride or calcium .
Over time , the extra buildup from these minerals damages the industrial plant .
you may employ sanctify water or fluoride - spare drinking water .
Rainwater also function if you have rainfall barrels running outside .
The water should be clean , double-dyed , and fresh .
Keep the grime moist but never pissed . Do n’t let the water buildup and get waterlogged , specially if you ’re planting in a pot .
water too much will have the leaves to yellow and wilt .
Plus you add the potency to introduce some variety of root rot or fungal trouble at the foundation .
Dracaena likes eminent humidness , so wet will evaporate slowly . This is a bad combination for overwatering . habituate a grunge measure or auto medulla water boy to monitor the degree .
Or dip your finger’s breadth in the top 1 ” of land and body of water when most dry .
Humidity
Dracaena wish high to moderate level of humidity .
If you have very low humidity in your house , you could move the plant to the bathroom or arena that allow wet to establish up .
you could also place your dracaena near a pot or discus to increase humidness easily . Be sure to check the point so you do n’t raise it too gamy .
Some people practice a DIY humidity dish , like this :
Note that the high the humidity levels you have , the less you ’ll require to water your dracaena . So do n’t exaggerate either or else you may stick in root rot or yellow of the foliage .
Temperature
Dracaena likes a steady , stable temperature of 70F. It can allow some degree of coldness in the Nox , but nothing too utmost .
judge to keep the range between 60 - 80F at all time . If the temperature drops too low ( below 60F ) , the plant can become damaged .
you’re able to add mulch or relocate it to a warm room to correct this . Keep the plant out of direct sun , vents , HVAC , draft , radiator , or other sources of artificial heating / chilling .
Sunlight
night temperatures should be above 50F. But it ’s not finical . It can permit little temperature changes , so no worries .
Keep dracaena out of direct sunlight as it succumbs to burns easily . Keep them in a lovesome , sunny sphere , but out of the light .
They care scattered ambient lightings such as that from a curtained windowpane or other trickle light . you may also use a grow twinkle if you do n’t have enough sunlight or the sun is too strong .
Plant food
Dracaena does n’t need much in footing of fertilizer .
They grow super lento , so they do n’t have any outgrowth squirt to worry about .
However , if you want to speed up growth or get greener leaf , you could supplement with some flora food for thought .
Or if you notice any yellow or brown tips on the leaves . This may be a sign of wretched nutrient in the soil profile , which can be adjust with some flora intellectual nourishment .
you could supplement watering with a liquid plant fertilizer once every other calendar month if necessary . If container planting , essay to avoid using any plant food at all because these plants are very sensible to nutrient buildup .
You may want to try diluting the strength of the works food in half or so to minimize the risk of buildup .
Be certain to NEVER feed in the wintertime .
Dracaena will “ lie ” and not soak up any plant food at this metre so the fertiliser just goes to waste and builds up in the point . The salutary sentence to feed your industrial plant is during the summer and maybe spring . Feed during the growth full point only .
tally your plant life gage at the conclusion of the season ( wintertime ) to see if there ’s industrial plant buildup at the radical of your thrower .
Also , check for water buildup from calcium or fluoride . Hard water tends to pass on behind those intimate bloodless bar . variety batch or reseed the soil if need .
Pruning dracaena
Dracaena will need some trimming over time to keep that signature spirit .
The knifelike , pointed foliation will be shed from this root of the plant life . you may trim to absent any damaged foliage , canes , or overgrown leaves to keep it wait blank .
The plant is easy to cut back and can be done with any unsex blade cut cleanly across the leaves .
Prune off any browned or yellow leaves . This will prevent the plant life from wasting any Energy Department to grow them . Tips can be geld off if brown- no need to cut the intact leaf off . stalk can also be trimmed for new foliage .
Pruning can be done anytime . Most will reach only up to 8 pes indoors , so pruning is easy .
Do n’t block to wipe the leaves with a soused material .
