If you want to start a dracaena at home, but do not know where to start, first pay attention to one of its types. The plant is one, but it has many varieties. The species differ in the shape and color of the leaf, height, color of the bark on the trunk. In short, you are sure to pick something to your taste.
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Description
Dracaena is one of the most popular indoor plants. At home, it reaches gigantic proportions, and at home it can grow in an ordinary pot.
It is valued for its unpretentiousness and resemblance to a palm tree. It is like a reminder of the homeland of this plant: Central and East Africa, the Canary Islands, India and South America. Now dracaena belongs to the asparagus family.
The word Dracaena means dragon (female). There are several variants of the origin of this word. Someone talks about the similarity of a sprawling tree with a terrible beast. For some, the legend about this tree is of value.
dragon tree
But the most plausible version is that the sap of the tree is similar to the blood of a dragon. This is also related to the legend. The local population calls this substance "gum" and uses it as an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral action. Its anti-ulcer and wound-healing effect is successfully applied.
About 160 species are known in nature., of which hardly a tenth is widely used when grown indoors. A distinctive feature of dracaena is a secondary thickening of the stem and a predominantly tree-like form. Some trees in their homeland can reach more than five meters in height and 2 meters in diameter.
The leaves of the dracaena are spectacular: leathery and dense
The leaf shape may vary. Distribution received: belt-shaped, xiphoid and lanceolate forms. There are a few species brought from Africa with oval leaves, but this is rare.
Many housewives, when buying dracaena, call it a palm tree. But this is not entirely true. It has nothing to do with palm dracaena. Although the resemblance to the most famous plant of the tropics is striking
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Growing dracaena is not that difficult. But on one condition - you must comply with the basic requirements. We list some of them:
Lighting
You can’t put a pot with a plant on a south window, since one of the problems is leaf burns, which happen when direct sunlight hits the dracaena. It is best to choose the western or eastern direction of the window. As an option - southeast, southwest.
The north window will be too dark for any plant at home, including dracaena. But in winter, this rule does not need to be observed, since at this time of the year the dracaena needs sunlight. If possible, put the pot on the south window.
An example of artificial lighting
Temperature regime
Corresponds to the season. In summer, during the period of active growth, it should be within 18-25 degrees. In winter, when there is little light, the plant should not grow, because its growth will be incorrect, the stem may be bent. At this time, you need to significantly lower the temperature. Dracaena in winter should grow at a temperature of about 15-18 degrees. The lower limit is 12 degrees C.
Watering
Dracaena loves waterbut the topsoil must be dry. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water, when a "swamp" is formed after watering. But the earthen ball should be moist, you need to water it with water at room temperature, it is advisable to defend it for at least a day.
Dracaena should be watered not at regular intervals, but as needed.
spraying
One of the houseplants that suffers greatly from dry air in city apartments. There is only one way to compensate for this shortcoming, regularly spraying dracaena leaves. This should be done at least once a day, and preferably 2-3 times a day.
About once a month you need to arrange a warm shower for your plant.
To do this, the surface of the soil is covered with plastic wrap so that water does not get on the soil. The pot is placed in the bath and the shower is directed directly onto the foliage. The plant is rotated. The pot is not immediately put in place, but waited for drying.
top dressing
It is used from early spring to autumn. Usually - from March-April to October-November. It is best to use complex fertilizers, which need to be diluted only strictly according to the instructions.
In winter, top dressing is stopped, because the plant needs to rest a bit after a period of intensive growth.
Of the care tips, the following important point can be singled out separately: dracaena does not tolerate drafts. If you comply with all conditions other than this, you risk losing your home plant. A draft is especially dangerous after watering, spraying or a warm shower.
Otherwise, the picture will be something like in the photo.
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Types of dracaena
In nature, there are more than a hundred species of dracaena, some of which are adapted for growing at home.
Let's look at a few common types:
Dracaena fragrant
Valued for a large (up to 60 cm) and beautiful leaf. In offices and apartments, they prefer to plant varieties of fragrant dracaena, whose leaves are with yellow or white stripes.
Initially, this species has a pure green leaf.
Varieties with green leaves are considered the most resistant to cold. In winter, they withstand temperatures of at least 10 ° C and relative shade. The shape of the leaf is interesting not only in color, but also in a slightly wavy graceful shape.
Dracaena Deremskaya
Most of the species are variegated.
