Types of dracaena, its planting and care at home, cultivation and properties

Dracaena is a popular indoor plant that is found in almost every home. Each of the varieties of culture is considered exotic. This plant originally appeared on the African continent. Its name translates to “female dragon.” It is due to the fact that some varieties produce dark red juice, which has an oily consistency. This substance seemed to some to be similar to the blood of dragons.

Description of dracaena

Dracaena belongs to the Asparagus family. This culture is presented in the form of succulent trees and shrubs. It is most often found in Africa. However, some species can be seen in South Asia and tropical Central America.

Dahl's dictionary states that the name "dracaena" is translated as "female dragon" or "little dragon." At home, tree-like varieties of the crop are mainly grown, which visually resemble cordylines. This plant is sometimes called false palm. This is due to the external properties of culture. However, in fact, the plant does not belong to palm trees.

Most often, varieties such as Godsepha, bordered, and dragon are grown at home. Other types are considered more demanding to care for.

Dracaena is characterized by a very spectacular appearance. According to information obtained from various sources, there are 40-300 varieties of this crop. While the plant is young, its weakly branching shoots are complemented by a large number of sessile leaf blades, which have a leathery texture. They are wide or lanceolate. The leaves can be solid green, but there are also variegated varieties. There are also plants whose leaves are supplemented with stripes of different widths.They can be yellow, white or pink.

As the crop grows, the trunk becomes bare and woody. As a result, the bush takes on a majestic appearance. Some varieties produce a tuft of leaves at the top of the plant. Because of this, the culture becomes similar to a palm tree. There are also crops whose leaf blades are arranged in whorls or in a spiral.

Club-shaped roots do not form shoots. When cut, they are distinguished by a red-yellow hue. This culture is characterized by slow development. At the same time, he lives for quite a long time. When grown at home, dracaena blooms quite rarely. If this does happen, fragrant paniculate inflorescences appear on the bushes, which include white or light pink petals.

This plant looks quite impressive and is considered very unpretentious. Dracaena is often used for interior decoration. It can be a single crop or used to compose compositions.

Advantages, disadvantages and features

Dracaena is considered a safe plant that does not contain poisonous or toxic substances. This culture is completely harmless to people and pets. In addition, the flower purifies the air from harmful impurities and microbes. With its help, you can speed up the recovery process after intestinal operations and surgical interventions.

Dracaena also promotes the healing of skin lesions and prevents the development of dermatological pathologies. In addition, the culture strengthens bones and muscles. People who grow this flower are less likely to suffer from dental pathologies.

In addition to the obvious advantages, dracaena also has a number of disadvantages.Thus, it can lead to the development of allergies in people who are prone to such reactions. To minimize the negative impact of dracaena on health, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. Take care of the flower in a timely manner and regularly wipe its leaves. It is important to avoid the accumulation of dust on the surface of the plant.
2. If you are prone to allergies, do not place dracaena near your bed.
3. Limit access of children and pets to the plant.
4. Do not eat leaves.

How to care for her at home

In order for dracaena to develop well, it needs to be properly cared for. In this case, you should adhere to a number of rules.

Lighting settings

Dracaena is considered a light-loving crop. Many gardeners call the culture shade-loving, but this is a mistake. It is best to place the flower on an eastern or western windowsill. It is recommended to avoid direct sunlight. Therefore, the plant should be placed in places with diffused lighting.

If there is not enough of it, the dracaena will begin to lose its attractive color. It is also worth considering that plants with green leaves can easily develop in partial shade, while variegated varieties need more lighting.

Feeding mode

In autumn and winter, the growth of dracaena begins to slow down. Therefore, the plant does not need constant fertilization. In this case, from April to August it is necessary to add various mineral complexes. This is done at intervals of 2 weeks. Size, age and stage of development should be considered before using fertilizers.

Temperature

When growing dracaena at home, it should be provided with a temperature of +20 degrees. If the room is too hot, the crop will quickly wither and lose its attractiveness.

In the cool season, you can maintain parameters at +15 degrees. The influence of cold air and drafts negatively affects the appearance of dracaena.

