Find Your Dracaena marginata Basic Plant Care
Red-Margined Dracaena (Dracaena marginata) is a common houseplant popular as slow-growing shrubs or small trees. Red-Margined Dracaena houseplant care is easy and requires only a consistent room temperature, moderate watering, and bright filtered to low light. Also known as Madagascar Dragon Tree, Dracaena marginata may also be trained to curve for a unique appearance. Several stalks may be placed together for a full tree appeal in a corner, hallway, or small office building.
Dracaena marginata Care: Light Requirements
Red-Margined Dracaena plants are popular office and houseplants due to their tolerance of low lighting conditions and room-temperature preference. While Red-Margined Dracaena thrive best in bright and full light, the heat from direct sunlight can often be overwhelming and cause poor performance problems for the plants. Bright-filtered indirect light is perfect for houseplants while plants will also perform well in the cool and constant light conditions of an office.
Dracaena marginata Care: Water Requirements
Caring for Red-Margined Dracaena plants is easy in terms of watering. These plants can tolerate periods of infrequent watering but are sensitive to excessive watering. Root rot, browning leafs and leaf drop and other performance problems may occur from excessive watering or soil that does not allow proper drainage. Take care when watering Red-Margined Dracaena plants with tap water as they are highly sensitive to nutrition inadequacies. Excessive amounts of fluoride can lead to yellowing leaf tips. Boron and calcium deficiencies may also cause performance problems.
Dracaena marginata Care: Fertilizer Requirements
Red-Margined Dracaena houseplants do not need to be fertilized often. A balanced (20-20-20) liquid fertilizer monthly will suffice. Another option is to reduce the fertilizer to quarter strength and apply when watering. In the same way that a yard can be burned from too much fertilizer, Dracaena marginata can also be burned from overfertilization.
Dracaena marginata Care: Pests & Diseases
Few pests and pathogen problems are common during Red-Margined Dracaena care. Spider mites, scale insects, and mealy bugs may occur. Dracaena marginata also attracts bees, birds, and butterflies. Pathogen problems such as root rot typically only occur from excessive watering or allowing the plant to sit in water.
Dracaena marginata Care: Propagation & Potting
Red-Margined Dracaena plants may be propagated using several methods. Divide the root ball of more mature plants. Stem cuttings are also an option and should be taken in spring. Air layering is another option during the spring. Red-Margined Dracaena may also be propagated by seed. This should be performed indoors before the last frost of the year.
Standard potting mix works well with Red-Margined Dracaena. Select a soil that allows for moisture retention for a healthy plant and adequate drainage to prevent over watering.
Dracaena marginata Interesting Flower Facts
Dracaena marginata has been selected by the NASA Clean Air Study as a plant air cleaner. Dracaena marginata has been shown to reduce the levels of formaldehyde in the air.
Buy Red-Margined Dracaena (Dracaena marginata) from your local florist.
