Dracaena Marginata Plant
Houseplant Care
The Dracaena plant family includes a number of popular houseplants and the Dracaena Marginata is one of them. It has always been one of my personal favorites. Usually referred to as a Marginata, it is sometimes called Madagascar Dragon Tree. Dracaena Marginata is grown in a variety of forms including the tip, bush, staggered, character and standard. Sometimes the trunks or stalks of Dracaena Marginata are trained into a braid.
Plant Care Dracaena Marginata
The first large interior houseplant that I owned was a very mature Dracaena Marginata. About 6 feet tall, it was a plant that I cared for at a very large interior landscape account in Palo Alto, California. Not quite up to par for a commercial account, this Dracaena Marginata was being replaced with a new plant. My contact at the account told me that I could take the old plant home if I wanted it. So began my soon to be extensive houseplant collection!
Dracaena Marginata is a versatile plant and can be anywhere from one foot tall to twenty feet tall. However, it would be uncommon to find them at heights over 6-8 feet tall except in interior landscapes or a tropical rain forest.
Other common Dracaena houseplants you may like to own are the Warneckii, Massangeana and the Janet Craig. All of these make great additions to any office or home and require minimal care. Much like the Aglaonema plant, there are a number of Dracaena plants that are used throughout interior landscapes for their appearance, variety, and tolerance of indoor light levels.
Dracaena Marginata Plant Care Question?
Dracaena marginata houseplant questions? I would be happy to answer any houseplant questions as I can. Free of charge, no sign-ups required!
Dracaena Marginata house plant questions or problems? You can send a houseplant question but before you do, please finish reading this page and other house plant care information on watering your indoor house plants, how to help keep your houseplant's root system healthy, lighting for your houseplants, and basic houseplant care. These are most important for your house plant's health and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an email.
Working in the interior landscape industry, I get a lot of questions from customers about their personal houseplants. It is nice helping them keep their indoor house plants growing and healthy. That is why I started this website, to help others learn how to care for their indoor plants and flowers. So please read on!
Plants Flowers & Pets
Over the years, I have had many animals and plants in the same house and have not had too many problems. I always make my best effort to keep houseplants out of the reach of pets. That can be difficult, especially with cats, as they seem to be able to get just about anywhere they please! Being an animal lover, as many people are, I thought it would be helpful to add a link for those with questions about pets and houseplants, as I have received a few emails with questions on the subject. Do not allow pets to eat your indoor houseplants or your outdoor plants. Questions about plants and pet safety?
This is a link to the ASPCA, Animal Poison Control, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants list.
Plant Care Dracaena Marginata
How to Water
In lower to medium light, water when the potting soil has dried almost to the bottom. For a Marginata in bright light, allow the potting media to dry down 3/4 of the way and then water thoroughly. Please see section on watering your house plants and the section on light needs for your house plants as these are the two things that will make the biggest difference in the health of your house plants.
You will need to be careful watering Marginata. They are very prone to rot if kept too wet. New plants with minimal roots should be watered around the cane only. Established plants with a good root system can be watered thoroughly. Remember that each plant and its environment are unique and care for each will vary to some degree.
Some signs of over-watering may be yellowing leaf tips, root rot and pale new growth with dark tips. The canes can develop rot and will become mushy and start to smell bad. More to the dry side is better but don't be extreme either. The first sign of under-watering will be a slight drooping of the leaves.
Home Garden Plants Flowers
Do not plant Marginata into a container with no drainage. It is always best to leave your plants in a nursery pot with drainage holes at the bottom. Then set that into the pretty container you purchased for your home. Make sure you size properly as there should be an inch or two of room between the decorative container and the nursery pot. This will provide adequate air circulation.
Do not let the soil dry out completely to the point of wilting. Once this happens it will take your Dracaena Marginata a long time to recover. For the most part, once acclimated, the Dracaena Marginata is a beautiful easy care houseplant.
Plant Care Dracaena Marginata
Other Care Tips
Marginata does best in bright, indirect light but with careful care can be maintained in lower or higher lighting. Prone to root rot if over watered, especially lower light, Dracaena Marginata will gradually become weak and leggy if the light is too low.
Dracaena marginata's canes can be cut back when the plant becomes too tall and leggy. This will also promote new growth if the plant is in adequate light for growth. Just cut the cane at the point where you would like new growth to start. Read more about pruning your Dracaena Marginata.
Remove lower leaves as they yellow and trim brown tips as needed. Most new plants will slowly shed old foliage when moved to a new and different environment. A Dracaena Marginata grown in high light will have stiff, thick leaves. In lower light, these will gradually be replaced by thinner, more graceful arching foliage. Given the proper care, your Dracaena Marginata should acclimate and become a beautiful, trouble free plant.
Keep your Marginata's foliage clean and initially keep an eye out for insect problems. Mites, mealybug, thrips and scale can sometimes be a problem but a good wash down with soapy water should be sufficient to control these pests.
Plant Flower Care Items from Amazon
Spider mites are a common problem with new Marginata plants. Those plants grown in hot, high light are most susceptible. Check bottom of leaves regularly and if you see a problem, give your plant a good wash down with water or detergent and water. This will need to be repeated weekly for at least four weeks. Just make sure you treat as soon as you notice a problem as they can and will damage your plant.
It is a good idea to quarantine any new additions to your indoor house plant family for a few weeks just to be sure there are not any insects that were not noticed at first. Wash down your new indoor house plant with a mixture of water and mild dish detergent. I like to add a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil or Orange essential oil to my house plant cleaning solution.
Apply to top and lower leaf and stem surfaces of your house plants, being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your house plant cleaning solution. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your house plants should be a regular part of your house plant care.
Never apply anything to the foliage of your plant while it is in the sun or when the soil is dry. Water first and move to a shady location.
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Houseplant Care Question?
Questions about your indoor house plants or plant care problems? You can send a house plant question, free of charge, no sign ups, registration or log in required!
Before you send a houseplant care question, please be sure to read this information on watering your indoor house plants, how to help keep your your indoor house plants root system healthy and lighting for your indoor house plants and flowers. These are most important for the health of your house plants and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an indoor house plant or flower care question.
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