How often to water

Dracaena is considered a moisture-loving crop. In this case, watering should be moderate. If you use too much moisture, it will cause the roots to rot. Therefore, it is recommended to control the drying out of the soil clod. The soil should be moistened when the top layer dries 3 centimeters.

In summer, it is recommended to moisten the bush 3 times a week and spray it all the time. In winter, the number of waterings should be reduced to 2 times. However, at high indoor temperatures, it is necessary to moisten the soil more often. For irrigation, you should use filtered or settled water at room temperature.

Trimming

Dracaena pruning is usually carried out during the breeding season. Usually this procedure is required when the bush loses its decorative properties. This is due to the fact that some types of dracaena can reach a height of 2-3 meters. In this case, leaves are present only at the top. As a result, the bush becomes less attractive.

To cope with such problems, gardeners trim the top part of the plant. In this case, the resulting cutting can subsequently be rooted. The part of the crop remaining in the pot continues to develop and leaves appear on it. This makes it possible to get two ornamental plants.

Transfer

This procedure must be carried out as needed. This should be done at intervals of 2-3 years. Dracaena is characterized by a superficial root system. Therefore, a thick layer of drainage must be provided at the bottom of the pot to avoid stagnation of moisture. It is best to buy ready-made soil. It is worth giving preference to a substrate for palm trees.

If the soil in the container is not depleted, but replanting is already needed, the bush can be replanted by transferring it to a larger pot. In this case, it is necessary to leave a lump of earth. A thick drainage layer should be provided at the bottom of the container. After transplanting, the bush needs to be watered abundantly.

The transplant can be carried out at a convenient time. At the same time, the time of year does not matter much. However, spring is considered the most suitable option for carrying out the procedure. Before transplanting dracaena, it is recommended to pour boiling water over a new clay container. After this, you need to keep it in water for a while. This will help the pores in the material open.

Then a clay shard should be placed at the bottom of the pot. In this case, it is recommended to point its convex side upward. Due to this, excess liquid will constantly flow into the pan. Drainage is placed on top of the shard. Its thickness should be 20-30 millimeters. For this, perlite or coarse sand is used.

The finished substrate needs to be placed in a heap in a pot. Then you should remove the bush from the previous pot and place it in the center of the new one. Then you need to carefully straighten the roots and fill the container with substrate. It is necessary to knock the pot on the floor from time to time so that the earth settles well and fills all the voids.

Reproduction instructions

To propagate dracaena, it is permissible to use various planting materials obtained from the mother plant. In most cases, cuttings and layering are used for this. However, sometimes the flower is propagated by seed. Each method has its own pros and cons. Moreover, they directly depend on the correctness of the planting work.

Cuttings

This method of propagating dracaena involves using the top of the stem. The stalk must be cut with pruning shears along with the leaf bunch. The size of the segment should be at least 10-15 centimeters. This will simplify the work with planting material. In this case, the cutting angle can be any. It is made flat or at an angle. It is important to avoid damaging the bark. Otherwise, there is a high probability of stem rotting.

Rooting of cuttings is carried out in sand or vermiculite. It is also permissible to use ordinary water at room temperature. After strong roots have formed, the prepared part of the plant can be moved to a separate planting container with drainage installed.

Each cutting needs to be deepened into the soil 2-3 centimeters, watered and covered with a cut bottle. Thanks to this, the escape will take root faster. The temperature in the room at first should not be less than +22-24 degrees.

From seeds

This propagation method is mainly used for green-leafed varieties as they germinate faster. It is best to plant dracaena seeds in March-April. It is permissible to use a mixture based on sand and peat as a substrate.

To plant a plant, it is recommended to do the following:

1. Remove the pulp from the ripened seeds. This should be done if the grains have recently been collected from the mother crop. It is recommended to soak purchased seeds for a day in a solution of Epin or Zircon.
2. Prepare the substrate. To do this, you need to mix peat and sand in equal parts.
3. Distribute the soil into glasses with drainage holes and lightly moisten it.
4. Deepen each grain into the soil 0.5-1 centimeter and cover it with a bag.
5. Take the containers to a warm and bright place. The temperature there should be +25-30 degrees.
6. Keep the soil moist.
7. Ventilate the seedlings every day, protecting them from direct sunlight.
8. When the plants reach 4-5 centimeters, transplant them into pots with a diameter of 7 centimeters and place them in a permanent place. At this stage, the plantings do not need to be covered.
9. Maintain the room temperature at +21-24 degrees.

