Varieties, Benefits, and How to Care Guide
Have you always admired small tree-like plants and wondered whether you can plant one indoors? Well, you definitely can. You can consider choosing an ideal Dracaena plant out of the multiple varieties available online. Some add color to your home while others create a bold look. Dracaena plants are air-purifying plants that improve air quality and enhance your comfort. These plants are also relatively resilient and quite easy to maintain. Read on to find out more.
What is Dracaena?
Dracaena is a group of different types of trees or succulent shrubs. Dracaena plants are native to Asia, Australia, and Africa. These plants are grown both outdoors and indoors.
Indoor Dracaena plants are dwarf varieties that don’t grow too tall. There are different Dracaena varieties that you can choose from depending on your needs. Most Dracaena plants have long spiky leaves that grow on thick cane-like stems.
Indoor Dracaena plant types can grow up to 8 feet tall while outdoor Dracaena plants can reach up to 20 feet. Dracaena plants produce flowers when grown outdoors which is a rare occasion for those that grow indoors. Dracaena indoor plants are ornamental and add a touch of elegance to your interior décor. These plants are also sustainable and easy to maintain.
Benefits of Dracaena houseplant
Below are the benefits you get from growing a Dracaena plant indoors.
Improved air quality
Dracaenas are some of the best air-purifying houseplants that improve the indoor air quality in your home. According to NASA, these plants remove toxic substances like benzene, formaldehyde, and others from the air. The plant oxygenates your bedroom providing you with fresh air all night long.
Enhanced aesthetics
If you want to add personality and style to your home, growing a Dracaena plant indoors would be an ideal solution. Dracaenas are attractive and placing your plants in a focal point will greatly improve the ambiance. You can place your plant on a coffee table, or near a window to complement your interior décor.
Types of Dracaena plant
There are different dracaena varieties you can grow in your home. Different Dracaena plant varieties have varying appearances, shapes, and sizes. Below are some Dracaena varieties with pictures.
Corn Stalk Dracaena (Dracaena Fragrans)
The Corn Stalk Dracaena also known as Dracaena Massangeana, or Corn plant is a unique Dracaena variety with unique foliage. This plant has long, broad, shiny, dark-green leaves that make the plant stand out. The Cornstalk Dracaena is a low-maintenance plant suitable for beginners.
Dracaena Janet Craig (Dracaena Fragrans Compacta)
The Dracaena Janet Craig is a flowering Dracaena plant variety commonly grown indoors. This Dracaena houseplant has broad glossy solid-green leaves that spruce up any space they occupy. The Dracaena Janet Craig is a suitable choice if you want more of a monochrome look.
Florida Beauty Dracaena (Dracaena Surculosa)
Also known as the Gold Dust Dracaena, Florida Beauty is indeed a beautiful plant. The plant features broad round green leaves with creamy-yellow splotches that resemble gold dust. This colorful plant would be an ideal houseplant that adds more color to your home.
Dracaena Warnock (Dracaena Warneckii)
The Dracaena Warnock is a unique Dracaena tree with a bushy appearance. This plant is one of the variegated Dracaena varieties. The plant features green leaves with creamy white stripes. You can grow your Dracaena Warnock indoors under ideal conditions.
Dracaena Cintho (Dracaena Fragrans Cintho)
The Dracaena Cintho is an attractive Dracaena variety that you can grow indoors. This plant has variegated leaves that have a bold yellow stripe and dark green margins. Dracaena Cintho is also a good air purifier and would make a good bedroom plant.
Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena Sanderiana)
Also known as the Chinese Water Bamboo, Lucky Bamboo is a unique Dracaena plant variety that you can grow in your home. This plant can be placed in a jar with water or in a pot filled with pebbles and water.
This plant is believed to bring good luck and fortune to its owners. You can definitely try your luck too. The plant has stems resembling those of a bamboo plant and bright green leaves.
Dracaena Marginata ‘Magenta’
This plant is a cultivar of Dracaena Marginata and is also known as the Red-edged Dracaena or Dragon Tree. This plant mimics the appearance of a palm tree. The Dracaena Magenta has long spiky green leaves with red margins. The Dracaena Magenta can grow both outdoors and indoors.
