Origin: The Indian Ocean’s islands of Madagascar and others
Bright, filtered sunshine. Bright light will produce the best leaf color, but keep the plant away from direct sunlight, which can leave brown scorch scars on the leaves.
Water: From spring through fall, keep the soil pleasantly moist; in winter, keep it a little drier. Avoid allowing the soil to become soggy, as this can lead to root rot. Fluoride, which is frequently added to tap water, is susceptible to dracaenas. Use rainwater or distilled water. For indoor plants, always use room-temperature water.
Room humidity is average (around 40 percent relative humidity). There are simple techniques to increase humidity for indoor plants because dry air can cause leaf tips to become brown.
Normal room temperatures (65–75°F/18–24°C) are suitable for this plant. Avoid exposing it to temperatures below 50F/10C because it can handle heat better than cold. It will be harmed by even a cold draft near a door or window.
Feed every two weeks in the spring and summer with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) that has been diluted by half.
Take stem tip cuttings that are 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) long in the spring. For a broader impact, place pot 3 in the same container. Cuttings can easily take root in sterile, wet potting soil.
How frequently should Dracaena Reflexa be watered?
The Dracaena may be one of the easiest plants to care for in terms of irrigation. It is extremely comparable to a succulent in terms of water requirements. Dracaenas only only a tiny amount of water, and an excessive amount can be harmful. Therefore, between waterings of the Dracaena, you should allow the soil dry out. Water them thoroughly when you do. But watch out that no extra water is left in the pot. In this case, a container with draining holes would be best, but if you don’t have one, you may just water it a little less.
Depending on the soil’s moisture content, you should water the Dracaena every two to four weeks during the spring and summer growing seasons. You should water the Dracaena every four weeks during the slower months. When you do this, make sure the dirt is fully dry.
Overwatering symptoms
The plant’s leaves will turn brown and yellow and eventually fall off if they are overwatered. Fortunately, this occurs early on, so you will notice that you have overwatered the plant very quickly. When this occurs, make an effort to drain the moisture and wait with additional watering.
Under watering symptoms
When your dracaena isn’t getting enough water, the stems will begin to wrinkle, and the tips of the leaves will begin to dry out and get crispy and brown. When this occurs, water your plant as soon as you can to see the dracaena’s creases vanish.
How is a Dracaena Reflexa maintained?
These growth advice are here to help if you’re unsure how to take care of dracaena. Care for dracaenas is typically not too difficult.
Light: A spot with filtered inside light is good (for example, through a sheer curtain in front of a sunny window). A dracaena plant should never be placed in direct sunlight as the rays will scorch the leaf.
Dracaenas demand less water than the majority of houseplants. By lightly sprinkling the soil (never saturated) and the leaves with water, you can keep the plants hydrated and ensure proper drainage. Before watering, the top soil should always be allowed to dry off. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.
Overwatering or poor drainage may be the cause of drooping or yellowing leaves, but if you observe that the bottom leaves are starting to fall and turn yellow, you shouldn’t be alarmed. It is typical for dracaena to lose leaves so that new ones can grow.
It is crucial to use filtered water when caring for these plants because they are sensitive to fluoride, which can be found in tap water. Fluoride toxicity may be indicated by leaves that are dark brown and by dead patches that have yellow borders.
Dracaena loves daytime temperatures between 65 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if nighttime lows can drop by approximately ten degrees, the plant will suffer from chilly drafts and temperatures below 55 degrees. Make sure to keep any heaters or air conditioners away from where you display your dracaena. Although the dracaena is a hardy indoor plant, it does prefer the higher humidity of its native rainforest home. Natural room humidity is fine. A commercial humidifier can increase humidity, as can setting the plant on a tray of pebbles with water just below the tops of the pebbles.
Toxicity: If consumed, toxic to cats and dogs. Dogs and cats can both exhibit symptoms including vomiting, excessive salivation, and lack of appetite. Cats may also have dilated pupils. Being aware of the plants that are poisonous to our furry friends can help you choose your indoor plants carefully as a pet owner.
Pests and issues: Serious insect or disease issues rarely affect dracaena plants. Scale, spider mites, and mealybugs are things to be cautious of. Scale and mealybugs are both treatable with pyrethrin-containing insecticides.
