DENNIS PLANT GARDEN
Plant Care & Information
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DRAGON TREE
Dracaene Marginata
Photo Credit (C) Dennis Lee Brown 2017
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DRAGON TREE
Bontanicle Name: Dracaene Marginata
The Dracaena marginata is a species from a large plant genus (Dracaena) that has many variations in leaf sizes, leaf colors and different trunk types. The marginata, an all-directional grower, is tropical plant that is a popular and attractive houseplant that grows into a great focal point of its’ surroundings.
How it looks and grows: The leaves are quite slim compared to other Dracaena's with arching leaves. There are three types, one has a dark red outer edge leaves with a green center, another is green in the center with red and yellowish stripes and the other the color has thick red edges. Production of leaves happens when the trunk grows stems (cane) from the side that often needs training (keeps them growing upwards). These stems have a grayish brown bark (the trunk) that can also produce smaller ones, so the Dragon tree really needs pruning to avoid the plant from growing in all directions.
These are slow grower's that can take about 10 years to reach over 5ft tall but look lush once they reach about a foot high. They have a very similar look like palm tree plants.
Level of care: This plant needs little to no care, except the basic watering, occasional pruning, and the correct light. The Madagascar dragon tree is one of the easiest house plants to grow and takes neglect on the chin - then recovers quickly as soon as the correct growing conditions come into play.
Leaves falling: If leaves start dying and coming away at the bottom of the plant - do not worry. This is natural and like a yucca tree sheds its bottom leaves for new growth. You can remove them once you see them deteriorating in appearance to make room for the new leaves.
Improving air quality: The Dracaena marginata is one of the plants on NASA's air filtering plants list (part of the NASA clean air study) that reduces benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene, within the air.
Poisonous: This plant is toxic to both cats and dogs. Cats love to chew on the leaves as they resemble the shape of large grass leaves. See more about pets and the effect toxins have here at the ASPCA.
Jade Plant
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Dragon Tree
Ideal Preferences
Light: Dragon trees grow best in medium sunlight but they can survive in partial shade as well (see: window Houseplant Light.) Plants in lower light situations will grow slower and will produce smaller leaves. Don't put your dragon tree in full sun because its leaves will burn.
Soil: For indoor potting soil, use loose, well-drained potting mix. Make sure their pot has room for the extensive root system, they grow quite vigorously, and are rapidly subject to root-bound conditions. Some imported varieties are from Hawaii and will arrive with lava rock. If this is the case, remove about 1/3 of the soil and replace it with potting soil.
Water: It's easy to over water this plant. To ensure that you don't drown your houseplants wait until the topsoil is half dry before watering. In low light, this can take up to 3 weeks for the topsoil to become half dry. If the plant develops brown tips on the leaves, that is a sign of overwatering or water with too much salt or fluoride in it. Like other plants in its genus, Dracaena marginata is sensitive to fluoride, which can cause discoloration. To avoid fluoride that might be in your tap water, water them with ”distilled” or non-fluoridated water if you know that your tap water has fluoride added to it. If there are a lot of yellow leaves, this likely means the plant needs more water.
Temperature and Humidity: Dragon plants prefer temperatures between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Regular household humidity should be fine for them. If your house is particularly dry, consider a light daily misting of “distilled” water from a spray bottle.
Fertilizer: They have a lower need for fertilizer. It is best to fertilize lightly at the beginning of spring or twice a year with controlled-release fertilizer. Do not fertilize in the winter.
Repotting: Repot your dragon tree into larger pots as necessary. Since these trees grow so slowly, they might not need repotting more than every second or even every third year. Refresh potting soil annually with fresh soil to replace any that has compacted.
Propagating: Dracaena marginata roots easily from root tip cuttings, so easily that it’s often used in dish gardens and readily propagated by nurseries and retailers. It takes about three weeks for the cutting to sprout roots and using a rooting hormone isn’t necessary.
Make Your Own Potting Siol Mixture
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