Dracaena Marginata Tricolor
Also known as the Dragon Tree Tricolor, the Dracaena Marginata Tricolor is one of the variegated Dracaena varieties. The plant has colorful leaves with green, cream, and reddish-pink hues. This plant will definitely make a colorful statement in your home.
Dracaena Dorado
The Dracaena Dorado is a less popular Dracaena variety with unique characteristics. This plant is suitable if you want to achieve a minimalistic look. The plant has bold dark-green leaves with lime-green edges. The Dracaena Dorado is beginner-friendly and does not require a lot of maintenance.
Dracaena Fragrans Lemon Lime
The Dracaena Fragrans Lemon Lime variety is popular for the variegated leaves that give the plant a striking appearance. This plant features sword-shaped green and yellow leaves with creamy-white stripes.
How to care for a Dracaena plant
Caring for Dracaena plants is quite easy as long as you provide the ideal conditions. Most Dracaena plants require almost similar conditions to thrive. Below is how to care for Dracaena plants.
Dracaena water
Dracaena plants require water to survive. These plants have moderate watering needs and can tolerate mild drought. However, you should water your Corn plant before the soil dries out completely.
The soil should be mildly moist but not wet. Ensure the water drains out completely after watering your plant. Overwatering your Dracaena causes root rot which eventually kills your plant
How often to water Dracaena Corn plant
How often you need to water your Dracaena Corn plant depends on how fast it dries out. On average, you should water your plant once every 1 to two weeks when the top few inches of the soil feel dry.
Your plant might dry out quicker during summer and spring than during winter. Be sure to cut back on watering in winter. A Dracaena plant in a bright location will also dry out quicker than a plant in a dark corner.
How do I know if my Dracaena needs water?
You can tell your Dracaena plant needs watering by looking out for under-watering signs. Some of the signs your plant might show include wrinkly stems, drooping leaves, and brown crispy leaves that eventually fall off. Your plant should recover once you water it thoroughly. Ensure excess water drains off completely before returning your plant to its location.
What does an overwatered Dracaena look like?
An overwatered Dracaena shows several signs that can help you discover the problem. These signs of overwatering include:
- Yellow leaves
- Droopy leaves
- Mushy stem
- Moldy odor
- Wet soil
If you suspect your plant is overwatered, you should cut back on watering. Allow the soil to dry out and your plant might recover. If the damage is extreme, you might need to repot your plant in fresh dry soil. When repotting your plant, remove any damaged leaves and roots.
Can you water Dracaena with tap water?
No. We don’t recommend watering your Dracaena plant with tap water. This is because Corn plants are highly sensitive to fluoride which is present in tap water. Fluoride causes brown tips on Dracaena plants. It would be best to use distilled or filtered water. Alternatively, you can leave tap water in an open container for about 24 hours. This allows the fluoride to evaporate making the water safe for your plant.
Dracaena soil type
Caring for a Dracaena plant involves potting it in the right kind of soil it needs to thrive. Dracaena plants thrive in well-draining soil with proper aeration. The loose soil enhances drainage and prevents root rot that is caused by waterlogged soil.
What kind of soil does Dracaena need?
Dracaena plants thrive in fast-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. You can plant your Dracaena in a peat-based soil mixture preferably a cactus potting mix. Dracaena plants also prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil.
Dracaena sunlight
Dracaena plants need sufficient lighting to thrive. Bright indirect light would be best for your plant. However, most Dracaena varieties can also tolerate medium to low-light conditions indoors.
Does Dracaena need sunlight?
Yes. Dracaena plants need sunlight to thrive. Your plant will do well in bright to medium indirect sunlight. While a Dracaena might tolerate low-light conditions, it will grow slower than usual.
A Dracaena plant in a dull corner might not look as healthy and lively as one in a bright spot. Consider placing your Dracaena Corn plant in a well-lit location near a south-facing or west-facing window.
