The Red-Edged dracaena plant (Dracaena Marginata) has spectacular thin, tapered leaves giving the dragon tree a spiky appearance. Its young stems can be woven or braided into various shapes. Cut the stem back to the height you want the branches to begin. Direct sunlight will burn the plant’s ... Watering. Dracaena marginata, commonly known as a Madagascar dragon tree, is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that looks like a small, multi-trunked tree. Prune the young stems on the Madagascar dragon tree plant to promote branch development. Set the Madagascar dragon tree in bright sunlight for two to three days to force the branches into bending toward the bright light. A Dr. Seuss plant indeed. She holds a Bachelor of Science in animal science and business from University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Make sure the dracaena plant receives minimum sunlight during day times. 1. Dracaena marginata is an attractive, stiff-leaved plant with colorful foliage that sometimes goes by the name \"dragon tree.\" Most of the time its sold simply as Dracaena marginata or just Dracaena. From April to May, your dracaena plant comes out of rest mode and gets ready to go into the blooming season. Poisonous for cats!The dragon trees (Dracaena Marginata) are the perfect beginner’s plant, because they will hold no grudge when at first the care is not sufficient. This variety has very thin, straplike leaves and a skinny trunk. Evergreen, shiny leaves 30 to 40 cm long 8. Plant family: Agavaceae 2. Skip this step if you want tall, singular branches on the plant. Genus: Dracaena 3. 1. Cut into the Dracaena's stem where you want roots to appear using a sharp knife. It will grow up to 6 feet when planted in a container and up to 20 feet when planted in the ground. Here’s how to care for your own dracaena marginata indoors. Potting and Soil. Light. The long leaves mostly grow straight, with only the longest ones arching over. The dragon tree thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11. You can cut it back as far as you want. Dracaena is a genus of about 40 versatile, easy-to-grow plants with distinctive, strappy leaves. She previously worked as a technical writer for a software development company, creating software documentation, help documents and training curriculum. Light wire can also be used to tie branches together and train them into a desired shape. Dracaena Marginata, also called the Madagascar dragon tree, is a tropical plant with bright foliage and flexible, narrow stems. Cut across the stem at the desired height with clean, sharp, pruning shears. The leaves also come in a few different colors such as magenta or tricolor. Rotate the container as the branches bend to train the plant into a spiral shape. It’s much spikier and spherical, and as it grows has a very unique and alien look to it. You can cut back to the main trunk, or to any length you desire, to produce a … Potted dracaena marginata Growing Dracaena marginata in a pot requires good soil mix that can be amended with ⅓ compost, if you’ve got some at hand. Choose a point on the dragon tree stem to make the cut. Soil. Dracaenas are striking architectural plants, native to western and tropical Africa. Loucks also trains for full marathons, half-marathons and shorter distance running. Tufts of sword-shaped green leaves reaching up to 3 feet-long emerge from the top of long, slender stems. Slightly angle the cut so … Dracaena Marginata Info. Rotating the container in different positions forces the branches to naturally bend, twist and curve into a desired shape. To start a new plant from the cutting, allow the portion of plant you removed to dry for a day or two, and then insert the cutting about 3 or 4 inches deep in the soil at the base of the parent dragon tree. Red-Margined Dracaena houseplant care is easy and requires only a consistent room temperature, moderate watering, and bright filtered to low light. Madagascar dragon tree, Dracaena marginata, has dark green, strappy leaves with a narrow band of dark red around the margins. Dragon tree stems can be braided together or allowed to grow as … Dracaena sanderiana, or lucky bamboo, isn't a bamboo despite its name. Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata) This may be the most popular dracaena variety and is the one you’re probably used to seeing most frequently. Lay the potted Madagascar dragon tree on its side for several days to force the branches to bend upward to the light. The Tarzan is the latest entrant in the list of dracaena marginata varieties. Depending on the cultivar, dracaena may reach heights of up to 10 feet (3 m.) or even more, which means that regular dracaena trimming will probably be necessary. Many dracaenas, such as the the Madagascar dragon-tree (Dracaena marginata), are tender and survive outdoors only in U.S. Although dracaena is suitable for growing outdoors in USDA plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, it is most often grown as a houseplant. She now writes hobby-based articles on cooking, gardening, sewing and running. Since each stem is topped by one tuft of leaves, the only way to shape the tree is to determine the height of the stems and encourage branching through pruning. She spent six years working in a private boarding school, where her focus was English, algebra and geometry. Dracaena Marginata Care. The species possesses a treelike shape with a spindly trunk topped by an airy crown of slender, pointed leaves, which works equally well as … In lower to medium light, water Dracaena marginata when the potting soil has dried almost to the bottom. One of the most popular species is the Dracaena marginata, also frequently called dragon tree, Madagascar dragon tree, and red-edged dracaena. How to Prune Evergreen Shrubs and Juniper Trees, Missouri Botanical Garden: Dracaena Marginata, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Dracaena Marginata "Tricolor", Danielle's Garden Blog: Dracaena Marginata Pruning. You can snip the stem anywhere from 10 inches or 5 feet above the ground, depending on whether you want a low-growing set of branches or just want to take a bit off the top of the shrub. Dracaena Marginata Plant Care How To Water. I’ve seen plants with single stems which have reached at least 10′ tall with just a few spikes of foliage at the top. The practice of taking stem cuttings is useful for rejuvenating overgrown houseplants such as dracaena. Kokemuller is an authorized substitute teacher and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Iowa. Remove stems when they don’t grow in tandem with the rest of the plant. The best time to prune the shrub is in the spring during active growth. Follow instructions & warning labels on fertilizers before applying them. How do you Care for a Dracaena Marginata? Choose a pot with drainage that’s just a few inches larger than the root ball so the root system has room to grow. This will help prevent the spread of disease between plants. Dracaena marginata, or the dragon tree, is a houseplant that has elegant long, thin leaves with red edges.The lower leaves gradually fall away to reveal a thin trunk. Wear gloves and face masks if you are dealing with fertilizers. Move the plant once the branches have bent into the desired position. Jill Kokemuller has been writing since 2010, with work published in the "Daily Gate City." A well-draining indoor potting mix with some peat moss mixed in will be fine … Popular name: Dragon Tree 5. Discovered by coincidence in 1998 by the Sunshine Tropical Foliage South Florida, the Tarzan stands out amongst others for its sturdy appearance. Especially the Dracaena … Pruning a lower stem boosts growth of the upper part of the plant. Dracaena marginatas, or Madagascar Dragon trees as they are sometimes called, are easy-care , durable, indoor plants well suited for offices and homes. Use a spray bottle to saturate the soil … Slightly angle the cut so water will not collect on top of the cut surface. In order to enhance drainage, pour clay pebbles or small stones into the pot to form a layer at the bottom. These plants prefer bright, indirect light. Pruning your plants before they hit the growth period keeps them healthy. The Dracaena Tarzan is a cultivar of Dracaena Marginata, or the Madagascar Dragon Tree. Remove the wire after several weeks, or once the branch remains in the shape without the wire for support. Move it into an upright position or rotate the container once the branches have bent into the desired position. Dracaena marginata becomes interesting over time. Step-by-Step on How to Train a Dwarf Schefflera Bonsai, Missouri Botanical Garden: Dracaena Marginata, How to Twist the Trunk of a Madagascar Dragon Tree. Plants produce bold rosettes of strap-like leaves at the tip of each shoot, as older leaves gradually fade and fall to leave bare stems at the base. They can grow in medium or low light but will grow slower. Prune a ‘V’ shape, mirroring the organic shape of the leaves, and your Dracaena will look good as new. This also makes it easier to shape the plants into your ideal look. The alluring and popular Dracaena marginata loves to grow and sometimes twist every which way. 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