What Is Dracaena Marginata

Dracaena marginata is an upright plant that has a tuft of slender leaves sprouting from the top of a slender cane. The standard Dracaena marginata has green leaves with a red edge. The striped leaves of D. marginata “Tricolor” are green in the middle with a cream band and a red edge on the outside of the leaves.

Plant taxonomists have recently reclassified Dracaena marginata and given it the new Latin name, Dracaena cincta.

It is a plant of the Liliaceae family, originating in tropical Africa. Its domestication for decorative use proved to best suit the growth indoors. Its easy cultivation, colorful, finesse of foliage, and Porte make this Dracaena an ornamental plant and perfect interior ornament.

Depending on the variety, the leaves are nuanced in different colors. Growing up, it loses the lower leaves leaving naked a delicate stem that usually arches, creating very decorative effects. It does not need much space as it grows to the top, reaching two meters in height, providing a focus and eye-catching attraction in the living room.

How to care for a dracaena marginata

It is a domestic plant trendy for the ornamentation of its leaves, colored between intense green and pale green with red edges according to species and cultivars. Unlike many indoor varieties that are more delicate in the adaptation process and require more care, Dracena marginata stands out for its durability with less attention.

It requires a minimum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and is more tolerant than most plants to dry soil and irregular irrigation. Since it requires little care, it is trendy in offices where constant heat and light are conducive to it; it grows properly with 63 to 73% shade, although the red of the edges becomes more vivid with direct exposure to the sun.

One of the secrets of this plant is that it does not need to be overwatered, as it can survive without much water. If the soil is constantly moist, it accumulates excess water in its roots, they drown and end up rotting. As a result, it loses leaves, and the trunk may be affected by rot. Therefore, it is one of those plants that should be watered when it is observed that the soil has dried up.

Another factor to consider for proper maintenance is that the Dracaena does not withstand low temperatures. Below 14 degrees Celsius, the plant suffers. Its optimal development is between 22o and 26o C.

Maintenance needs a little more attention paid to the leaves’ state because they are suffering indicators. The dry tips are due to arid environments, so spraying the plant with warm water might help. Yellowing and loss of lower leaves are normal and are part of the growth rate of the dracaenas; the older leaves wither and fall.

If the leaves fall off and new ones are not born

It happens when the plant has suffered a cold, which happens when the temperature drops below 14C. When the foliage becomes curly and shows yellow and brown edges and dots, it means that it was subjected to excessive heat and lack of moisture, which led to dehydration.

About pests and diseases

dracaena is usually attacked by piglets and red spiders that deteriorate the beauty of the plant and its health, so its appearance must be prevented. A suitable method is to regularly spray the plant’s foliage with warm water since these parasites thrive in dry environments.

A simple solution created with a tablespoon of detergent can be used in one liter of water to remove the piglets. A sprayer sprays well, trunk, branches, leaves, and even the earth. Use daily until they disappear. Another option is to do it with alcohol to burn at 5%, and sprays are made at least three times in five days. You can also remove insects one by one with a cotton swab.

The red spider appears in a dry and hot environment, a typical summer plague. High ambient humidity maintained with sprays prevents the pest, as they do not multiply in humid climates.

But to attack her, you have to use a tobacco solution. It is macerated for three days in a cool place, the contents of three blond cigarettes (without the filter or paper) in a liter of water. Once filtered, it is used to spray directly onto the plant until the spiders disappear.

Plant Details

Common name: Dracaena

Zones: 10-12

Height: 15 to 20 feet

Bloom color: White

Bloom time: Seasonal bloomer

Location: Part shade

Water requirements: Medium

Characteristics: This plant resembles a mini palm tree and is easy to grow as a houseplant. It features glossy, sword-shaped leaves with red stripes along the edges. As new leaves emerge from the top, mature leaves on the bottom drop away.

Several Dracaena of varying heights can be planted in each pot to produce a “fuller” specimen. In its original habitat of Madagascar, the Dracaena marginata can grow up to 20 feet tall.

Culture: This plant, also called a “dragon tree,” tolerates a wide range of indoor temperatures. For the brightest leaf color, place in partial sunlight.

Keep potting soil wet in the growing season, but reduce watering in fall and winter. Indoor plants can grow up to 6 feet tall but rarely bloom. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.