Dracaena - Plant Encyclopedia Results

Dracaena sp. (Dracaena) is a popular houseplant that is grown for its ornamental foliage. It is a large shrub that can grow up to 5-10 ft tall or a small shrub that grows 2-5 ft tall. It thrives in full sun, shade, or semi-shade and requires moderate watering. It is cold hardy down to 30s F for a short time and is also tolerant of seaside and salt conditions. It can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11.

Dracaenas are easy to care for and have a tropical appearance. They can tolerate low light conditions and are often used in both homes and offices. The cultivars have colorful striped foliage and most grow best in bright, indirect light. However, many can also tolerate lower light levels. If a plant that has been growing in dim light is moved to a brighter spot, the new leaves will be thicker and stronger and the growth rate will increase. When watering, allow the soil surface to dry to the touch before thoroughly watering the plant. Avoid using cold water and try to keep the humidity high by occasionally misting the foliage. Use a standard commercial houseplant potting mix and fertilize with liquid foliage plant fertilizer once a month during the spring and summer months. Alternatively, time release fertilizer pellets can be used. If the plant's stems become too long and bare, cut them off at the desired height and new leaves will soon appear.

Dracaenas are generally resistant to plant diseases, but may be affected by too much or too little water, insects, and mites. Root rot can occur if the soil mix does not drain quickly or if the plant is overwatered. Scale insects and mites are the most common insect pests. Dry tips and edges may be caused by low humidity, while round dry patches and streaks on the leaves may be caused by excessive sunlight. Sudden loss of many leaves can be caused by temperature changes, drafts, too much water, poor drainage, or heavy insect infestations. Leaf tips and margins may burn or turn yellow if the plant is fertilized too heavily.

Spectacular foliage plant from Canary Islands, slow growing, winding or hanging at times that grows about 1.5-2 ft high.The leaves are dark green spotted with golden drops. New leaves appear as tightly rolled cones, unfurling to show beautiful creamy yellow markings. The 3" long inflorescences with small white flowers are pleasantly fragrant during the night; the fruits are globose berries of about 15 mm of diameter of a reddish orange color. Perfect house plant with low needs.

Sansevieria cylindrica (currently classified as Dracaena angolensis), commonly known as Cylindrical Snake Plant or African Spear Plant, is a striking succulent native to Angola. Unlike the familiar flat-leaved snake plants, this species produces thick, perfectly cylindrical, deep green leaves that grow in elegant fan-shaped clusters, giving it a bold architectural appearance. Mature plants slowly spread by underground rhizomes, eventually forming impressive clumps.

One of the easiest houseplants to grow, Sansevieria cylindrica thrives in well-drained soil and tolerates a wide range of light conditions, from bright indirect light to partial shade. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant thanks to its water-storing leaves and requires only occasional watering once established. It also adapts well to containers, making it an excellent choice for homes, offices, patios, and xeriscape gardens.

A mature plant may produce an impressive flower spike up to 3 feet (90 cm) tall. The small greenish-white flowers open primarily at night and release a rich, sweet fragrance that attracts nocturnal pollinators. Flowering is most common on older, well-established plants.

This long-lived species is propagated by dividing rhizomes or leaf cuttings. Its sculptural form, remarkable durability, and minimal care requirements have made it one of the world's most popular architectural foliage plants. Whether grown indoors or outdoors in frost-free climates, Sansevieria cylindrica provides year-round beauty with very little maintenance.

Dracaena cinnabari is the most famous and distinctive plant of the island of Socotra. It has a unique and strange appearance, described as "upturned, densely-packed crown having the shape of an uprightly held umbrella".

Not to be confused with Dracaena draco, the Canary Islands Dragon Tree.

The dark red sap of Dracaena draco was regarded for centuries in European legends as "the blood of dragons", and was often used for its supposed magical and medicinal qualities. This resin is still used today to produce incense and varnishes used to stain and polish wood.

The grey - green foliage, strong silver-smooth trunk, distinct creamy-white flowers in spikes, and the bright orange berries visually stand this tree apart from all others.

Dracaena draco does not display annual rings and age can only be estimated by the number of branch forking occurrences (indicating the number of flowering episodes) and measuring the frequency of flowering (less than annual). Some specimens are believed to be up to 650 years old; the oldest is growing at Icod de los Vinos in northwest Tenerife.

Not to be confused with Dracaena cinnabari, the Dragon Blood Tree native to Socotra.

The very popular Dracaena fragrans is more commonly known as the Corn Plant. It does well in low light conditions and its wide leaves are long and arc gracefully from the stalk. Flowers are so fragrant, they smell like an explosion in a perfume factory, especially at night.

The plant can be either grown as a low shrub form, by rooting tip cuttings, or a tree form, by rooting mature canes. The Massangeana variety is the most popular, due to its dramatic yellow variegation running down the center of its leaves. The water requirements are low. Dracaenas are one of the plants used in the NASA Clean Air Study and has shown to help remove Formaldehyde.

Dracaena reflexa, commonly known as Pleomele or Reflexed Dracaena, is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the Asparagaceae family native to northeastern Mozambique and islands of the western Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, the Comoros, and Seychelles. It develops slender branching stems topped with dense clusters of narrow, arching leaves and may reach 10-20 feet (3-6 m) outdoors, while remaining much smaller in containers. Numerous ornamental cultivars are grown for their colorful foliage, including 'Song of India', with green leaves broadly edged in yellow or cream, and 'Song of Jamaica', with darker green foliage marked by lighter central bands. The species also includes Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia, long familiar in horticulture under the name Dracaena marginata, which is distinguished by much narrower, strap-like leaves, commonly edged or flushed with red; several colorful cultivars of this variety are also widely grown.

Dracaena reflexa grows best in bright filtered light or partial shade and fertile, well-drained soil, with moderate watering and some drying between waterings. It is widely grown as a tropical landscape plant and as a durable houseplant in cooler climates. Hardy in USDA Zones 10-12, Dracaena reflexa is valued for its architectural form, attractive foliage, and adaptability to both indoor and tropical landscape conditions.