Am I doomed if there are none? These plants are perfect for a beginner gardener because they're very easy to grow indoors. In low light. Some might take up to two months before suddenly springing back to life. Designed and Developed by PenciDesign, Propagating Dracaena | 3 ways to propagate your Dracaena plant, Seagrass and jute plant baskets (Set of 2). The addition of houseplants is a great way to create green space indoors, as well as brighten and liven interior spaces. I recently moved and my plants were left on the garage the first week we were here and we had a hard freeze during that time, so my plants leaves turned black and I trimmed them. I’m guessing the propagating methods are very similar and i’m eager to try it out. This dwarf dracaena variety has a shorter growth and smaller leaves than the larger plant. The Dracaena compacta is a close relative of the Dracaena Janet Craig. 02/25/2014. Take a 4″- 6″ tip cutting. It does sounds like you did things correctly though, so fingers crossed . By cuttings. Hi! […]. You can tell so in the second picture in the article. You just have to keep the soil ever so lightly moist (not wet!). Then, either plant your cutting in some soil or place it in a nice vase filled with fresh water. Cut just below the bunch of leaves at the top of the plant and be sure you get at least one node. One thing i want to ask you. Now I just have a stalk with a few leaves here and there but the top is okay. Remember that trimming the main stem is optional and should not be done if you want your dracaena to get bushy. Dracaena plants like loose, well-draining soil. I am just now starting to see the beginnings of new roots poke out on a couple of the cuttings, but most haven’t started to show any new roots yet. General potting mixes tend to work fine when potting Dracaena plants, although they do prefer a more acidic mixture. This plant is highly distinguishable from most other interior Dracaena, having a green stem and very tightly compacted clumping leaves that are only two to four inches in length from the base of the cane. Great advice in your article. Changing the water once a week is more than enough in most cases and I generally don’t add anything myself although some folks do prefer to use rooting hormone. hi!i just made a cutting of my song of india plant and dipped it in the rooting hormone,now i planted it in soil.do i have to water it right now and how often do i have to water it?i am going to place the pot in a bright indirect light.i hope you respond asap cuz i dont want all of these cutting to wilt and die.thank you in advance. The nodes are sprouting off the “mother” stem that remains in the pot. I’ve had this plant for at least 10 years and it’s only about 4ft tall. This is also the method many nurseries use to easily create more plants. When caring for Dracaena plants, keep in mind that they do well at between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (or 15 to 26 degrees Celsius). Place the container in a warmish spot and wait! Roots and new growth should appear pretty quickly during the warm Summer months, while things can take a little longer during Wintertime. Yes, they can easily be propagated in water or soil if the stem isn’t too big. And great video too! These plants can live in lighting conditions too low to support any other plants in our database, but will grow faster in medium and high light. Here are some general indoor Dracaena care tips to help make that happen. This plant has glossy, solid green leaves and can tolerate neglect. I wanted it to remain on the smaller side so a  good ole snip snip was in order. I did give them a light tug to see if any roots had taken hold and it seems some have. 'Compact Janet Craig' grows just 4" to 6" tall while the original can grow to a foot or more. I’m also from Quebec btw , Thank you Catrine, & greetings to you in beautiful Quebec from California! So why are the leaves turning brown and should I be watering it more? One of the easiest ways to achieve successful Dracaena propagation involves simply cutting off the top. I prefer the latter method, as it allows me to see how the cutting is doing and whether it has rooted yet. Grower's Tips D. deremensis is a great plant for low-light conditions but beware of low humidity. Roots should start appearing at the bottom nodes, while any nodes at the top will start swelling and producing new leaf shoots. Or do you think most of these cuttings will not sprout roots at at? The practice of taking stem cuttings is useful for rejuvenating overgrown houseplants such as dracaena. Top up the water regularly. Mix some perlite or bark into the medium to make sure excess water can easily drain and won’t cause the roots of your plant to start rotting. Alas, the original mother plant is no longer alive but the propagated plant is just fine. Hey! I’ve recently cut back a dracaena warnekii that had grown up over 12′ tall. However, you also remove as many stem sections as you like (all should be at least around 8 inches/20cm and contain a few nodes). You CAN switch to water but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary. Snake Plant, often called Sansevieria or Dracaena Trifasciata, is easy to care for. According to the NASA Clean Air Study, the Dracaena fragrans Compacta filters airborne toxins from the atmosphere. Are used a ruler to support the stem above and below the cut and waited a couple of months. Unfortunately the yellowing has reached the first shoot, but hasn’t effected the leaves; the second shoot near the waxed end has a little green after the yellowing on the main stalk. Drainage holes are pretty important – if you’re worried about your floors you can place your plants in plastic nursery pots and then put those in a decorative overpot. Give the cuttings a small amount of water if the soil gets very dry. The plant height is 14-19 inches If the humidity drops below 40 percent for an extended time, the tips of the leaves can turn brown. I’m completely the same with mine if I’m going to be entirely honest. It is the draceana