How to Grow Dracaena

Dracaena plants, with their strap-like leaves and tree-like appearance, add variety to your houseplant collection. There are several popular types of dracaena plants, including “lucky bamboo” (Dracaena sanderiana), which is actually not a bamboo at all. Dracaena fragrans, called “corn plant,” has thick brown stems and green leaves (often with a yellow stripe down the middle) that look like those of a corn plant. Dracaena deremensis is a sturdy type that has thinner leaf blades than Dracaena fragrans; popular varieties include Janet Craig and Limelight. You may also want to consider Dracaena marginata, sometimes called “dragon tree.” It has thin brown stems with tufts of spiky leaves on top, and can grow to be 6-10 feet tall.

All of these varieties are easy to care for. Just follow these tips for growing dracaena plants.

Grow dracaena indoors in bright, indirect light. Most types will tolerate fairly low light conditions, but you’ll notice increased growth if you move plants to sunnier locations. Don’t put them where the sun will shine directly on them, though, as the leaves may scorch. Dracaena plants are perfectly well suited to home and office conditions, but sometimes suffer from a lack of humidity. If you know it’s exceptionally dry in your home, or if leaf tips begin turning brown, spritz leaves with water every few days, or place pots on trays filled with pebbles and water. (Make sure the water level is below the bottom edge of the pot so the plant doesn’t suck up too much water.) As the water evaporates, the surrounding humidity will increase.

Select a container that is no more than one-third larger than the root ball of your plant. Fill one-third of the container with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix, which is formulated to be less prone to gnats, and contains no compost or bark that they can use as shelter. (Fungus gnats are a common issue with dracaena plants.) The mix also wets easily, thanks in part to the coconut coir it contains.

Place the plant in the container and situate it so that the top of the plant root ball is about just about an inch below the top of the container (so you can water the plant without the water running over the edge of the pot). Fill in around the root ball with more potting mix. Thoroughly water the plant and let it drain, then move to its permanent location in the house.

Dracaena plants are sensitive to fluoride, which is a common ingredient in municipal water and may cause plants to develop burnt leaf edges. If you don’t use well water or rain water to water your plants, consider purchasing distilled water to keep them hydrated.

Allow the top inch of the soil to dry out between waterings, as dracaena plants do not grow well in soggy soil. Cut back on watering during the fall and winter, when growth slows.

A month after planting, begin feeding plants once a week with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food to give them an instant boost of nutrition. Apply directly to soil and water as normal. Be sure to follow label directions. Reduce frequency of feedings during the cold (low-growth) months.