Dust buildup can lead to scrawny growth because it freeze sun from gain the foliage .
Dracaena propagation
The most democratic method to disseminate dracaena are from press clipping and transplantation .
Although you’re able to spring up from seminal fluid , it takes a longsighted time and you ’ll demand patience ( which many people do n’t care for ) , so we ’ll concenter on the two normally used techniques .
Planting from seed can be done by follow the directions on the cum package .
Can you grow dracaena from cuttings?
Yes , you may propagate dracaena from bare cuttings .
This is the easiest way to do so in my opinion and can readily be done with a neighbour ’s works .
All you involve to do is snub the top off right on at where the leafage meets the stem . let in the base so you have a few column inch of growing .
habituate a sterilized pair of pruners or scissors grip so you do n’t introduce strange bacteria into the soma that ’s exposed .
Some citizenry plant the newspaper clipping into a container fill partially with water , as this may facilitate the cutting ascendent . If your previous cut fail and did n’t ascendent , try planting them now in water .
Place the container near a warm , cheery area , but do n’t let the sunshine directly fall on the container . Keep temperature around 70F for honorable termination .
supervise the source evolution .
It should slowly take root after a few weeks .
If not , correspond to make certain there ’s no fungal infection develop at the root or polarity of rot .
Use a clean pot or vase that you’re able to see through so you know on the nose when it ’s quick to be transfer into a larger container .
The cutting can be planted in a container with well - enfeeble , high - quality grunge or you may implant it directly into the grunge outside .
Since it ’s a bit harder to confirm whether it is rooted or not , an easy way is to take out on the stem ever so slimly . The plant life will be “ firmly ” implant into the soil if roots have developed . If it just splay out , try out again .
You ’re wait for the cutting to form roots that are about 1 - 2 inch in distance .
When this occur , it ’s quick to be transplanted into a prominent container if needed . Use organic soil that ’s made for indoor plant .
The original plant wo n’t be harm as it ’ll regenerate soon after , so no vexation .
Transplanting from a grown plant
The process is simply as follow :
No magic to it . Keep it simple . These are stout houseplants that tolerate a variety of unlike zone .
When do I transplant my dracaena to a larger container?
The easiest way to tell is when it becomes its root - bound . These plants like some resistance against the edge of the pot when growing , but do n’t like to be cramped .
When your root start touch the bound of the container , you eff you ’ll have to transpose it soon .
If grow in soil , this is n’t a problem you have to worry about .
This usually occurs every few eld and is well for refill the nutrient in the dirt . The root will also get more room to develop and prevent root bounding that ’s not necessary .
A good principle of thumb is to elevate to a larger container that ’s 3 inches broad in diam than the previous one .
The entire dracaena can be pulled out of the container on its side .
Trim off any root word that are a mess and keep it clean . If the plant does n’t slide out easily , water it to relax the soil and root . Assess any nutrient buildup from fertiliser or fluoride .
This can be a good time to see if your water is contaminated or if you ’re using a ill utilized fertilizer . Trim and crop any browned tips .
Dracaena pests
Growing dracaena indoors pose slight to no risk of exposure for pestilence .
Outside growing may appeal bugs that like mellow humidity environments such as aphid , scale , and mealybug . If you notice any web or cottony substance on the folio , it ’s like the work of mealybug with their fuzzy whitened egg sacks .
This can be controlled by prune and a regular app of dilute neem oil . Use as directed .
aphid can be controlled by spraying with a mixture of dish goop and body of water . Regularly implore them down will knock them off into the soil and disturb their environs so this may make them go out on their own .
you’re able to normally find pests blot out in the spread between the leave and cane . Stunted growth , yellowing the tips , and droopy farewell are all house of a pest trouble .
wanderer mite are too low for you to see without magnification , but you see their damage- yellow or browned steer on the leave-taking or spots appearing .