It differs in that, unlike other species, it almost does not branch. The trunk of this dracaena is quite thick, but not lignified. The process of lignification occurs gradually. The leaves do not die off as quickly as those of the bordered dracaena, so the trunk is quite leafy. The leaves, like those of the fragrant dracaena, are slightly wavy.
Dracaena sander
The flexibility of the barrel is used to create fancy compositions from several pieces.
Its shoots grow quickly and quite soon reach a meter in height. The trunk of this dracaena has a green color. The leaves are light green, there are also variegated varieties. Dracaena Sandera is one of the most common species that are found on sale. It is popularly called "bamboo" because it bears little resemblance to it when sold as a whole bunch of plants.
Dracaena godsefa
It differs from the rest not only in leaves.
By its appearance it is impossible to determine the relationship with other types of dracaena.It doesn't look at all like a palm tree, like most of them. Although Godsef's stem is straight, it is very thin. The leaves are very beautiful: they are oval or slightly pointed, covered with cream or white specks of various sizes.
Dracaena recurved
The name comes from the fact that the edge of the sheet in this species is somewhat bent.
Tree-like, similar to a palm tree with a lush top. The trunk of this dracaena branches strongly, so most often it is a very spectacular sight. This variety is suitable for decorating not only an apartment, but also an office. The leaves have a variety of colors.
Dracaena fringed
The unpretentiousness of this species has made it a favorite species among housewives.
One of the most common types. The trunk is heavily exposed, which makes this species particularly similar to a palm tree. The leaves are very narrow and hard, with a thin kvass strip along the edges.
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Houseplants, like all living things on planet Earth, can be susceptible to diseases. Let's look at what can threaten our pet.
Pests
Among the pests, the most common are mealybug and scale insects. When damaged, the dracaena may lose its decorative effect, and then shed its leaves. You can fight these pests with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol or soapy water.
Mealybug defeat
Shield defeat
Followed by:
- Gently rub the leaves with them to physically eliminate the pests.
- After that, you can put the plant under the shower
- And at the end of the procedure, spray the plant with any insecticide.
Yellowing leaves
Yellowing of the lower leaves for dracaena is the norm. They gradually die off and fall off, and new ones grow from the top at this time. If this is not the case, then check how often you water. It is likely that the soil ball dries out more often than you water, which causes the leaves to turn yellow.
Dracaena dries
Dried tips indicate dry air. This is the scourge of all plants that grow in an ordinary city apartment. The combination of dry and hot air in winter with low light may not give very good results.
To neutralize the harmful effects, spray the plant.
The reason for the drying of the leaves can be an excess of fertilizer. The suction roots may die because of this. The cessation of normal nutrition through them contributes to the drying of the leaf plate. As an effective measure, a transplant can be recommended.
Dracaena started to rot
If the top of the leaves rots, then the reason may be in such a disease as bacteriosis. In this case, there will be “wet” rotting spots with a yellow border on the sheet. To treat the disease, it is necessary to eliminate the causes: excessive soil moisture, unsuitable soil, lack of trace elements (potassium and phosphorus).
If the rot has not reached the top, then you can cut it off and plant it in a separate pot.
Rotting can be triggered by too cold air or ice water when watering. Drafts can also cause root rot. In this case, rotting can be observed not from the leaves, but from the trunk.
It becomes soft, and then the leaves darken. It is almost impossible to save the plant in this case.
leaf fall
It happens for a number of reasons. The most common - the plant is slightly frozen. First aid for this:
- spray with warm water
- put near heaters
leaf fall
When the soil is waterlogged, such symptoms also occur. It will be possible to revive the dracaena only by planting the top.
Infectious diseases
Light brown spotting - phyllosticosis is treated with sprays.
Any fungicide bought in a specialized store is diluted according to the instructions and applied several times, depending on the severity of the disease.Most often, spraying is used every 10 days, and so - 3 times.
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Reproduction of dracaena
It is very easy to propagate dracaena. The most common method is propagation by apical cuttings. If the plant has stretched out or lost its decorative appearance, then it can be propagated by stem cuttings without leaves.
In order to get a young plant, you need to cut off the top of the dracaena as in this photo.
Next, the top needs to be cleaned of dried leaves. Healthy leaf plates are best reduced by half to reduce moisture evaporation. Then a piece of the stem or top should be placed in water.
