Care Dracaena Marginata Plant
House Plants Flowers
The Dracaena family boasts a number of popular houseplants and the 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. You can also find them with braided trunks or canes.
Dracaena Marginata Tropical Plant
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!
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.
Plant Flower Care Items
Amazon Affiliate Links - May Earn Commission - Thanks!
Money Tree - Pachira
Money Tree, or Pachira plant, is an easy to grow plant for your indoor space. Beautiful live plant, great for your home, office, or as a gift plant. Affiliate Link.
Indoor Plants 3 Pack
Costa Farms Indoor Plants 3 Pack, Easy to Grow Houseplants. Potted in Indoor Garden Plant Pots, Clean Air Purifier Plant Set. Affiliate Link.
Soil Moisture Meter
Help make the decision to water, or not water, your houseplants. Great to help keep indoor plants and flowers doing their best. Affiliate link.
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.
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. Hope all of your plants and flowers, including your Dracaena Marginata, are healthy, green, and growing. More flower and plant information, pictures, and plant care below...
Ads By Google
Plants & Flowers
Buy Browse Bonsai Trees Plants
A bonsai tree or plant for indoors or outdoors makes a great gift for any gardener. Treat that special person, or yourself, to a beautiful bonsai. May earn commission.
Best Spring Flowers Home Garden
Wonder what types of flowers to plant in Spring? Here are some ideas for flowering plants for your garden, yard, patio, or deck.
151 Flowers Pictures & Care
List of 151 most common flower types in the U.S. with pictures and information on how much sun your flower will need.
Easy House Plants
Sansevieria Plant
Sansevieria plant does not need much care. A great indoor plant for anyone. Will do best in very bright light, even some morning sun. More on Sansevieria care.
Peace Lily Plant
Peace Lily is an easy houseplant to grow but will wilt quickly if let to dry too much. Will produce white spathes if light is adequate. Peace Lily plant has white flowers.
Pothos Plant
Pothos is a popular house plant and will trail over the edge of the pot or climb a trellis or pole. Medium to bright light is best. Easy care house plant.
Aglaonema Plants
Aglaonema house plants are great for the home or office. Can be used as a table plant or floor plant, depending on the size. Easy to grow indoors.
Bromeliad Plant
Bromeliad plants make the list, Guzmania and Aechmea bromeliads in particular. Use bromeliad for a spot where you want to add some lasting color.
Hoya Houseplant
Hoya is a vining type of plant. Great for use as a table or shelf plant or display as a hanging plant. All green or variegated, fragrant flowers.
Home Gardening
How To Grow Cantaloupe & Honeydew Melons
How to grow cantaloupe and honeydew melons. Planting, care, watering, light and more for great tasting melons right from your garden.
How To Grow Blueberries in Your Home Garden
How to grow blueberries. Grow your own blueberries for a delicious harvest from your own backyard garden, year after year.
How To Grow Blackberries in Pots or Beds
How to have a bountiful harvest of delicious blackberries. Planting, care, watering, light, and more for growing blackberries in beds or containers.
How To Grow Strawberries
How to grow strawberries. Choosing, planting, care, watering, light and more for the strawberry plants in your home garden.
Cold Weather Plants
Home & Garden
Cold weather plants. Evergreen, semi-tropical plants, and colorful succulents, take a look at these suggestions to find the right exterior plant for cold weather for your home garden.
Home Gardening
Tomatoes
One of the plants home gardeners often grow is tomatoes. Learn about choosing, planting, care, watering, light and more for the tomatoes in your home garden.
Bromeliad House Plants
Aechmea
Aechmea fasciata bromeliad plant. The Aechmea fasciata and primera are the Aechmea bromeliads most often used as house plant. Pink flower.
Neoregelia
Neoregelia bromeliads are often used for the different colored foliage. Usually shorter than other bromeliads with much less obvious flowers.
Guzmania
Guzmania bromeliad plants. The foliage is much the same but flower color can be nearly white, yellow, orange, red, purple and more.
