Dracaena It is one of the best indoor plants for beginners and is loved for its colorful foliage and ability to survive periods without much care.
In their habitat, seedlings of the genus reach tree-like proportions and, even at home, can easily grow to 1.2 to 1.5 m high. Its sturdy stems and striped leaves create a sculptural feature in a bright room.
The most popular forms are the cultivars of Dracaena fragransalso known as a maize plant, such as ‘lemon lime’, with its broad dark green, lime and yellow leaves, and ‘massangeana’, which produces pale and dark green foliage.
Already the Dracaena marginata is another favourite, its fine, pointed foliage gives it a palm-like appearance – the tricolor type being a beautifully colored form with red leaves.
reflex dracaenaor ‘Song of India’, is another beautiful seedling, the look of bright yellow and green leaves create a striking feature.
care
For your Dracaena to thrive, there are some key recommendations – from getting the light conditions right in your indoor garden to regularly checking for pests. Keeping your plant healthy is knowing its specific needs, which we will explain below:
Get the right lighting balance
The species of the genus need little sunlight to maintain its beautiful colors, too much can burn the foliage. To achieve that middle ground, put them in the floor or on a table in a bright room, away from the window. Also avoid areas close to radiators, as they dry out the seedlings.
Unlike some houseplants, such as aloe veraDracaena is not happy outdoors, preferring the warmer day and night conditions indoors.
Manage water and food
These seedlings will thrive if you keep the compost moist throughout the growing season, spring through fall. watering when the top of the compost is almost dry. In winter, reduce the activity so that the earth is just damp.
Make sure they are in a pot with drainage holes at the bottom. Water in a sink and let it drain before placing it back in a waterproof container or, if your plant is too large to do this, place it in a deep saucer that will retain excess moisture as it cools. is drained. These methods will prevent the compost from becoming soggy, which can lead to branch rot.
Also, they like humidity, so spray the leaves every week or place the species in a vase with a shallow tray filled with pebbles and water. For healthy growth, use a liquid fertilizer balanced once every fortnight from spring to autumn.
Check the health of the seedling regularly
Checking branches regularly and removing leaves that show signs of pest damage will keep most problems at bay. Pests most likely to infect a Dracaena include spider mite, thrips and mealybugswhich will cause discolored or distorted sheets.
The best method to get rid of thrips is to shake the plant so they fall off. They can be controlled with sticky traps suspended above the foliage, however, these insects rarely do serious damage, so don’t worry too much if your branch is overpowered by them.
If you see scaly or shell-like bumps on the stems and leaves, sap-sucking insects are the culprit. These can be controlled by dipping a small brush in rubbing alcohol and dabbing it over these pests. Remove severely infested plants.
main problems
Irregular watering and low humidity levels can lead to brown leaf tips. This can occur if the seedling is too close to a radiator or a sunny window, which dry out the foliage, or if it is experiencing a long dry period. Solve the problem by watering, as described above, and misting the leaves regularly. Cleaning dust from leaves it will also allow it to absorb light more efficiently.
Dracaena leaves can also wilt or discolor if you overwater them, so make sure your pot has drainage at the base and never allow the plant to sit in soggy compost.
They rarely succumb to the disease, but they can develop the leaf spot, fungal disease, if they are over watered, which results in reddish or light brown spots surrounded by a yellow halo on the foliage. If you notice this, remove the infected leaves, give less water and try to keep the leaves dry.
Do they purify the air?
NASA Research have shown that Dracaena is one of the best vegetation to help purify the air of polluting chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde, but more recent studies have found that you would need a forest of these types to make a significant difference to the levels in your home.
However, new research has shown that the capacity of the regulate humidity levels in a home can help suppress airborne microbes, including mold and bacteria, by up to 50%. They also improve our mental well-being, so there are still plenty of good reasons to add one to your environment.
Are they good for the bedroom?
As long as your room offers adequate light conditions, the species will do very well in the room. These lovely leafy ones prefer a bright room, but in a position away from the window, where direct sun cannot burn their leaves.
While they do need a little moisture to thrive, they don’t require very high levels, so there’s no need to display them as types for bathrooms. A room would make a good home if you’re prepared to spray the leaves every now and then or place them in a tray of damp pebbles.
Just remember that all parts of the Dracaena plant family are toxic to petsso they are not a good choice if you have a puppy that is in the chewing phase.
What are the benefits?
One of the main benefits of the genus is that they are seedlings for indoor low maintenance, that is, they require very little care. A priori, they don’t need anything more than regular watering during the growing season and a little fertilizer – it will also survive short periods of drought, although the tips of the leaves can turn brown if left too long without water.
*Via GardeningEtc