Do Corn plants need full sun?
No. Corn plants can’t tolerate the harsh direct rays of full sunlight. The direct rays can scorch your plant’s foliage. Instead, Dracaena plants prefer bright filtered light. You can use light curtain sheers to protect your plant from direct sunlight rays.
Some Dracaena varieties with variegated foliage might lose their beautiful patterns in low-light conditions and require bright light to thrive.
Dracaena temperature and humidity
Most Dracaena plants require moderately warm temperatures to thrive. A temperature range between 70 and 80 degrees is ideal for your Dracaena plant. Don’t let the temperatures fall beyond 50 degrees. You should also place your plant away from drafty windows and doors.
Your plant will flourish in moderate humidity levels. Household humidity is fine for your plant. However, sometimes the air can become dry. To keep the humidity levels high, you can mist your plant regularly in the morning. Alternatively, you can use a humidifier or humidity tray to maintain humidity levels.
How cold is too cold for Dracaena?
Dracaena plants can tolerate temperatures as low as 50˚C. However, temperatures lower than 50˚C can damage your Dracaena plant. When exposed to too low temperatures, a Dracaena plant develops brown leaf tips and margins.
The ideal temperature range for most Dracaena varieties is 70˚C to 80˚C. Your plant will also be fine in room temperature conditions.
Does Dracaena like humidity?
Yes. Dracaena plants love humid conditions especially during summer when the air becomes too dry. Consider misting your Dracaena plant regularly to increase humidity. You can alternatively increase humidity using a humidifier or humidity tray. Brown leaf tips might indicate low humidity levels indoors.
Dracaena fertilizer
Do Dracaenas need fertilizer?
Dracaena plants don’t require regular feeding to flourish. However, you can still feed your plant to promote healthy growth. Consider applying water-soluble fertilizer once a month to stimulate growth and keep your plant healthy. You can also use organic matter to feed your plant.
What kind of fertilizer do you use for Dracaena?
An all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer would be ideal for your Dracaena plant. you can use a balanced liquid fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Feed your plant once monthly during the growing season.
Re-potting Corn plant Dracaena
Your Dracaena plant might outgrow its pot. When this happens, you should consider repotting your plant in a larger container.
How do you know when to repot a Dracaena?
When your Dracaena needs repotting, it will let you know. Here are some of the signs you should look out for.
- Roots protruding above the surface of the soil or through the drainage holes
- Your plant is growing slower than usual or stops growing altogether
- Your plant is top-heavy and topples over easily
- The soil dries up faster than usual
- Your plant’s foliage appears larger than the pot
- Salt deposits on the surface of the soil
When is the best time to repot Dracaena?
The ideal time to repot a Dracaena plant is during spring or summer. During these seasons, your plant is likely to recover easily from repotting. Avoid repotting Dracaena during winter when the plant is dormant.
How to repot Dracaena
You will need fresh fast-draining soil and a pot that is slightly larger than your current one to repot your plant. Below is how you repot a Dracaena plant.
- Lightly water your plant the day before repotting to make it easier to free your plant
- Tilt the pot to its side and gently remove your plant
- Loosen the roots using your fingers
- Remove damaged roots
- Using fresh potting soil, plant your Dracaena in the larger container
- Water your plant and return it to its location
How often should I repot Dracaena?
How often to repot Dracaena depends on how fast the plant grows and the size of its planter. On average, Dracaena requires repotting every 3 to 5 years. A Dracaena plant growing in a bright location might need to be repotted more frequently than one growing in low-light conditions.
Dracaena plant Toxicity
Dracaena is not safe for cats or dogs. Dracaena plants contain a toxic substance called Saponin that is toxic to cats and dogs when ingested. The plant causes gastrointestinal irritation when ingested. If you have a cat or dog, place your plant out of their reach.
How poisonous is Dracaena?
Dracaena contains substances that can cause discomfort and irritation to your pets when ingested. The plant causes vomiting, drooling, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weakness.
