Dracena (COM)Dracaena) – one of the most spectacular decorative deciduous plants. It has about 150 species, native to tropical and subtropical Africa and the islands of Southeast Asia. Recently, many connoisseurs of indoor plants have fallen in love with dracaena. The specific forms of this flowerpot differ significantly from each other in shape, color of leaves and flowers, which means that dracaena can “sound” very differently in the interior. How to care for dracaena at home, propagate, transplant and fight its diseases, we will tell in this article.
Драцена. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Jerzy Opioła
The Latin name of the genus is Dracaena, which means “female dragon”. As the Russian name of the genus, the word “dracaena” is usually used, sometimes “dragon” or “dragon tree”.
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How to distinguish dracaena from cordilina
Earlier in the botanical classification, Dracaena, as well as the genera Cordilina and Yucca, belonged to the Agave family (Agavaceae), but after that a separate family of Dracene (Dracaenaceae). The new classification (APG III) includes the genus Dracaena in the family Asparagus (Asparagaceae).
Some of the adult dracaena are mistakenly called palm trees, confused with yucca, often referred to as cordilina dracaena, and vice versa. Systematic scientists have long figured out the systematic position of dracaena and cordilin. To avoid mistakes in caring for these plants, you need to be able to distinguish dracaena from cordilina.
In decorative floriculture, dracaena are distinguished from cordilin by their roots. In dracaena, the roots are orange-yellow and smooth, while in cordilina the rhizomes are white and thickened. Dracaena leaves are sessile (that is, without cuttings), linear, leathery, with parallel veins. In some species of dracaena, the leaves are collected in a bunch at the top of the stem, in others, they are located along the entire stem in whorls or a spiral.
Dracaena care at home
Location
Among the dracaena, there are many plants with variegated leaves. Such dracaena should be kept in bright light so that their leaves do not lose their pattern. Green-leaved dracaena are placed in a bright place protected from direct sunlight.
Many consider dracaena to be a shade-loving plant, but in fact, in a dark place, it will wither. Intense light is needed for good growth and development. If there is enough light in the summer, then in the winter the dracaena should be rearranged closer to the window, because in winter there is usually not enough light.
Temperature
Moderate, not lower than + 15 ° С, most dracaena prefer a cool winter at a temperature of + 10- + 12 ° С.
The optimum temperature for dracaena in summer is + 18- + 25 ° C. Hardy dracaena (dragon tree, fragrant dracaena, Hooker’s dracaena) feel good in the fresh air, in a place protected from drafts. These are plants of cold greenhouses; in winter, they calmly tolerate temperatures of + 12 ° C and even lower.
Watering
It is necessary to constantly maintain an even moisture content of the substrate in the pot with dracaena, but not to allow waterlogging. Drying out of the earthy coma is also undesirable. At low temperatures of the content, it is necessary to reduce watering dracaena to a minimum, alternating with light loosening of the soil. The air in the room should be humid and warm; when it gets very hot, spray the plant once a day.
Frequent spraying of dracaena is a kind of prevention against the appearance of a spider mite. Give the plant a warm shower from time to time to wash off the dust and refresh the plant, but it is imperative to cover the ground with a plastic bag so as not to overmoisten it.
Dry brown leaf tips are often found in dracaena when kept in rooms with central heating in winter.
Fertilizer
During the growth period from April to August, every two weeks, dracaena are fed with special complex fertilizers for indoor plants. In autumn and winter, feeding dracaena should be done less often.
Dracena. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com lawnkart.com
Dracaena transplant
Dracaena can be replanted in the spring every two years or, if it grows very quickly, every year. For transplanting dracaena, a larger pot is taken, shards or pebbles are placed on the bottom as drainage, then a mixture based on earth or peat. Recommended soil mix: equal amounts of turf, leafy soil, humus, peat and sand. Dracaena roots need space; a pot with a diameter of 15 cm is suitable for a 40 cm plant.
Reproduction of dracaena
Dracaena is propagated by apical cuttings, layering, or by stem pieces rooted under a film in the soil at a temperature of 25 ° C. You can reproduce in several ways:
1. Apical cuttings: the upper part of the old plant is cut off and the apical cutting is rooted using phytohormones and lower heating.
2. Layers: get air layers from the top of the plant, which is then cut off.
3. Stem sections: parts of the stem 5-7 cm long are used as stem cuttings. Stem sections are rooted under the film at a temperature of + 25 ° C. Breeding dracaena is not difficult, since the pieces of the stems perfectly tolerate transportation and serve as planting material. More resistant are plants with green leaves. Dracaena with narrow rigid xiphoid leaves require increased attention.
Diseases and pests
With proper care, dracaena rarely get sick.
Dracaena leaves can dry out with insufficient watering, and light dry spots appear when the leaves are burned by direct sunlight. In this case, it is necessary to establish watering and spraying and find a suitable place for the plant.
Of the pests of dracaena, they are most often affected by the scabbard (brown plaques on the underside of the leaf) or spider mite (a small bug that lives on the lower half of the leaf). The upper side of the affected leaf is covered with yellow spots, and a cobweb appears between the leaves.
The scabbard is removed with soapy water, after which it is advisable to treat the plant with an insecticide; in case of severe damage to the pest, the treatment must be repeated weekly. Spider mites are fought by spraying with acaricide. But it is worth repeating that with regular spraying and rubbing the leaves with a wet cloth, the pests usually do not affect the dracaena.
Dracaena. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Irune Ribera
I share my personal experience: we have a dracaena about 5-6 years old already. A completely unpretentious plant, now it has grown to an impressive size. No special care – abundant watering and replanting at the right time! I must say, it grows very beautifully up, like in the jungle!
