Dracaena: home care

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The ancient Greeks called this flower a female dragon and believed in its special properties. They were sure that the house where the dragon tree grows is invincible. Dracaena, caring for her at home (photo), breeding methods, types and possible diseases - we will consider all this in more detail.

An amazing plant that resembles a palm tree has become one of the most frequent pets on our windowsills.

Dracaena varieties

Florists loved the asparagus plant for its beautiful appearance and chic leafy rosette. Dracaena is capable of reaching 2-3 meters and, by right, is considered a long-liver, since it lives for about 15 years. The cap of the leaves is spectacularly crowned with a straight, long stem.

This allows you to successfully use the indoor palm tree in flower arrangements and fit it into the interior of any room:

1. The most common species is considered to be Dracena Marginata. A fairly tall plant with several subspecies, which are characterized by narrow, somewhat disheveled leaves. The color of the leafy rosette can be varied, including stripes in different shades.
2. Dracaena Reflex is so named for the arrow-shaped foliage inclined to the bottom. This type of dragon tree is distinguished by a thin stem that begins to branch out, barely having time to grow.
3. A very interesting species is Dracaena Surculosis. This is a shrub plant with oval leaves with pointed edges, sometimes they can be covered with small golden or beige spots. It was for these specks that the dracaena received the name golden or spotted.
4. The largest variety of domestic palm is Dracaena Fragrant, the length of the leaves of this beauty reaches 80 cm, and the plant itself can grow up to six meters. During flowering, the tree emits a unique scent. However, it should be noted that this rarely happens at home.
5. Dracaena Deremskaya also belongs to the large species. It is distinguished by colorful large leaves up to five centimeters wide. This species of dragon tree, on the other hand, has a disgusting odor when blooming, but it also rarely blooms.

Dracaena bloom

During the flowering of dracaena, it throws out long half-meter arrows, which are overgrown with small fluffy white balls. Over time, drupes appear from the flowers, vaguely resembling our cherries.

Absolutely all types of indoor palm trees have a fragrant aroma that intensifies at night. However, as mentioned above, not always, it is pleasant. At home, dracaena rarely blooms.

Dragon tree care

The "female dragon", as befits a woman, loves attention to her person, is picky about the soil and depends on proper watering. But with proper care, it becomes one of the most luxurious decorations in our home:

1. Lighting for dracaena directly depends on its type. Bright variegated varieties love light, but are wary of direct sunlight. Pure green varieties thrive in shade.
2. In summer, the indoor palm tree comfortably nestles at a temperature of about 25 degrees. In winter, for full growth, 14 degrees is enough for her. However, she categorically does not accept drafts, she likes cozy nooks and crannies.
3. Dracaena should not be placed near heating appliances or a stove in the kitchen. Daily spraying of the leaves, the key to the well-being of the plant.
4. Being a moisture-loving plant, dracaena does not like stagnation of moisture on the leaves and excessive moisture in the roots. You should focus on the moisture content of the soil around the roots. As a rule, summer watering occurs daily, in winter it is reduced to three times a month. It is recommended to drain the excess water in the pan in order to prevent decay of the root system.

Pruning and shaping the splendor of the plant

Since the dracaena is very elongated in height, and the leaves are only at the top, you can try to regulate the growth of the dragon tree and the splendor of its leaf cap.

All actions for pruning a plant are carried out at the time of its increased growth, that is, from mid-spring and throughout the summer.

There are simple rules, following which pruning will be successful and bring new shoots:

• the procedure is carried out strictly from April to August;
• only healthy and strong plants are subject to pruning;
• the trunk is cut off with a sharp knife, no more than 20 cm from the top of the plant;
• the taken away part of the plant is dried for two days, after which it is placed in a container with water or soil for subsequent reproduction;
• the remaining cut must be treated with wax or activated carbon, it is possible to use paraffin;
• for the early emergence of new shoots, the top of the trunk is wrapped in wet moss, which is sprayed daily;
• the plant itself is placed in a darkened warm place, protected from drafts and direct sunlight;
• after about a month, the buds complete the formation process and can grow on their own.

Soil for home palm

The plant loves breathable soil, so it is recommended to periodically loosen it in the trunk area by a few centimeters. In doing so, try not to damage the dracaena roots. To maintain optimal soil moisture, drainage is laid at the bottom of the pot.

The container for dracaena is approximately 15 cm in diameter, the depth varies depending on the size of the root system. With each subsequent transplant, the pot increases in diameter up to three centimeters.

The soil is made up of humus, sand, leafy and sod land in equal proportions. It is possible to use ready-made soil for palm trees.