If you reside in a subtropical location, dracaena is a flexible, low-maintenance house plant that thrives both indoors and outside in partial shade. If you’re ready to grow a dracaena plant in your own house now that you know how simple it is to take care of one, check out our variety here.
Dracaena Reflexa: Does it require sunlight?
In medium light, dracaena reflexa that has firm, dark green leaves thrives. The Song of India and Song of Jamaica, which have leaves with yellow and white stripes, require strong indirect light. Since direct sunlight frequently causes indoor houseplants’ leaves to burn, the term “high light” only applies to intense indirect light.
How can you cheer up dracaena?
You can find this large plant in homes or businesses all around the United States since it can thrive in a wide range of temperatures. Create a mixture of peat moss and well-drained, loamy soil, and be sure to water it frequently throughout the active growing season. But once you’ve established the ideal conditions for growth, this plant will proliferate and flourish year after year with little assistance from you.
Fertilizer
With this plant, you won’t need a lot of fertilizer. A controlled-release fertilizer can be added twice a year, or you should give it a small fertilizer meal at the beginning of spring. In the winter, avoid fertilizing your plants. For the first month after planting your dragon tree, you should feed it once a week to give it a nutritious boost and to help it grow. Apply the fertilizer directly to the soil in the pot; after doing so, lightly water the plant to help the fertilizer penetrate the roots.
When you repot or replant your Dracaena, fertilizer and compost can provide your plant a much-needed nutrient boost. You shouldn’t overfill your pot, but you should at least scatter a few handfuls of material into the soil.
Lighting
Although this plant prefers natural light, if you are unable to provide it with enough natural sunshine, it can still thrive under artificial grow lights. They like strong light, but they may still function in less intense illumination. Your plant will develop much more slowly if you place it in an environment with less light. You’ll get smaller leaves and much less vibrant, washed-out colors on the foliage. It will burn if you place it in the direct sun. Put your plant in a somewhat shaded area where it will receive three to six hours of direct sunshine each day for the greatest results. Better than the hot afternoon sun is the chilly early sun.
Soil
With this plant, it’s crucial that you choose a loose, well-drained potting mix. If you don’t, a buildup of water near the roots may stimulate the growth of mold or root rot. Add a tiny amount of peat moss to your loamy soil to improve drainage. These plants have enormous root systems, so there should be enough space for them to spread out and grow. You might be able to find one imported directly from Hawaii with lava rock depending on the species. If so, you can take out about a third of the rock and replace it with a mixture of peat moss and potting soil.
Temperature and Humidity
For this plant, the ideal temperature range should be between 65 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Since this plant is vulnerable to cold and frost, your overnight temperatures can drop by about 10 degrees, but they shouldn’t fall much lower than that. Your Dracaena will suffer if the temperature falls below 55. Because air conditioners and infrared heaters can produce significant temperature changes that are bad for plants, you should place your plant away from any of these appliances.
This plant can tolerate normal room humidity, but it actually prefers slightly higher humidity levels. It enjoys having surroundings that mimic its natural habitat in the rainforest. If you’re concerned, you can put your plant on a tray on pebbles with water just below the tops of the pebbles to boost the immediate humidity around the plant.
As this plant prefers warm, muggy climates, they thrive in greenhouses as long as they are shielded from direct sunshine. Low light levels will cause them to grow, but considerably more slowly.
Water
It’s incredibly simple to unintentionally overwater these plants. Always wait until the top half of the soil in the pot is dry to the touch before watering it to prevent this from happening. This could translate to watering the plant once every three weeks if you have it in lower lighting conditions. If you are watering your plants excessively, the tips of the leaves will become brown.
Consider spraying the leaves directly to prevent this, and keep the soil just barely damp. Another point to keep in mind is that these plants are extremely sensitive to any fluoride in the water. You can get around this by misting your plant with filtered water or by collecting rainfall in your garden. The presence of dark brown leaves with yellow edges indicates that the plant is suffering from fluoride toxicity.
Is dracaena a healthy houseplant?
Dracaenas are popular plants that require very little maintenance and are grown for their lovely foliage. There are more than 100 species of dracaena trees and succulent shrubs, however due to their ease of cultivation and tolerance of low light, many are grown as houseplants. These tropical plants, which belong to the Dracaena genus and the asparagus family and are hardy in USDA Zones 10 and 11, are excellent for providing structure to outdoor gardens. They are considered as annuals in colder climates.
