QA

Question: How To Care For Dracaena

Your Dracaena will do best in medium to bright indirect sunlight, but can tolerate low light. Overwatering causes root rot and is the main reason a Dracaena plant dies. Water your Dracaena well and allow the top 50-75% of the soil to dry before watering again.

Does dracaena need sunlight?

Growing conditions: Dracaena prefers bright, indirect light; it tolerates dimmer light, but growth slows as a result. The plant grows well with standard indoor potting soil and average house temps and humidity.

How often do you water a dracaena plant?

PRO TIP: When it doubt, let it drought! The most common mistake made with these plants is overwatering. Dracaena trees prefer the soil to dry between waterings, but not completely through the pot. Typically, watering every 10-14 days will keep the soil with a nice even level of moisture.

Should I cut the brown tips off my dracaena?

Trim off brown leaf tips or spots with clean shears. Cut off only the damaged tips or spots leaving a tiny margin of brown so not to damage the remaining healthy foliage on the plant. If the entire leaf has turned brown, remove individual leaves at their base. Pull the leaf gently; it may come off on its own.

Why are the tips of my dracaena turning brown?

The most common cause of browning leaf tips among Dracaena plants is under-watering, or allowing your Dracaena to sit dry for extended periods of time. In the winter, you can allow your plant to dry out more between waterings, but be sure to boost humidity with regular misting, a humidifier, or pebble tray.

Are Dracaena easy to care for?

Dracaena is an adaptable, easy-to-care for house plant that does well indoors or outdoors in partial shade if you live in a subtropical area.

Why is my Dracaena plant dying?

When a dracaena is losing leaves, overwatering is the first place to look, but the problem can also be caused by too little water. Dracaena leaf drop might also be caused by a cool wind or too much heat. Check the location of the container and move it farther from a window or heater.

Can you use tap water for Dracaena?

One of the worst things you can give any houseplant is tap water. Municipal water supplies have numerous added chemicals that can be harmful to your plants. These include bromine, chlorine, and fluoride. Instead, the best water you can give your Dracaena is fresh rainwater.

Can I put my Dracaena outside in summer?

Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ makes a better houseplant than an outdoor plant. If you want a Dracaena you can take outdoors during the summer months and indoors the rest of the year, grow Dracaena draco (dragon tree). It will grow in higher temperatures and some direct sunshine while outdoors.

Can Dracena plant go outside?

Dracaenas aren’t picky about outdoor soil, as long as it drains easily. However, they’ll grow best in garden soil amended with compost or other organic matter. Like dracaenas grown as houseplants, they can’t take direct sun.

When can you repot a dracaena?

Time of year for Dracaena repotting Spring, summer, and into early fall are good times for repotting Dracaenas. If you live in a climate where winter comes early, then spring and summer are best. Here in Tucson fall is mild – I repot up until the end of October.

How do you care for a dracaena Warneckii?

The Warneckii requires less water than most indoor plants. When watering, water lightly and slowly from above with purified water, allowing water to soak through to the roots, then tip out any excess water. Always allow the top 1 inch of soil to dry out before watering. Soggy soil should be avoided.

How do I know if my dracaena needs water?

A general rule of thumb is to only water dracaena when the soil feels dry to the touch. Water plants thoroughly, or until water freely flows from the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Many growers choose to place a saucer under planting containers to collect excess water.

Should I cut off leaves with brown spots?

Leaf spots that are dark brown, slightly sunken and moist-looking may mean your plant has bacterial leaf spot. This isn’t good news, unfortunately. Cut off any leaves with spots on them and let your plant dry out. Only water it when the top two inches of soil feel dry.

How do you save an overwatered dracaena?

How to Save an Underwatered Dracaena Marginata Plant. Luckily, a neglected plant is much easier to save than an overwatered one. Do not overwater the plant. Instead, bring a dracaena marginata plant back to life by giving it small amounts of water over time until it starts to bounce back.

How long do Dracaena plants live?

You will find the lower leaves on this plant turn yellow after a period of time which is normal, and the leaves on this plant only have a life span of 2 – 3 years anyway.

How fast does a Dracaena grow?

A great focal point for an indoor space, this striking evergreen tree can reach heights of around six feet indoors, though it is slow growing and it may take 10 years or so to reach this height.

How do you care for a Dracaena Reflexa?

Light: Bright indirect sunlight. You’ll get the best leaf color in bright light, but keep the plant out of direct sunlight which can cause brown scorch marks on leaves. Water: Keep soil lightly moist spring through fall, slightly drier in winter. Do not let soil get waterlogged, which can cause root rot.

Will dracaena grow back?

Pruning dracaena plants produces a full, healthy plant, as two or more new branches, each with its own cluster of leaves, will soon appear. Dracaena pruning isn’t at all difficult. Here’s some helpful tips on how to cut back a dracaena.