with thin green stalks. It can cause vomiting (with blood), hypersalivation and weight loss. Any feedback or clarity you can give would be greatly appreciated. So this may not work for the Dracaena Compacta. You will most likely get 2 or 3 new sprouts appearing at the top of the stalk. Hi! Don’t worry, this is one of the easiest houseplants out there and you won’t need a green thumb to keep this one alive and thriving! The Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig’ Compacta is a miniature version of the larger plant.The ‘Janet Craig’ Compacta has pointed lance-shaped leaves up to 5” (12 cm) long that grow from the stem at soil level. Nell, Your email address will not be published. Alternatively, you can use saucers under a pot with a hole. Hi. In its homeland, Snake Plant is used for many purposes: fibre is extracted from the leaves to make coarse fabrics, ropes and tail-ropes. Dip the bottom of the stem in a rooting hormone. I have a Dracaena fragrans that grew too tall so I cut the top and planted it in a mixture of potting & cactus mix soil. There is some slimy material with degeneration of stem in the water. I have several different Dracaenas and would like to maybe propagate those also. Dracaena fragrans Compacta is an evergreen indoor house plant. Sterilize your knife and carefully scrape away a layer of bark on the plant’s stem. Dracaena fragrans Compacta is an evergreen indoor house plant. Dracaenas are striking architectural plants, native to western and tropical Africa. I then planted the upper part with the leaves and let the lower stem get new shirts when it was ready to. If you don’t want this plant to grow too tall, prune it at any point on the cane (new leaves will come out) in the early summer. I was so excited to see new side shoots poking out of the tops of all the cane segments. If you follow us on, « The Makeover Of My Succulent Bowl Makeover, A Lantern Posing As A Succulent Arrangement ». How to Grow a Dracaena. 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. With only two weeks having passed, I’m afraid you’re gonna have to hold your horses for a while more. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, propagating a Dracaena is oh so easy. You can remove the top of the plant by cutting just below the leaf line. The soil you’re using sounds good. Can i prune the top,? My questions are: What do you mean by a node, on a dracaena? I want to save it. Dracaena’s are good beginners plant since it does fine in lower light conditions and sparse watering habits. Dip the bottom of the stem in a rooting hormone. As for removing leaves, you can take off ones that don’t look nice any more as well as ones that would be underwater if you placed the cutting in a vase. If you’re worried removing the top of your Dracaena will result in a sad, headless plant, don’t worry. This large group of plants includes many species that can grow up … However, they don’t look alike. How to Care for Dracaena House Plants. For best results, use the fertilizer during the spring and summer months when your plant is actively putting out new growth. According to the NASA Clean Air Study, the Dracaena fragrans Compacta filters airborne toxins from the atmosphere. Yes you can Barbara. In fact, these plants like it when you let the soil almost dry out between waterings. Let me know how it goes! Or am i worried for nothing & a node is as simple as the spot where some leaves have formed? Every day? Propagating a jade plant | From stems or... How to propagate string of hearts | Ceropegia... Propagating Chinese money plant | How to propagate... Propagating fiddle leaf fig | 3 easy methods! In order to do this you can use the tips that have been cut off the plant to make it branch out (see above, the paragraph on pruning). Dracaena plants enjoy humidity, although luckily it’s not a must to have your home resemble a greenhouse. I’d like to know what the variety is that I have. So for the other plant, as long as the stems are not rotten they should propagate still. That said, it is often grown as a houseplant as its unique … How to Grow Dracaena Compacta (Dwarf Dracaena) Read More » It’s been 2 weeks and I noticed that the leaves are wrinkling. I’m tickled pink to have you here! My plant is about 3 years old and it’s about 4ft. You’ll especially want to make sure any variegated Dracaena plants (like Dracaena ‘Tricolor’ and ‘Lemon-Lime’) have lots of light or they’ll lose their beautiful colors, with any new leaves they produce reverting back to a regular green. Dracaena Compacta, also known as Dracaena Deremensis, belongs to the family of Agavaceae or Agavoideae. Strip some of the bottom leaves to expose the stem. Was the mother plant healthy with no signs of rot? Tip: Of course, we can’t give you an exact watering schedule for your Dracaena. The exposed band can be about half an inch (1.2 cm) wide and go around the whole stem. Once you notice that the soil has gone dry, you just need to water the plant thoroughly and you’re good to go for another good while. As long as it’s not rotting or otherwise damaged it should work, I’ve seen it done. Be sure to leave a good section of the original plant so that can grow back as well. You now have a brand new and already rooted Dracaena that you can pop right into a fresh planter. Cover the container with glass or foil. Thanks! Happy gardening! Dracaena Compacta, also known as Dracaena Deremensis, belongs to the family of Agavaceae or Agavoideae. I have a lemon lime dracaena that has grown very leggy. Are the cuttings in a light and warm location without direct sunlight? I was hoping to see new roots on all the cuttings by now. GET DIRECTIONS CHANGE LOCATION Cut the top of the main stem to create a compact, bushy shape. There the ones I would like so much to have. Its compact growth is characterized by thick, glossy dark-green leaves that grow in a rosette pattern around the cane. Required fields are marked *. In addition to being exceptionally easy to maintain, propagating dracaena plants is also qui… It is the most loved variety in the