Dracaena Plant - Dracaena Palm

The long, broad tropical leaves of the Dracaena plant fall from the lower stems of the plant as it ages giving the plant a palm-like appearance. This is why many people will refer to a mature Dracaena as a Dracaena palm.

This Dracaena deremensis is growing lushly inside Central Florida Regional Hospital.

Like the ponytail palm and the sago palm , this is another palm tree that really isn't a palm at all.

To my eye, Dracaena deremensis 'Janet C, raig' and Dracaena fragrans are the only two members of this family that look like palms.

The dragon trees, Dracaena marginata and Dracaena draco more closely resemble yuccas or cordylines.

Dracaena House Plant

They will not wilt if you forget to water them but the lower leaves will fall sooner if their soil becomes too dry. They may also become vulnerable to spider mites. Wipe the bugs from the leaves with a damp rag and keep the soil barely moist.

Keep plants with variegated leaves in very bright light, but keep direct sun off them. Green-leaved cultivars don't need quite so much light.

Dracaena Propagation

A new shoot emerging from the cane.

If plants become too tall or leggy, cut off the top few inches of cane. A new tuft of leaves will grow from the cut stem and you can use the part you cut off for Dracaena propagation.

You can plant the leafy top with as little as 2 inches of cane attached to it. Just stick it into a pot of soil and keep it moist and shaded until it roots. I stuck one into the same pot the mother plant was growing in. It rooted in about a month.
The remainder of the cane can be cut into 3 inch segments and laid horizontally onto potting mix.

Push them in until they are half covered by soil.

Three shoots in a large pot will make a more pleasing Dracaena house plant than one.

Some cane pieces will make two sprouts, forming a double-stemmed Dracaena plant. These are pretty, so leave both stems in place.

Indoor Corn Plant Care
Indoor corn plant care instructions. Care for Dracaena fragrans. Pruning a Dracaena palm house plant.

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