A slender trunk topped with a tuft of narrow, red-edged leaves: the dracaena brings a touch of palm to your room, copes with little light and grows at a leisurely pace.

What it does for you

Several species are sold as dragon trees, such as Dracaena marginata and Dracaena fragrans¹. This page is about D. marginata with its narrow, red-edged leaves. It's considered relatively undemanding, especially when it comes to light, and with its slender trunk it looks almost like a palm². Because it copes with less light, it's often found in homes and offices³.

Origin & history

The Madagascar dragon tree grows as a shrub or small tree in the humid tropics of Madagascar and the islands of the western Indian Ocean – from Mauritius and Réunion to the Comoros and Seychelles^6,7.

Its name is confusing: in the trade, D. marginata is used for different species²; its correct botanical name today is Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia^6,7. Since DNA analyses, the snake plant belongs to the dracaenas too⁸. The most famous relative is the true dragon tree (D. draco) of the Canary Islands, which grows up to 18 metres tall there². Its red sap is called dragon's blood⁸ – such red resins were used as dye, varnish and medicine⁹.

Caution

All parts of the dracaena are toxic¹. It contains saponins: if cats or dogs nibble on it, they may vomit, drool and lose their appetite, and in cats the pupils dilate¹⁰. For people it's considered mildly toxic; it can irritate the mouth and stomach, and sap on the skin can cause irritation⁷.

Care

Light. Bright, but without harsh sun – e.g. at a window with morning or evening sun; summer sun scorches the leaves¹. It tolerates less light, but then the top turns towards the window – turn the pot now and then².

Water. Only water once the top 5 cm are dry (finger test)¹, then thoroughly and not with cold water³. As a very rough rule of thumb, that's about every one to two weeks in summer, less often in winter. Tip away water in the saucer² – waterlogging makes the roots rot¹. It's sensitive to fluoride⁷; rainwater or filtered water is kinder to the leaves¹.

Temperature & humidity. It grows best at 18–30 °C¹; a little cooler at night is fine, about 10–16 °C³. The RHS says it needs at least 18 °C for good growth and gets damaged below 5 °C; too close to the radiator the leaves turn brown⁸. As a safe margin, don't let it drop below 10 °C. It likes humid air¹. If humidity drops below 30–40 % in winter, mist it now and then³.

Soil, pot & repotting. Free-draining, slightly acidic houseplant soil with some bark and only a little perlite¹ – Clemson warns against a lot of it, because of the fluoride³. Use a pot with a drainage hole. Repot every two to three years in spring, into a pot only slightly bigger¹.

Feeding. From spring to early autumn about once a month with liquid foliage plant fertiliser^3,1. Too much fertiliser turns leaf tips and edges brown³.

Extras

Indoors it grows to just under two metres over the years – that takes a while, because it grows slowly⁷. Besides the green form there are colourful varieties such as 'Tricolor', 'Colorama' and 'Sunray'¹.