When propagating dracaena using the seed method, you should not expect rapid growth of young shoots. Often this process takes 30-180 days.

Using stem segments

Plants need to be propagated by stem cuttings in the spring. This method is suitable for gardeners who want to produce many bushes in a short period of time. If you plan to transport harvested cuttings for a long time, the cut areas should be treated with paraffin. This helps them maintain their ability to form roots longer.

To plant a plant you need to do the following:

1. Take cuttings from the main or side stem of the mother crop. Their length should be at least 5-20 centimeters. Therefore, it is better to place the cut along the leaf scars.
2. Root the prepared cuttings in peat or sand. This can be done vertically or horizontally.In the first case, the lower part needs to be deepened 2-3 centimeters into the substrate, in the second, the cuttings are simply placed on the ground.
3. Maintain the room temperature at +20-24 degrees.
4. Cover the containers with glass or oilcloth.
5. When strong roots appear on the cuttings, move them to a separate container. It is important to provide high-quality drainage and nutrient soil. It usually takes 1 month for planting material to germinate.

Possible diseases

In order for the cultivation of dracaena to be successful, it is necessary to prevent the development of pathologies and pest attacks. Most often, dracaena suffers from the following pathologies:

1. Alternaria blight - accompanied by the formation of pale brown spots with a light center. They can be localized not only on the foliage, but also on the trunk of the crop. After some time, the tissues in these places begin to die and wither.
2. Heterosporosis - characterized by the appearance of elongated light areas with a light border. Subsequently, they become covered with a greenish-gray coating.
3. Bacteriosis - in this case, the tips of the leaves of the plant become dark brown, and the trunk and petioles are covered with small round ulcerative defects. Healthy fragments are usually separated from the affected tissue by a wide yellow stripe. It has an oily surface.
4. Fusarium - accompanied by the appearance of yellow areas on the plant. In this case, a watery border is located along the contour of the leaves. The top of the trunk quickly fades. It itself becomes thinner and dries out. Sometimes fusarium causes the spread of brown spots on the plant.
5. Bacterial rot - it can be identified by watery spots on all fragments of the crop. Over time, they provoke complete soaking of the damaged elements.

These are not all the diseases that dracaena can encounter.You can often see traces of brown or gray rot on bushes. The crop may also suffer from brown spotting. Sometimes the plant is affected by powdery mildew, which manifests itself in the form of a brown coating on the foliage.

Pests

When grown indoors, dracaena is resistant to parasites. However, sometimes the plant still suffers from aphids, thrips, and scale insects. The crop can also be affected by spider mites and mealybugs.

If one of the parasites settles on the plant, it may shed damaged leaves. For small numbers of insects, a soap solution can be used. It is recommended to constantly wipe the surface of the stems and leaves with this product.

If dracaena is affected by spider mites, you should use a hot soapy solution at a temperature of approximately +50 degrees. After this, you need to treat the bush with a suitable insecticidal substance.

Yellowing of foliage

The leaves at the bottom of the bush may turn yellow as a result of natural processes. The average lifespan of each leaf is 2 years. At the same time, old leaves do not die off so quickly. If yellowed fragments reduce the decorative properties of the crop, they must be carefully removed.

Wood is drying out - what to do

If the edges of the leaves begin to dry out and the ends have acquired a brown tint, this indicates increased dryness of the air in the room. In this case, you need to systematically moisten the crop using a sprayer.

If the bush has not been replanted for 3 or 4 years in a row, salts may accumulate in the substrate. They interfere with the absorption of nutrients by the root system. Sometimes the tips of young leaves become dark or dry out due to the use of excessive amounts of fertilizer. In this case, the substrate becomes unsuitable for the subsequent development of the bush. In this case, the suction roots die. If the dracaena begins to dry out, but does not experience a moisture deficiency, it is necessary to replace the substrate.

Causes of rot

Initially, the rot affects the upper parts of the leaves, after which it gradually spreads further. This problem can be caused by bacteriosis, which is an infectious pathology.