Dracaenas can purify indoor air of benzene, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, according to NASA studies. They should be kept out of the reach of household pets like dogs and cats because they are harmful to them.
How can I tell whether my Dracena needs water?
Although dracaena plants are indigenous to subtropical areas, they cannot grow in moist soil. Make sure the dracaena plants are placed in a well-draining container when potting them up. This action will aid in the prevention of stress-related illnesses like root rot.
When should dracaenas be watered and how much water do they require? Only water dracaena when the earth seems dry to the touch, according to conventional wisdom. In order for water to readily drain from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, plants must receive adequate watering. To collect extra water, many growers decide to install a saucer under planting containers. To avoid leaving any standing water, be sure to drain the saucer after watering.
Also to be highlighted is the fluoride sensitivity of dracaena plants. Public drinking water supplies frequently contain fluoride. Leaves may also turn brown or yellow if they are exposed to fluoride by watering, the use of perlite potting soil, or another fertilizing technique. Consider using bottled water to water the plants once every few weeks if this problem persists.
A few times per week, lightly spray the foliage of dracaena plants for added benefit. This is particularly crucial during times of low humidity, such those that prevail throughout the winter. Growers may observe that leaf tips start to yellow or turn brown if there is not enough moisture.
Dracaena reflexa thrives in potting soil that is loamy, well-drained, and rich with organic matter. Adding some compost or peat moss before planting your Dracaena Reflexa is a wonderful idea. So that water does not become trapped in the soil of your container, it should also have adequate drainage at the bottom.
A mixture of one part peat moss, one part houseplant soil, and one part perlite makes the ideal potting soil. This soil mixture provides vital nutrients and enables quick and simple drainage.
Dracaena Reflexa uses less water than the majority of houseplants. By spraying the leaves with water and keeping the soil just barely damp, you may keep your Dracaena Reflexa moisturized. Always wait till the topsoil is completely dry before watering.
Avoid overwatering, which could cause root rot. The least preferred soil type for this plant is wet soil.
Dracaena in pots
Dracaena needs a healthy soil mixture, which can be improved by adding 1/3 compost, if you have any.
Pour clay pebbles or small stones into the container to create a layer at the bottom that will improve drainage.
By doing this, you can prevent the roots from drowning in water, which could be fatal.
- Set up your dracaena in a sizable container with specialized soil for indoor plants or green plants.
- Even though it could need to be replanted in the spring every two or three years, when this is not necessary, topdressing on a regular basis should be sufficient to meet the plant’s needs for its growth medium.
- Because to their slow growth, several species, including Goldieana, Sanderiana, and Surculosa, don’t require repotting.
Dracaena outdoors
Feel free to lay down a bed of gravel, small stones, or clay pebbles to help the water drain more effectively, just as is done for plants in pots.
In general, dracaena cannot tolerate the cold and will only thrive outside in areas with a warm climate and constant temperatures over 63 to 65F. (17 to 18C).
Dracena draco, the hardiest type, can survive in temperatures as low as 34 or 35F. (1 to 2C).
How old are Dracaena plants?
- The Dracaena Marginata is one of the most well-liked houseplants since it requires very little maintenance and its tropical appearance fits in well with contemporary settings.
- It can survive for up to ten years in a pot with adequate care and has an even longer life expectancy outside.
- Greek term dracaena has been romanized as dracaena. In general, it means a she-dragon. Its name is derived from the enormous size of a wild Dragon Tree.
- Diseases are not a problem for the Madagascar Dragon Tree, however scale, thrips, mealybugs, and spider mites can occasionally be an issue. It is advisable to regularly inspect the plant and spot pests before they do damage.
- The ability of this plant to filter the air is excellent. It not only combats indoor pollution, but it also offers excellent allergy protection. For filtering benzene, lead, carbon dioxide, cigarette smoke, and various VOCs, it is especially helpful.
- The plant’s leaves are loaded in antioxidants, and traditional medicine occasionally uses them to treat headaches and eye soreness.
- Although this plant is not poisonous to people, it can be extremely harmful to animals, especially cats and dogs. When pets nibble on the leaves, the poisonous alkyds they contain can make them sick. Vomiting and excessive salivation are examples of poisoning symptoms.