Quick Guide - How to grow Dracaena Marginata
Name - common name: Dragon tree, botanical name: Dracaena Marginata
Location - suitable for growing indoors. Best placed close to a window so that it can get enough light. It can also be grown outdoors but only if winter temperatures don't go into freezing, and in the summertime heats watering will need to be adjusted. A general rule is that if the climate in your area goes into the extreme hots or colds, it's better to grow this plant indoors.
Light - prefers bright indirect light. It can (in theory) grow in low light locations as well, but in my past experience it didn't grow well and eventually started resembling a long stick with some wilted leaves on top (it lived on years after that, but never had that nice bushy shape or glossy leaves). Also, if your particular variation of Dracaena Marginata has colored striped leaves, the colors will be more distinct if the plant receives more light.
Temperature - optimal temperatures are in between 65-80°F (18-26°C). It can live in temperatures between 60-95°F (15-35°C), and is listed hardy as low as 55°F (12°C). However survival is not what you should be aiming at as exposing your plant to extreme temperatures will put it in recovery mode, and it will not look as healthy and beautiful as you want it to be. Make sure to keep the plant away from drafts, esp. if temperatures are on the low side.
Watering - let the soil dry slightly in between waterings. Generally this means water it 2-3 times per week in the summer and once per week in the winter. Do not let the soil completely dry out and crack but also make sure not to overwater or keep it soaked. It's better to keep it on the dryer side than otherwise. Use water with room temperature - let the water stay out overnight (or more). This is often recommended for most of the house plants, so what I do is just keep my watering can filled with water at all times, and refill it after each round of watering around the house.
Soil - use regular soil (e.g. Miracle Gro) with better water/moisture control (better drainage), or simply add perlite to your regular potting mix
Fertilizing - fertilize every 2-3 weeks during the growing period - from April to August.
Renewal/Propagation - To renew the plant, it can be cut back to 4-6 inches, and new growth will sprout at the base. To propagate, a cutting can be made from any of the stems that have leaves on - just cut 6-8 inches from the top, clean up some of the leaves at the bottom (about 1/3), and put the cutting in sand or directly into soil, and then keep it moist. Roots will form in about 3-4 weeks. Alternatively the cuttings can be rooted in water, and when you see the roots forming, repot in soil. If your plant has suckers (new plants) coming out of the soil at the base of the old plant, the suckers can also be used in the same way as the cuttings.
Additional care
- Having brown leaves around the bottom of the plant is normal, as the Dracaena Marginata is said to keep its leaves for up to 2 years and after that it let's them go. Remove the old dried out leaves to keep the plant beautiful.
- You may find information that it is good to spray on the dracaena leaves. I don't spray them and my plants are healthy and beautiful. And humidity at home is about 40-45%. Getting the right temperature, keeping the plant in a spot with abundant light, and moderate watering seems to be doing the trick for my Dracaenas.
- If you are going on vacation for a week, and the temperatures at home are going to get high, ask a friend to come over and water the plants - chances are the plants are going to survive, but will not be in top shape after that, and it will take long time to recover the once glorious looks.
Name - common name: Dragon tree, botanical name: Dracaena Marginata
Location - suitable for growing indoors. Best placed close to a window so that it can get enough light. It can also be grown outdoors but only if winter temperatures don't go into freezing, and in the summertime heats watering will need to be adjusted. A general rule is that if the climate in your area goes into the extreme hots or colds, it's better to grow this plant indoors.
Light - prefers bright indirect light. It can (in theory) grow in low light locations as well, but in my past experience it didn't grow well and eventually started resembling a long stick with some wilted leaves on top (it lived on years after that, but never had that nice bushy shape or glossy leaves). Also, if your particular variation of Dracaena Marginata has colored striped leaves, the colors will be more distinct if the plant receives more light.
Temperature - optimal temperatures are in between 65-80°F (18-26°C). It can live in temperatures between 60-95°F (15-35°C), and is listed hardy as low as 55°F (12°C). However survival is not what you should be aiming at as exposing your plant to extreme temperatures will put it in recovery mode, and it will not look as healthy and beautiful as you want it to be. Make sure to keep the plant away from drafts, esp. if temperatures are on the low side.
Watering - let the soil dry slightly in between waterings. Generally this means water it 2-3 times per week in the summer and once per week in the winter. Do not let the soil completely dry out and crack but also make sure not to overwater or keep it soaked. It's better to keep it on the dryer side than otherwise. Use water with room temperature - let the water stay out overnight (or more). This is often recommended for most of the house plants, so what I do is just keep my watering can filled with water at all times, and refill it after each round of watering around the house.
Soil - use regular soil (e.g. Miracle Gro) with better water/moisture control (better drainage), or simply add perlite to your regular potting mix
Fertilizing - fertilize every 2-3 weeks during the growing period - from April to August.
Renewal/Propagation - To renew the plant, it can be cut back to 4-6 inches, and new growth will sprout at the base. To propagate, a cutting can be made from any of the stems that have leaves on - just cut 6-8 inches from the top, clean up some of the leaves at the bottom (about 1/3), and put the cutting in sand or directly into soil, and then keep it moist. Roots will form in about 3-4 weeks. Alternatively the cuttings can be rooted in water, and when you see the roots forming, repot in soil. If your plant has suckers (new plants) coming out of the soil at the base of the old plant, the suckers can also be used in the same way as the cuttings.
Additional care
- Having brown leaves around the bottom of the plant is normal, as the Dracaena Marginata is said to keep its leaves for up to 2 years and after that it let's them go. Remove the old dried out leaves to keep the plant beautiful.
- You may find information that it is good to spray on the dracaena leaves. I don't spray them and my plants are healthy and beautiful. And humidity at home is about 40-45%. Getting the right temperature, keeping the plant in a spot with abundant light, and moderate watering seems to be doing the trick for my Dracaenas.
- If you are going on vacation for a week, and the temperatures at home are going to get high, ask a friend to come over and water the plants - chances are the plants are going to survive, but will not be in top shape after that, and it will take long time to recover the once glorious looks.