Germinating a dragon tree from seeds

It should be noted that this type of reproduction of dracaena at home is acceptable only for varieties with solid green leaves. After preparing the ground mix, proceed as follows:

• dracaena seeds quickly lose moisture, so only fresh seeds can be used for planting
• bones;
• the day before planting, the seeds must be soaked in a growth accelerator;
• experts recommend using separate small containers for each bone;
• planting depth should not exceed one centimeter;
• after planting, spray the ground generously and cover the glass with cling film;
• germination takes place in a darkened place in the absence of drafts;
• the first shoots should appear in 1-2 months;
• transplanting a young dracaena is recommended at the moment the glass is completely filled with the root system.

Dracaena cuttings

The procedure is suitable for any type of dragon plant and is quite simple:

• A strong young stem is selected and cut from the main plant with a sharp knife.
• The resulting cut is treated with wax or covered with crushed activated carbon.
• Such actions are necessary to prevent infection of the plant or the entry of pests.
• The cut stem is cut into small pieces of three to five centimeters. In this case, it is necessary to notice the top and bottom of the stem. Small markings with a marker are allowed.
• Peel the lower part of the harvested seedling about one and a half centimeters from the bark.
• After that, stick it halfway into the ground.
• Cover the plastic cup with the appendix with a glass jar. You can use a cropped plastic eggplant.
• Perform a short airing every two days, checking the condition of the cutting.
• The first shoots will appear in about 1-2 months.

The second method of rooting cuttings is the water method. It is no worse than the soil one and is widely used in horticulture for rooting apical cuttings:

• prepare a container with warm water, after dissolving an activated carbon tablet in it;
• dip the cutting into the water by a third;
• the appearance of the rhizome must be expected within three months;
• spray the developing plant regularly.

When the roots appear about 2-3 cm in size, the top of the dracaena should be transplanted into the ground:

• make a small hole about five centimeters;
• carefully place the stalk in it and press down on all sides with earth;
• adhere to a temperature regime of about 23-25 degrees;
• protect the young plant from drafts and direct sunlight;
• do daily spraying.

For the successful rooting of dracaena, a soil mixture with a high peat content is used. The capacity must correspond to the parameters:

• 9 cm - depth;
• 10 cm - diameter.

Diseases of the dragon tree

The most dangerous factors for dracaena are bright sunlight, cold and drafts. Signs indicating the appearance of a certain disease are noted. Let's consider in detail what to do in each case.

If a brown shell appears on the leaves, they themselves turn yellow and fall off, this indicates rotting of the root system. Similar signs are possible in cases of excessive watering or feeding the plant during the dormant period.

At the initial stage of the lesion, it is enough to limit watering to a minimum, and cut off the dried leaves.

In cases where the leaves turn yellow en masse, more serious measures must be taken. It is necessary to remove the dracaena from the pot and conduct a thorough inspection, removing all roots damaged by rot, and then transplant it into new soil. If softening of the stems is observed, it is better to cut off the damaged part completely.

Dracaena leaves dry for various reasons. Dry ends indicate low humidity. In this case, it is enough to intensify the spraying.

Yellow spots can appear due to sunburn, which means that the house palm must be protected from direct sunlight.

If all the conditions are met, and spots still appear, the plant is probably affected by fungal pests. To cure the disease, it is necessary to treat the soil with phytosporin, after removing all damaged areas.

Please note that plants affected by fungi must not be sprayed with water.

Pests that infect dracaena

There are relatively few parasites that traditionally inhabit the house palm:

• various types of thyroid gland;
• thrips;
• spider mites;
• mealy mites;
• aphid.

To get rid of parasites, it is enough to wash them off with a regular sponge dipped in soapy water. Laundry soap without dyes and fragrances is best suited for these purposes. After that, a complete treatment with an insecticide is carried out.

Fertilizing and feeding dracaena

The dragon tree is very capricious about feeding, excessive nutrition can destroy the plant. While lack of nutrients can lead to wilting and stunted growth.

Plant feeding is carried out only during the period of active growth from March to September. In winter, it is better to leave the dracaena alone. The domestic palm tree does not like organic fertilizers, therefore, feeding is carried out once every two weeks, the dosage is followed according to the instructions.

For these purposes, it is better to choose the following means:

• "Rainbow";
• "Dracaena";
• "Ideal".

For variegated species, an appropriate fertilizer should be selected.

With proper care, dracaena at home (photo below) lives for a very long time. It is easy to form and can fully decorate the interior as an independent plant. At the same time, flower growers willingly use the house palm when drawing up all kinds of flower arrangements.