Dragon tree: professional tips about the dracaena

The dragon tree is often found as a houseplant. Plantura has summarized all the important facts about the dragon tree for you.

Dragon tree: properties and origin

The Dragon Tree (dracaena) is a very popular and popular houseplant. Like the yucca palm, it belongs to the asparagus family (Asparagales), even if that might be a bit irritating at first glance. The origin of the name is Greek and means something like "female dragon". There are several theories about the naming. On the one hand, the dragon tree often grows more than one new shoot in the place where an old one was removed - like a mythical dragon that grows two heads if you cut one off. On the other hand, the name could come from the fact that escaping resin in injured areas turns red when hardened and is traditionally referred to as dragon's blood. Wherever the name comes from, the dragon tree is an easy-care eye-catcher for every living room that can do with little attention. It only flowers in very few cases because the conditions in our living rooms are suboptimal. Depending on the species, the variegated foliage forms green, red or white colored leaf edges and thus adorns the indoor palms, which can grow up to two meters high. We'll tell you how to successfully grow the popular houseplant yourself.

Dragon tree species: The most popular and beautiful species

The dragon tree genus is one of the smaller in number. Currently there are more than 50 Types of Dragon Tree famous. We give you an overview of the most popular types and list special features.

Dracaena fragrans

• Commonly planted dragon tree species
• Strongly fragrant bloom (with proper care)
• Shiny, green variegated leaves

Dracaena deremensis

• Mostly white leaf margins, dull green leaves
• Relatively short but very broad leaves
• Special aesthetics due to wide leaves

Dracaena reflexa

• Previously known as Dracaena marginata
• Up to 2 m high growth
• Dark green leaves
• Pretty tough; low maintenance requirements
• Mostly reddish variegated leaf edges
• Tolerant to fluctuations in light and temperature

dracaena draco

• Also known as "Canary Dragon Tree".
• Elongated, sword-shaped leaves
• Reaches heights of up to 1.60 m

Dracaena surculosa

• Looks like bamboo
• Origin: Tropical Africa
• Requires high temperatures (constant >15 °C)
• Relatively wide leaves with mottled patterns
• Can be propagated by division

More information about Dragon tree species and varieties can be found here.

Dragon Tree: The perfect location

The perfect location for the dragon tree depends entirely on its species. Roughly speaking, the plants need more light the less green their leaves are. It is possible to slowly expose dragon trees with more green leaves to increased exposure to light get used to it, but it is safer if you put your dragon tree in a semi-shady place place. Colorful species, on the other hand, can safely be exposed to higher levels of radiation.

Tip: Rotate your dragon tree regularly to prevent one-sided growth. With this you can avoid unsightly crooked growth.

Which location is best for pet owners and whether the dragon tree is poisonous or not, find out here.

Propagate dragon tree yourself

The propagation of the dragon tree can be easily carried out by cuttings. We give you step-by-step instructions so that nothing can go wrong.

1. If possible, cut off the dragon tree 10 cm below the shoot tip
2. Seal interface (usually with wax)
3. Remove leaves with sharp scissors to leave 1 cm of remainder to focus nutrient supply on roots and minimize transpiration through leaves
4. Place the cuttings in a container with water or stick them in an airy substrate for the propagation of cuttings
5. Within the next two to three weeks, roots should form at the end of the stem
6. Dragon tree is ready for planting in pot

Maintain dragon tree properly

As mentioned at the beginning, the dragon tree requires only a small part of your attention. With little effort, great results can be achieved that make the heart of every dragon tree owner beat faster. We tell you what is important.

water the dragon tree

The dragon tree likes to be watered regularly so that the soil stays moist all the time. However, you must ensure that the saucer or planter does not become waterlogged in order to avoid mold and rot. Evaporation is reduced in the darker winter months, so you should also adjust the amount of water slightly.

Fertilize dragon tree

The dragon tree is a very vigorous plant. It is therefore important that you fertilize your darling regularly. Organic fertilizers are particularly suitable for long-term healthy fertilization. These improve the structural properties of the plant substrate, promote soil life and also supply nutrients over a longer period of time. An organic liquid fertilizer like our Plantura is easy to use Organic room and green plant fertilizer, which is simply administered over the irrigation water.

dragon tree in winter

The treatment of the dragon tree in winter is not very different from that of summer, since as a houseplant it is not subject to large fluctuations. During the shorter winter days, the growth of your dragon tree will also slow down, so you should refrain from fertilizing. Irrigation must also be adapted to the reduced evaporation.