If your pet ingests any part of your Dracaena plant, you should consider contacting a veterinarian. Keep your Corn plant out of reach to prevent future problems. Consider buying safe toys for your pets to keep them away from your plant.
Are Dracaena plants toxic to cats?
Yes. Dracaena plants are toxic to cats. If your cat eats a Dracaena plant, it begins to drool, vomit, and diarrhea. These symptoms can cause dehydration which can be dangerous when left unattended. Find a suitable location for your plant away from your cat.
Are Dracaena plants toxic to dogs?
Yes. Dracaena plants are toxic to dogs when ingested. This plant causes diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, stomach and intestinal irritation, and weakness. Seek medical help if you notice any of these symptoms. Placing your plant on elevated shelves can prevent your dog from nibbling on it.
Pruning Dracaena
Pruning Dracaena keeps it neat and encourages healthy growth. When your plant becomes unruly, you can occasionally trim it to keep it in good shape.
How do you prune a Dracaena plant?
To prune a Dracaena plant, you need clean and sharp pruning shears to make clean cuts. Here is how you prune a Dracaena plant.
- Trim off damaged plant parts including damaged leaves and stems
- Cut off spindly stems just above growth nodes to encourage healthy growth
- Trim the eaves to achieve a uniform look
- Cut the stems at a 45˚ angle to reduce the risk of infection and promote growth
When is the best time to prune a Dracaena plant?
The ideal time to prune your Dracaena plant is during spring or summer. During This period, your plant will recover quickly since it is the active growing season. However, you can still prune your plant at any time of the year when it appears overcrowded.
Can I cut the top of my dracaena plant?
Yes, if you want a more compact plant, you can cut off the top of your Dracaena plant. Cut the stems at a 45˚ angle to limit the risk of infection. Cut off the stems to the height you prefer.
Propagating Dracaena
Instead of purchasing another Dracaena plant to add to your collection, you can always multiply your collection through propagation. When pruning your plant, consider saving some stem cuttings to propagate new plants.
Can you grow Dracaena from cuttings?
The best time to prune your Pothos plant is during spring. During this period, your plant is likely to develop healthy growth. For bushier growth, consider pruning near growth nodes. If your plant appears spindly, it would be the right time to trim it.
How to trim a Pothos plant
Yes. You can easily grow Dracaena plants from stem cuttings. You should take cuttings from a healthy stem. These stem cuttings should include a few leaves and at least one growth node to increase the chances of success.
How to propagate corn plant from stem cuttings
With the right approach, you can easily propagate a Corn plant using stem cuttings. Below is how to propagate a corn plant using stem cuttings.
- Cut a section of the stem from the original plant
- Your stem should include a few leaves and a growth node
- Plant your cutting in a moist potting mix or place it in a vessel with water
- Place your cutting in a location with bright indirect light
- Wait for the roots to form
- If you opt to propagate Dracaena in water, transfer your cutting to a container with fresh potting soil
Dracaena pests and diseases
Dracaena is a hardy plant that rarely attracts any pests. However, some common houseplant pests like mealybugs, scales, and thrips might invade your plant. Dracaenas are also susceptible to houseplant diseases like Fusarium Leaf Spot, Leaf Blight, and Soft Rot. You can use pesticides to get rid of common pests and fungicides to treat fungal diseases.
Does Dracaena attract bugs?
While rare, Dracaena does attract bugs such as scale, mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and others. These pests suck the sap from your Dracaena plant resulting in ugly leaf spots and damage.
If your Dracaena plant has pests, you can use insecticidal soaps and oils to get rid of them. Try to prevent infestations in the future by regularly inspecting your plant.
FAQS About Dracaena Plant
How to save a dying Corn plant
If your corn plant is dying, don’t lose hope yet. You can still save your plant. Below is how you save a dying corn plant.
Determine the problem
To salvage your plant, you need to discover what the problem is. Some of the issues you can consider include:
- Watering issues
- Lighting problems
- Humidity and temperature issues
- Pests and diseases
- Nutrient deficiency
Once you have established what the problem is, you have a better chance of saving your plant. For instance, if your plant is overwatered, you can take the necessary measures to rectify the issue.