You need to pour quite a bit of liquid into the container, 2-3 cm. You do not need to add fertilizer to the water, you can only lower 2-3 tablets of activated charcoal to prevent decay. After the roots appear, the plant should be transplanted into the ground.
Home Care
Dracaena marginata - care after purchase, transplantation, reproduction at home (140 Photos)
As far as I can remember, so much dracaena accompanies my life. When I lived with my parents, the entire window sill in my room was lined with dracaena and judging by the article it was fragrant dracaena, and when I got married and my wife and I had already begun to live together, my wife also arranged a whole botanical garden on the terrace)) there we are growing and the dracaena is bent and the dracaena is bordered)) My wife is directly “hit” into this plant theme)) But I don’t mind because our son really likes these plants, only he calls them palm trees and plays dinosaur toys there)) care, then my wife, I know, regularly sprays them with warm water and in severe frost brings a heater to the terrace and turns it on at full power, after all, the plant is warm-blooded. But even though the plant is not a flower, but as for me it is very beautiful and really pleasing to the eye and has some kind of calming effect ... And it’s not in vain that my son always plays near him, children still feel better than adults where the positive comes from)) In general, I'm happy that we have such a plant in the house))
I was captivated by the dracaena Bordered by its exotic-southern sprawling crown, similar to a palm tree. Awakened my love for this rastyushka a long time ago. I tuned in, doubted, but decided - I acquired the first miracle of this kind in Auchan. Transplanted every four years in a larger pot. She made me happy for a long time, until she instructed strangers to look after her, having flown away for a month. Unfortunately, well-wishers ruined the plant for me by splashing a “shock” dose of top dressing. She regretted it to tears.Dracaena Sandera was the next acquisition in the same department of the shopping center, now I gave myself a “bamboo”, then the fashion was to decorate apartments with such delights. However, I found out that this is also one of the types of dracaena much later and was amazed: how strikingly different the appearance! She stood in a flask for several years, without illness. In general, dracaena is very, very unpretentious, no pests, no other misfortunes happened to mine. Humidity plus diffused light, a reasonable calculation of the dose of top dressing - no problems in care!
I had a dracaena about five years ago, they gave it to me in the form of a dry cylindrical shape of a thick branch, its edges were filled with wax and it was necessary to cut off this wax and put it in water, after which it began to germinate. Having put down roots and two shoots, I planted it in the ground. The dracaena grew quickly enough, did not have time to transplant, stood at the window from the beginning, but then had to be put on the floor. Now it looks very nice in our interior. I love dracaena, it has very wide leaves, I wipe the leaves from dust and water as needed. I saw a lot of varieties of dracaena and I really like this plant. I want to buy a dracaena with thin leaves, it looks very original. The only concern is that the tips of the leaves can dry out and I don’t understand what the problem is, probably it’s cramped or not enough watering. But after reading the article, it became clear that this is normal, because in winter the air in the apartment is dry, which negatively affects the plant. Dracaena is not a whimsical plant with which there are no problems.
I tried to grow many varieties of dracaena, but not a single flower survived. Some withered, others rotted, others simply did not grow, and eventually died. I did not understand what the plants lacked, why they were dying. After reading the article, I realized my mistakes, learned the useful nuances of growing this beautiful flower. I will try again to make friends with the dracaena, I hope that this time I will succeed. By the way, in the vastness of Runet I found useful information that is not listed in the article. Many domestic flower growers recommend watering this tropical flower with boiled water, in which there are no pathogenic bacteria that can cause plant diseases. In extreme cases, you can use bottled water, which is purified using a membrane filter.
In order to grow a beautiful, healthy dracaena of impressive size, a number of recommendations should be followed, which will have a positive effect on the plant in the future. First of all, the soil. Of course, it is advisable to buy soil in a store, but ordinary garden black soil will do. True, it should be diluted with sand in a ratio of one to one. Also, high-quality drainage should be done in the pot to avoid stagnant water. Ideally, it is necessary to put a small layer of expanded clay or small pebbles on the bottom. It is recommended to feed the plant twice a month in order to ensure rapid growth. Also every month it is necessary to lower the plant with a pot of water and hold until all the air bubbles come out. Next, the water should drain. About spraying is described in the article, so I will not focus on this. And lastly, dracaena grows well in diffused light, in partial shade, therefore, it is better to keep it at a distance of one meter from the window. I think my advice will be useful to readers of the site.