If you have something deeper in you right Caring for your dragon tree If you want to take a look, we have compiled everything that is important here in a little more detail.

Repot dragon tree

Most dragon tree varieties are relatively vigorous. That is why it is important to always keep the size of the planter in mind.

Why repot the dragon tree?

The dragon tree needs enough space to spread its roots, so it makes sense to give it a larger environment on a regular basis. The diameter of the new vessel only has to be three to five centimeters larger than that of the old one. If the root ball does not bind the plant substrate too much, feel free to shake off some of the old soil. Filling with new substrate loosens the soil and improves permeability.

Tip: Repotting your dragon tree will be much easier if the soil is not completely saturated with water. So don't water your darling for two days before repotting. He can certainly cope with this without permanent damage.

When to repot the dragon tree?

Experience has shown that a single repotting is sufficient for the first two to three years. In the following years you will have to adjust the size of the pot more frequently to the growth height of your dragon tree - maybe even once a year. Basically, the dragon tree must be repotted when the root system has rooted through the entire planter.

Which substrate is suitable for repotting the dragon tree?

The dragon tree prefers slightly acidic soil, which is why you can prepare a good environment for it with commercially available potting soil. The pH of the substrate should be just over 6. You can either read the packaging of the plant substrate or use a pH test strip to check the pH range of the plant soil.

Tip: If the selected substrate does not quite meet the requirements, you can help yourself. Simply mix in some peat or coffee grounds.

For more tips from the expert, check out our dedicated article “Repot dragon tree”.

cut dragon tree

Unfavorable circumstances (especially poor lighting conditions) can lead to the dragon tree developing rather unsightly leaf growth, or simply not growing enough leaves. You can counteract this by shortening the dragon tree. We explain how to do it.

When to cut dragon tree?

It is difficult to pinpoint a perfect time to prune your dragon tree as the timing always depends on the reason for the pruning. If you cut your dragon tree for propagation, this should preferably be done in the spring so that the cuttings can grow well during the long summer days. However, if you prune your dragon tree to maintain a nice shape, timing is relatively unimportant. A cut should be adjusted as needed, for example if leaf growth slows down. If you plan to make a radical cut, we recommend doing this in the winter months so that the loss of substance can be compensated for in spring and summer.

how to cut dragon tree

1. Separate the dragon tree a few centimeters below the leaf base of the main shoot. This promotes branching or the formation of new side shoots.
2. Seal the interface (e.g. with candle wax).
3. After a few weeks (usually two) new shoots form below the interface.
4. After a few more days, the first leaf bases grow.

A more detailed guide on how to set up your Cut dragon tree ideally, you'll find here.

Dragon Tree: Yellow and brown leaves

The coloring of the leaves of the dragon tree can have many causes. If you have problems with such phenomena yourself, simply go through our checklist to get to the bottom of the matter:

• Direct sunlight: The variegated, mostly two-tone leaves can lose stability and turn slightly yellow if the sun is too strong. The following applies: the greener the leaf, the less sun your dragon tree can tolerate. A simple change of location can fix the problem.
• deficiency symptoms: The dragon tree is very vigorous, which is why it needs to be supplied with sufficient water and nutrients. If it lacks either of the two, it can end up drooping. You can counteract the whole thing with regular water and fertilizer.
• waterlogging: In contrast to deficiency symptoms, over-care can also harm your dragon tree. If the water in the planter is too high, root respiration can be restricted or even interrupted, which also leads to yellow leaves.
• Fungal disease and putrefactive bacteria: Dragon trees are susceptible to fungal and bacterial attack. Both are caused by low temperatures and excessive and permanent moisture in the plant substrate, which is why this infestation often takes place during the winter. Infestation by fungi or bacteria usually manifests itself in the softening of the trunk and later also in the discoloration of the leaves. The best way to control fungal and bacterial infestations is to take preventive measures. Make sure the temperatures are appropriate and avoid waterlogging in any case.

In addition to the dragon tree, there are numerous other plants that could enrich your interior. We have one for you List of the best plants for indoors compiled.