Dracaena

Meet the tough-as-nails Dracaena! These easygoing amigos come mostly from tropical Africa and grow upright on woody canes, topped with tufts of strappy or sword-shaped leaves. There are many types to choose from, like the corn plant (Dracaena fragrans, including 'Janet Craig', 'Lemon Lime' and the striped Deremensis types), the spiky dragon tree (Dracaena marginata), Song of India (Dracaena reflexa) and lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana). People love them because they forgive a missed watering, cope with lower light and add instant height to any room.

Browse our Dracaena collection, or dive into our care guides for the Dragon Tree and Janet Craig.

  • Toxic to pets and children
  • Repot once every 2 years
  • Fertilize once a month
  • Bright, indirect light
  • Very little water

A Dracaena for any decor...

Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta (S)
Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta (S)

Owen

1500
20 cm
10 cm
Dracaena Marginata Tricolor | Dragon Tree (S)
Dracaena Marginata Tricolor | Dragon Tree (S)

Oscar

1700
30 cm
10 cm
Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta (M)
Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta (M)

Owen

2900
35 cm
15 cm
Dracaena White Jewel (S)
Dracaena White Jewel (S)

Willow

1800
14 cm
10 cm
Dracaena Lemon Surprise (S)
Dracaena Lemon Surprise (S)

Hudson

1900
14 cm
10 cm
Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta Cane (XL)
On sale for a limited time!
Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta Cane (XL)

Owen

27900 22500
115 cm
27 cm
Dracaena Marginata (L) | Dragon Tree
Dracaena Marginata (L) | Dragon Tree

Savannah

4500
65 cm
21 cm
Dracaena Sanderiana | Lucky Bamboo - Single Stem (S)
Dracaena Sanderiana | Lucky Bamboo - Single Stem (S)

Quinton

1200
25 cm
10 cm
Dracaena Reflexa | Song of India (XL)
On sale for a limited time!
Dracaena Reflexa | Song of India (XL)

Graham

12900 11600
75 cm
25 cm
Dracaena Lemon Lime (XL)
Dracaena Lemon Lime (XL)

Harvey

14900
80 cm
25 cm
Dracaena Marginata Red | Caned Dragon Tree (M)
Dracaena Marginata Red | Caned Dragon Tree (M)

Ella

3500
55 cm
15 cm
Dracaena Janet Craig Bush (XL)
Dracaena Janet Craig Bush (XL)

Gia

9400
70 cm
25 cm

About Dracaena

Origin

Most Dracaena species are native to tropical Africa, with others found in southern Asia, northern Australia and Central America; the dragon tree (D. marginata) comes from Madagascar. The name comes from the Greek word for a female dragon, a nod to the red resin some species produce, like the famous dragon's blood tree of Socotra. Fun fact: botanists have recently moved snake plants (Sansevieria) into the Dracaena genus too, so they're officially family now!

Air Purifying

Dracaenas were among the stars of NASA's 1989 Clean Air Study, where Janet Craig, Warneckii, the corn plant and the dragon tree helped remove chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from sealed test chambers. Your living room isn't a sealed chamber, so think of cleaner air as a nice bonus rather than a replacement for fresh air. Either way, these leafy amigos make any room feel fresher!

Toxicity

Toxic to cats and dogs, according to the ASPCA. Dracaenas contain saponins, which can cause vomiting (sometimes with blood), drooling, loss of appetite and, in cats, dilated pupils. Keep these amigos out of reach of curious pets and little ones, and call your vet if you think some leaves have been chewed.

Caring for Dracaena

Watering

Water when the top 50–75% of the soil has dried out, and water less often in fall and winter. Dracaenas would rather be too dry than too wet, so when in doubt, wait a few more days. They're sensitive to fluoride and salts in tap water, so filtered or rain water helps keep those leaf tips green. Lucky bamboo is the exception: it's often grown in water, so keep the roots covered and refresh the water every week or two.

Light and Placement

Medium to bright, indirect light keeps Dracaenas growing at their best and their stripes and colors crisp. They handle lower light like champs, they just grow slower and need less water there. Keep them out of hot, direct afternoon sun, which scorches the leaves; a spot a few feet from an east- or west-facing window is perfect.

Nutrition

Dracaenas are light eaters. Feed once a month in spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength. Skip the snacks in fall and winter, since extra fertilizer builds up salts in the soil and can brown the leaf tips.

Repotting

These slow growers like a snug fit, so repot every 2–3 years in spring, or when roots start circling the bottom or poking out of the drainage holes. Choose a pot 1–2 inches larger with drainage holes and a well-draining indoor potting mix. Tall plants can get top-heavy, so a heavier pot helps keep them upright.

Pruning and Flowering

Prune in spring or early summer while the plant is actively growing, not in fall when it's slowing down. Cut a cane or stem at the height you like and new shoots will sprout just below the cut within a few weeks, making your plant fuller. Pop the top piece in water or moist soil to grow a brand-new amigo! Flowering is rare indoors, but mature corn plants sometimes surprise their owners with sweet-scented white blooms that open at night.

Dracaena SOS

Illness

A soft, mushy cane or yellowing leaves in soggy soil point to overwatering and root rot, so let the soil dry out more between drinks. Brown leaf tips usually come from fluoride or salts in tap water, dry air or fertilizer buildup, while a few yellow lower leaves now and then are just old leaves retiring. Keep an eye out for mealybugs, scale and spider mites (especially in dry winter air) and wipe them off with a damp cloth or insecticidal soap.

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