Dracaena family . It sounds like you have a D. fragrans (not the massangeana) or a Janet Craig. Dracaena sanderiana, or lucky bamboo, isn't a bamboo despite its name. Read about worm compost/compost feeding right here. Did you take the cuttings according to the instructions in the article? I’m thinking of taking the first shoot off the main stem, but not sure if I need to remove some leaves before dipping in hormone powder and placing in water, or if it could be ok as is. Then, you can cut the stalk on the mother plant to whatever height you desire. Thanks you very much. It only has two stalks. I snatched it up as soon as it was introduced to the trade because fell in love with the chartreuse foliage. Thanks for sharing, Nell. You basically want to create a wound. I figured if the plant wanted to live this badly, I’d go along with it. Does it need more light? Monique in Quebec. A couple of months later viola, roots started to appear. It has a thick green stem and several clumps of short dark green leaves. However, I feel like with plants, there’s never any harm in trying! I love my plant and I want to save it if I can. Cane sections in particular are a bit slower to get going, and not everyone will start producing roots at the same rate. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If you want to keep your dracaena compact, cut off the top of the main stem at a 45-degree angle. If I’m not sure my cutting has rooted yet I often prefer to do so by spraying the soil every day Good luck! You can cut off the top with about a foot of stem. One or multiple nodes close to the top of the original should start sprouting new leaves soon. Propagating Dracaena to turn one plant into as many as you like is possible using the stem cutting method! I forgot about it until I went to open that bag 2 months later for my kitties to feast on one night. It is not considered toxic to humans but should not be ingested. Yay! If you’re water-propagating, try moving the cutting to soil once the roots are about 1 inch/2.5 cm. A fully-grown ‘Compacta’ dracaena plant can grow to about 6 ft. (1.8) tall outdoors. The top part is in itself too large to propagate as one plant. As such, they’re pretty forgiving if you miss a watering or two (which, let’s admit it, we’re all guilty of from time to time). If getting just one new plant isn’t enough for you, don’t worry. Give it low to medium light and well-drained, evenly moist soil. All Right Reserved. This is why it is popularly known as the dwarf dracaena. I almost titled this short post “I Accidentally Propagated My Dracaena” because that’s exactly what happened. It’s leaves are plain green. Typically, watering every 10-14 days will keep the soil with a nice even level of moisture. Dracena’s tend to be more vertical growing, like a column, however this type of Dracaena is slightly different. If you want a small, round dracaena plant, use your pruning shears to cut off just the top of the stem. Hi, The plant came to homes of flower growers from India and Africa. Last night in dim light, I noticed the stem looked brown rather than green, but was still upright with its two shoots. Nell, Thanks for the info! Propagating Dracaena through air layering is super easy and all you need is a knife, some plastic wrap and some sphagnum moss (which you can buy as ‘orchid moss‘). Do you want to gift a piece to a friend or family member so they can grow a new plant? It is a slow grower and doesn’t get as big as other dracaenas, especially outdoors. Leaves. Or don’t; the plant won’t mind and fresh green leaves look great in a pretty vase. I had gotten a little Dracaena “Lemon Lime” in a 4” pot when I lived up in San Francisco. If so, things should generally almost always work out, although your mention of stem degeneration sounds a bit worrisome. Strip some of the bottom leaves to expose the stem. There was about 8” of stem in the middle I cut off and composed. The air layering method works perfectly for pretty much all woody houseplants, including other Ficus species like the rubber tree and the tropical Dracaena. I put them directly into damp dirt to begin with, but they appeared after two weeks to be dying – much of the remaining greenery yellowed or fell off completely, though they still do have green leaves on the upper parts of each section. | Houseplant Central, Common houseplants | 11 of the most popular houseplants for beginners | Houseplant Central, Chinese money plant care & info | Pilea peperomioides. The plant is healthy, green and doing well. This post may contain affiliate links. Here’s how you do it: Dracaena houseplants are great candidates for a propagation method called air layering. If you really are worried you didn’t chop correctly you can always fill out the contact form to get in contact with me through email, since after I reply to you it gives you the option to send photos. Do I need to remove it from soil and try rooting it in water? According to the ASPCA, Dracaena is toxic to cats and dogs. Nell. Allow the cut ends of the dracaena stalks to dry out over night. ‘Janet Craig’ Compacta dracaena cultivar is an ideal bedroom plant as it tolerates low light. When I took it off and cut all the way through there were plenty of roots in the peat moss. Hi Luisa – Yes, I bought that as Dr. […] For more info about multiplying a Dracaena houseplant, have a look at the guide to Dracaena propagation. Hope it works out . This is why it is popularly known as the dwarf dracaena. I kept the soil moist. Part of what makes Dracaena so popular indoors is that they’re not all too demanding when it comes to watering. It sounds like you’re doing everything right at this point. I hope your cutting is doing well. That said, it is often grown as a houseplant as its unique … How to Grow Dracaena Compacta (Dwarf Dracaena) Read More » And of course, it is more important that almost all parts of the plant are now used for medicinal purposes. Be sure to make your cuts at an angle. How To Care For & Propagate A String Of Pearls Plant, How To Care For Your Tillandsias aka Air Plants.