They also may make thin white webs , as their name mean . If conditions are too dry , spider mites will look .
Consider tearing more often or rear the humidity of the room . Prune off any affected foliage and use a rude horticultural oil to get disembarrass of them .
Dracaena diseases
These are hardy plant that are patient of of most plant problems . They ’ll monish you way forrader of time so you’re able to respond and do something about it .
The most critical problem you should watch out for is rot . Root putrefaction , soft rot , or leaf slur . All of these may be present and you ’ll see browned spots forming on the leave . There also may be a smelly odor .
Rot is because of fungal infections or bacteria , both of which appear when conditions are humid and wet .
keep down lacrimation or ameliorate drain to get free of the rot . fall the humidity by using a lover , dehumidifier , or keeping windows open to take into account the water to go out the position .
This should gain your plant . Relocate the plant to a drier room with more light to help deoxidize the wet content of the stack if you do n’t want to run any electronics .
Other common questions
Here are some questions commonly ask by readers regarding dracaena care . I go for you line up them useful :
Do they like coffee?
Some people use coffee grounds to feed their dracaena . This should posture no harm and does well because it ’s a natural ( or sometimes organic ) plant food . Just be careful it does n’t make up over time by using a soil metre to retard . employ it as plant food or compost for your dracaena . It ’s cheap and it works just ok .
What are signs of overwatering
Common signs of overwatering include fluoride work up up in the potbelly , yellowing of the leaves , and sag . Withhold watering to fix these problem .
Good for beginners? Easy to grow?
Yes , this plant is extremely easy to grow and hone for beginners .
Do leaves grow back again?
New foliation will produce under the cut or pruned dowery , so do n’t be afraid to cut back off any parts that are damage . This helps conserve energy so it grows new leaves .
Does dracaena need sunlight?
They care burnished , filtered sun that ’s not straight glitter on them . habituate a curtain or drapery to accomplish this .
The tips are browning- what do I do?
Try sum some industrial plant fertilizer and ensure it ’s not root - bound . Ensure adequate lighting and watering .
How to make it grow faster?
H2O it , add fertiliser and keep it under bright light . There ’s no trick to it .
Can I put it outside in the summer?
Yes , dracaena can be go outdoors in the summertime . But keep it out of direct sunlight at all time to prevent combustion .
Does dracaena flower?
Dracaena is not a flowering houseplant for most the great unwashed , but it does flower if it grow big enough .
How do you revive a dracaena plant?
pop by pruning off by trim the damaged foliage . Check the soil experimental condition . total fertilizer or reseed the soil if ask . control the watering schedule- it should n’t be overstated . Check local humidness and keep it around 50 % . See if the slew has any fluoride buildup and switch to distilled water if potential . Relocate if not enough light . Add fertilizer once a week until green foliage appears on the cane .
Why isn’t my dracaena growing?
This could be to no water , no nutrients in the territory , or poor inflammation . Try making small alteration at a prison term and seeing the results .
Can you plant it in the garden?
If you ’re in a higher hardiness geographical zone , you could embed it in the garden without vexation . If your winters are mild enough , there ’s no need to move it around during the parky menstruum .
Further reading
Here are some references for dracaena guardianship you might find utilitarian :
Now you know how to grow and care for dracaena
This industrial plant is very easy to rise and makes one of the most basic houseplants on the major planet .
They ’re kind of mistake , require little criminal maintenance , scantily need pruning , do n’t need works intellectual nourishment , and grow to adapt to any environs to spruce it up .
Add some life to any way with this easy to care for beginner houseplant . They ’re everything but average . Get growing .
I took interest into microflora and microgreens before it became mainstream . The idea of growing an entire ecosystem on a petite scale leaf simply was astounding . That ’s where I discovered that I actually like raising plants and was n’t as much of a black thumb as I suppose . Now , I ’m relaying what I ’ve learned to others who are getting into the pursuit in a way that anyone can understand .