Remove the damaged plant parts
If your plant is damaged, eliminate all the damaged plant parts including the leaves, stems, roots, or flowers. Removing the damaged parts helps your plant divert its energy to produce new growth.
Provide the right growing conditions
A dying houseplant needs ideal growing conditions to recover. Provide enough lighting, water, humidity, and temperature for your plant to recover.
Eliminate pests
If you notice any pests on your plant, the best remedy I to get rid of them. Remove the affected plant parts and apply fungicide to get rid of the pests.
Why is my corn plant turning yellow?
Houseplant pests suck the sap from your plant making it turn yellow. Examine your plants for pests and get rid of them using pesticides. You can also prevent infestations in the future by occasionally inspecting your plants for pests.
Watering issues
Too much or too little water can affect the appearance and health of your Corn plant. When your plant lacks enough moisture it dries up and its leaves begin to turn yellow. Overwatering also causes limp and yellow leaves.
To save your plant, determine what is causing the problem. Check the soil for wetness or dryness. Water your plant if the soil feels dry and cut down on watering if the soil is too damp.
Lighting problems
Improper lighting can also change the color of your plant. Intense bright sunlight can scorch your plant’s leaves making them turn yellow. On the other hand, your plant reacts to low-light levels by shedding some of its leaves. The leaves begin to turn yellow before they eventually drop off.
Pests
Why are the leaves on my corn plant turning yellow? This might be the question running through your mind while you try to figure out what went wrong. Yellow leaves can indicate several problems. Some of these issues include:
Why is my corn plant turning brown?
There are several possible causes of brown leaves. Below are several reasons your Dracaena might be turning brown.
Underwatering
Lack of enough moisture causes the leaves of your plant to begin turning brown. The leaves also wrinkle and become crispy. When left without water for a long time, the leaves eventually drop off.
Low humidity levels
When the air becomes too dry indoors, your Dracaena plant will begin to turn brown. The leaves turn brown and eventually drop off.
Water quality
The Corn plant is sensitive to chemicals in tap water. When these salts build up in the soil, the plant begins to develop brown tips. Avoid using tap water and use distilled or filtered water instead.
Should I cut the brown tips off my corn plant?
Yes. You should trim off the brown tips of your plant to restore its appeal and promote healthy growth. Cut off only the affected tips and leave the healthy parts. If the entire leaf is brown, get rid of the leaf by trimming it off at its base.
Is dracaena a good indoor plant?
Yes. Dracaena is a good low-maintenance indoor plant that thrives with minimal attention. This plant is also mildly drought-tolerant and can forgive a little neglect.
Dracaena requires bright indirect light to thrive but can also survive in medium to low-light conditions. For the best results, plant your Dracaena in well-draining soil and feed it occasionally during the growing season. Water your plant when the soil is partially dry.
Is Dracaena plant good luck?
Yes. Dracaena is a symbol of good luck and is believed to bring prosperity to its owner. The plant also symbolizes peace and perseverance in some cultures. According to Feng Shui beliefs, Dracaena brings positive energy and good fortune to your space.
Is Dracaena good for bedroom?
Yes. Dracaena is one of the best air-purifying houseplants for bedrooms. This plant removes toxins from indoor air. This plant also removes smoke particles from indoor air. Growing a Dracaena plant in your bedroom can be beneficial to your health and help you sleep better at night.
Does Dracaena clean the air?
Yes. Dracaena improves indoor air quality by eliminating pollutants like xylene, toluene, and formaldehyde. These toxins can cause health issues when inhaled and a Dracaena plant reduces these health risks. This plant also produces oxygen at night providing you with fresh air while you sleep.
Not only do Dracaena plants thrive outdoors but indoors as well. You can select the plant of your choice from the multiple varieties available. You could opt for the Lucky Bamboo, Corn Plant, Dragon Tree, and others. Dracaena plants are low-maintenance plants that require moderate sunlight, water, temperature, and well-draining soil to survive. If you require more assistance, reach out to us today.