Our dracaena They are a type of plants that are normally grown as indoor plants, as they are very sensitive to cold and even more so to frost. They adapt very well to living indoors, as long as they are in a room where they receive a lot of natural light, which is why they are usually placed in the living room or dining room.
If you have just acquired one and you do not know what the care of the dracena is, I will explain everything you need to know so that you can enjoy your plant for many, many years.
Key features
Image – Flickr / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
The dracena are a genus of plants made up of about 40 species of trees and shrubs succulent native mainly to Africa and the surrounding islands, some being found in South Asia and one in Central America. Among the best known we have the dracaena dracowhich is the Drago de Gran Canaria, the Fragrant Dracaena known as Compact dracaenaand the dracaena sanderiana misnamed »lucky bamboo».
If we want to choose some type of indoor plant that is not too difficult to care for and causes too many problems, we can choose and Dracaena marginata. This species of dracena has a set of not very demanding care and is resistant to pests and diseases. It does not have too much delicacy in terms of weather conditions, strips can go to the garden if you need virtual space. They are perfect for those who are just starting out in the world of gardening and plant care. You do not have to be very aware of it and it has an appreciated aesthetic aspect.
It has an overall slender appearance. Its leaves have an intense green color and have reddish edges, which are one of the characteristics that most attract the attention of any fan of indoor plants. And it is that these reddish edges match many aspects of the home. There are some varieties of dracena that have a tricolor in the leaves mixing green with red and other lighter areas similar to ribbons.
This plant in Spain is quite well known since there is a plant of the same genus in the Canary Islands. This specimen is the ancient dragon tree that we should not confuse both species.
Growth and development of the dracena
The growth of this plant is not fast at all. There are some people who see this aspect as an advantage and others who see it as a disadvantage. It usually grows about 10 centimeters per year as long as the environmental conditions and the care given to it are adequate. Keep in mind that these plants grow in places where temperatures are very high and rainfall is low. This means that they have very few irrigation requirements and be attentive to the substrate. We only need that, when planting them, the soil in the garden pot has good drainage.
The drainage in a soil for this type of plants is essential if we do not want rainwater to be stored. Irrigation water cannot be stored if we do not want to damage the roots. The dracena has to be protected from direct sunlight, that is why it is more considered as an indoor plant.. The leaves tend to burn right away even if it is a plant that is capable of withstanding high temperatures. All plants that are sold as houseplants should be grown outdoors and semi-shaded or bright indoors.
One of the important characteristics that must be taken into account when purchasing a dracena for our house is the total size. It is normal that they sell you copies of a little more than 50 centimeters in height. It is up to each one to establish how much the plant will grow in a year after its care. They are considered slow growing plants and this species is too. Therefore, if you want to buy a copy according to the place where you are going to place it, you have to think about where it will continue. Even if it does not grow at great speeds, it will always tend to grow tall.
Dracena care
If we talk about their location, the vast majority of the dracena have to be protected from direct sunlight, since otherwise their leaves would burn quickly. There are only a few known exceptions including the dracaena draco and Dracaena Tamaranae, but those that are sold as houseplants in nurseries are to be grown in semi-shade or in bright interiors.
Irrigation has to be moderate to low. He does not like having wet feet. Thus, it is advisable to water no more than three times a week in summer, and a little less the rest of the year. If we have a plate underneath, we will remove it ten minutes after watering. Also, during the warm months we have to fertilize it with compost for cacti and succulents, since although it is not a cactus or a succulent plant, it does have the same nutritional needs.
Regarding the temperature range, you should have an ideal temperature in the house of approximately 21 degrees. At this temperature, the plant will be very comfortable and will be able to develop correctly.
The substrate for the pots should be slightly acidic with a pH between 6 and 6.5. We remember that the drainage must be good so that the fertilizer is not hit either, if it is used. The classic mix of peat, garden soil and sand is perfect for providing an acceptable environment for root growth. You should not use large volume pots but those that fit well to the size of their roots.
They are plants that have been found to grow best in tight pots and can be transplanted every 3 years to a somewhat larger pot. Finally, we must know that the leaves of this plant tend to accumulate dust due to their size. It is convenient to clean from time to time with a cloth that is slightly damp. As we have mentioned before, they are not plants that are attacked by insects but one of the most common pests can be the red spider or the mealybug.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the dracena and its care.