Also, the processes of plant rotting are caused by a lack of light, low air temperature and constant stagnation of moisture in the soil. In addition, a provoking factor is a too dense, heavy or structureless substrate. After eliminating the existing problems and trimming the affected leaves, it will most likely be possible to save the crop.

If bacteriosis develops, the leaves become covered with damp, rotting spots. In this case, a yellow stripe appears between healthy and affected tissues. It will most likely not be possible to cure an infected dracaena. The development of bacteriosis may be associated with the influence of various factors. These include high humidity, deficiency of potassium and phosphorus, and alkaline substrate. Elevated air temperature may also be a provoking factor.

Why does dracaena fall off?

Sometimes the leaves become pale and lose turgor. After which they die. The reason may be the influence of too low temperatures.In this case, the bush needs to be moved to a warm place and sprayed with a spray bottle. It is recommended to use warm water. Then you should transplant the dracaena into a fresh substrate, cutting off the rotten roots. It is also recommended to cut off the top part of the bush to save the flower. After this, it can be rooted.

Leaves often fly off due to systematic stagnation of moisture and hypothermia of the earthen coma. This process is caused by the appearance of rot on the roots. After this, pathological processes provoke rotting of the stem. To save the bush, you need to cut off healthy fragments from it. They need to be rooted.

Various infectious pathologies can also lead to plant damage. These include phyllosticosis and alternaria. Another common problem is light brown spotting. Typically, old bushes that do not receive the necessary care face similar problems.

To treat the affected dracaena, it should be sprayed with a fungicide solution. To do this, you can mix 2 grams of Fundazol with 1 liter of water. The resulting liquid must be used for spraying. The procedure is carried out three times with an interval of 1.5 weeks.

Popular types

There are quite a few varieties of dracaenas, each of which has certain characteristics.

Dracaena marginata

This graceful bush does not exceed 3 meters in height. After some time, the stem becomes woody. The leaf plates have a curved shape and can reach a length of 50-70 centimeters. Their color is influenced by the variety. The leaves may be green or have a dark purple stripe on the surface. They are also often complemented by a wide stripe of yellow or red.

Dracaena sanderiana

This shrub has a thin short trunk. Unlike other varieties, the leaves are greenish-gray in color. They are short and twisted. This plant is quite compact and does not exceed 80 centimeters in height. Cuttings cut from a bush take root easily in water. This variety does not require moistening the leaves with a spray bottle.

Fragrant dracaena (Dracaena fragrans)

This species is characterized by inflorescences with a pleasant smell. The peduncle reaches a length of 90 centimeters. At its tops, inflorescences are formed that resemble small fluffy balls. When grown indoors, this variety blooms extremely rarely. Foliage collected in a rosette can reach 100 centimeters in length and 10 centimeters in width. The glossy leaves are complemented by a wide yellow stripe.

Dracaena compacta

This graceful plant is a variety of fragrant dracaena. Its narrow foliage is dark green in color and forms dense, shiny tufts. Some representatives of this species are quite large in size.

Dracaena Deremensis

This beautiful plant grows up to 1.5 meters. It is complemented by large dark green leaves. They are distinguished by their leathery structure. There are 2 white longitudinal stripes on the surface.

Dragon Dracaena (Dracaena draco)

Visually, the bush resembles a large cactus. Its thick branches bear pointed leaves that form in bunches. This species is characterized by slow growth and sometimes branches. When the crop is damaged, the release of colorless, resinous juice begins. When exposed to air, it takes on a blood-red hue.

Dracaena reflexa, or Dracaena reflexa

This vigorous shrub is complemented by a large number of leaves. There are several rosettes on each branch. The long leaves curve downward and are pointed at the top. They are characterized by an olive green color and a cream border.

Dracaena Godsefa (Dracaena surculosa)

Visually, the culture differs from other varieties. The height of the bush does not exceed 60 centimeters. It has oval leaves that are pointed at the top. Their surface is covered with white or cream spots. This variety is also called golden dracaena.

Dracaena is a fairly common crop that is often grown at home. In order for the plant to develop normally, it is important to provide it with proper care. Protection from diseases and pests is also of great importance.