Social Media Pages
Plants Flowers
on Twitter
Tweets by plantcare2
PFI Facebook Page
Home and Garden
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.
You can post comments, find answers to plant care questions, or share some of your own plant wisdom on our plant care Facebook Page, Twitter page or visit my plant care blog. You can also find plant pictures, gardening ideas, and more at our plant and flower Pinterest page.
Thanks for visiting and come back soon as houseplant care information, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope that your indoor tropical house plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this indoor house plant and flower care website, PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.
Common House Plants Flowers Care Guide
Indoor Plants Pictures Names ⚘ Best Indoor Plants ⚘ Adiantum Fern Care ⚘ Aechmea Bromeliad Plant ⚘ Aglaonema Plant Care ⚘ Aglaonema Maria Plant Care ⚘ Aglaonema Silver Queen Plant Care ⚘ Aglaonema Silver Bay Plant Care ⚘ Anthurium Plants ⚘ Aphelandra Plant ⚘ Arboricola Plant Care ⚘ Aspidistra Plant Care ⚘ Asplenium Nidus Plant Care ⚘ Basic Houseplant Care ⚘ Birds Nest Ferns Plant Care ⚘ Boston Ferns Plant Care ⚘ Botanical Calendars ⚘ Bromeliad Plants ⚘ Build A Greenhouse ⚘ Buy Greenhouse ⚘ Buy House Plants ⚘ Cast Iron Plant ⚘ Chinese Evergreen Plant Care ⚘ Chlorophytum Plant Care ⚘ Codiaeum Houseplant Care ⚘ Corn Plant Care ⚘ Croton Plant Care ⚘ Devil's Ivy Plants & Care ⚘ Dieffenbachia Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena House Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena Janet Craig Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena Marginata Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena Warneckii Plant Care ⚘ Dumb Cane Plant ⚘ English Ivy Hedera ⚘ Ferns Plant Care ⚘ Ficus Trees Plants ⚘ Fittonia Plant Care ⚘ Flower Calendars ⚘ Heart Leaf Philodendron ⚘ Hedera English Ivy ⚘ How to Care for Marble Queen Pothos ⚘ Hoya House Plants ⚘ Lady Palm Plant ⚘ Lucky Bamboo House Plant Care ⚘ Maidenhair Ferns ⚘ Marble Queen Pothos ⚘ Marginata ⚘ Money Tree Plant Care ⚘ Mother In Law Tongue Plant Care ⚘ Names Pictures of Plants ⚘ Nephthytis ⚘ Norfolk Island Pine ⚘ Orchid Flowers ⚘ Palm Plants ⚘ Peace Lily Care ⚘ Philodendron "Brasil" Plant Care ⚘ Philodendron Cordatum ⚘ Philodendron Silver Care ⚘ Plant Calendars ⚘ Poinsettia Plant Flower Care ⚘ Pothos Plant Care ⚘ Rhapis Palm Plant Care ⚘ Sansevieria Plant Care ⚘ Schefflera Plant Care ⚘ Self-Watering Planters ⚘ Care of Silver Bay Plant ⚘ Snake Plant Care ⚘ Spathiphyllum Care ⚘ Spider Plant Care ⚘ Care of Syngonium Plant ⚘ Succulent Plant Care ⚘ Warneckii Plant Care ⚘ Weeping Fig Tree ⚘ Zebra Plant ⚘ ZZ Plant House Plant Care ⚘ Plant Links
Other Plant Flower Links
Best Indoor Plants ⚘ Indoor House Plants Pictures Names ⚘ Water Indoor Plants ⚘ Lighting Indoor Plants ⚘ Bonsai Plants ⚘ Common House Plants ⚘ Indoor Palm Plant Care ⚘ Orchids ⚘ Pets & Plants ⚘ Buy Tropical Orchids Orchid Care ⚘ Plant Flower Gifts ⚘ Buy Plants Flowers ⚘ House Plant Guide ⚘ How To Books ⚘ Flowers Plants Poster Prints ⚘ Orchid Art & Posters ⚘ Gardening Calendars ⚘ Greenhouse Books-Gardening