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HELP!
I have this plant that my daughter sent to me two years ago. It had been doing OK but is now losing lots of leaves which are turning brown at the tips then the whole leaf turns and falls off. I recently replanted it and separated the roots in hopes that it would grow taller. Could it be in shock? I am not sure if I am over watering. Also I had inside for the winter then put it out in the spring (and it was doing well) Now I have had it both inside and outside. I live in Phoenix where the temp is now getting hot (112 degrees) Can you tell me what it is and where I should have it (inside or outside) as well as how much to water and what type of sunlight it needs.
Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Jeanette Brooks
Jeanette,
First, I believe the plant you have is a dracaena. If the roots were yellowish then it is a dracaena. If the roots are white it is a Cordyline. Either way the care is fairly similar. Both soggy and dry roots will cause leaf damage. When transplanting, I don’t separate the roots. I do place the plant in a rich potting soil, making sure the new container is “half-again” as big as the old one. The key at this point is to completely saturate the new soil. From this point on you can keep the soil moderately moist.
Now as to your particular questions. Your plant is in shock and is showing signs of water stress. I’m not sure if it has too little or too much water. Check your soil — you want to keep the soil moist enough to roll into a ball but you shouldn’t be able to squeeze water out of it. It takes about two weeks for water stress to present its self so it will take about two weeks to correct the problem. The key is to not go to the other extreme — keep the plant evenly moist.
As to temperature Dracaena likes to be kept above 64degrees in the summer and 50degrees in the winter. Dracaena enjoys light but not sun. Do not let the sun beat directly on the Dracaena but keep in a place with a fair amount of light.
Jamie,
Thanks for your help. I will monitor the soil and try to keep it moist without over watering.
Jeanette
I have had the exact same problem with my spike. Thank you so much for the expert advice, Jamie!
I am keeping it out of direct sunlight, and I do water it about every two weeks, once a month with Miracle Grow. So NOW what could be causing the problem? Heeeeeelp!
Susan,
You may have a combination of inappropriate watering and soil. It could be that the soil type may be retaining too much water or too little. You may want to change water habits and see if that helps–make sure that the soil doesn’t get too dry between watering too. You can also see if it is a problem with fluoride. Try watering with bottled water and see if that makes a change too.
THANK YOU. I’ll tell ‘ya, they made artificial plants for people like me!!! I’ll try the bottled water and maybe water it every 10 days (instead of every 2 weeks) and see what happens…
I have the same problem. Can you tell me it the brown leaves will turn green again or should I just take them off the plant? Mine are just brown on the ends.
Wendy,
Remove brown leaves to help it get back to full green. You may cut off brown tips or remove full brown leaves.
I have a dracaena about 8 years old, 6 ‘tall. Overtime, lt has lost leaves, turning brown. Now there about a 2′ stem from pot, then leaves, then another 2’ stretch of stem, from losing leaves over time, then a shoot of leaves. Same thing with all three parts. I was thinking to cut tops off and re-plant but not too sure what to do? Would love to send a picture.
Carol,
I would top the plant and start new ones. Here is an article that shows how http://thehort.org/blog/2007/08/my-dracaena-is-too-tall.html. Hope this information helps.
I have two stalks in the same pot, both about 6 ft tall. The smaller one looks great but the bigger of the two the leaves are browning almost halfway up
Hi Dave,
You may need to try topping the larger of the stalks that have begun to turn brown. Also, when was the last time you repotted your Dracaena? Depending on the size of your pot, it may be becoming overcrowded.
I have a dracaena that in my move broke off the top off of one 5ft stem, ever since the stem is just shriveling why is it not sprouting new leaves?
The trauma from the stem being broken, as well as the move, has probably thrown your Dracaena into shock. If you have not done so, make an even cut below where the stem was broken. There is a chance that the stem may not recover. If it continues to wilt, or starts to show other signs that it’s not going to recover, you may want to consider removing the damaged stem.
My Dracaena Marginata is doing rather good but some ends of some leaves are turning brown. I like the nice sharp tips on the leaves but I have had to pinch the brown ends off. What can I do? and what is the reason for this
Ann browning is usually caused by a water or light issue. Make sure water and light condition are optimal. Then take scissors to the brown tips to create smooth edges.
The tips and middle of my leaves on my plant are brown and yellow now. I left the plant outside in the shade for a little while and when I came back the leaves were very brown in the middle and yellow on the tips and some of them are folded in the middle making them droop. Any ideas on how to save it??
Hi Cheyenne,
It sounds like your plant could be suffering from a water issue. This could be from overwatering or underwatering. You want to keep your soil evenly moist, but not soggy. Also, placing your plant outside can cause it to experience some shock. I would put your plant back inside in bright, filtered light and correct your water issue. It can take a couple of weeks before your plant perks back up.
I just came across this while searching what to do after the leaves on mine in different places browned. Mine was from overwatering and direct sunlight. What do I do with the brown leaves and will they grow back?
You will want to remove the brown leaves and dispose of them.
I have an issue with stalks of my draceana and my yucca tilting, I want them to stand straight, I have tried thing them off but still have issues with it, what’s the best method?
Amanda,
If you have tried tying/staking them, there isn’t much more you can do. The plants are going to grow towards their light source, so you may try rotating the plants some each week.
At work, we have a Dracaena. it sits between 2 windows, so it has filtered light. About 2 months ago, it was re-potted to a larger pot (about 2x bigger) and fresh potting soil, and a layer of rocks in the bottom for drainage. Initially, it seemed to be doing pretty well, with some new growth at the tips. In the past few weeks, though, the leaves are turning very yellow and the tips are brown. Any ideas?
Maggie,
It is getting too much light.
I’ll try moving it to another part of the office. Will temperature changes effect it? Where I’d move it to is right beside the entrance door.
Yes, temperature can affect it. Mostly if it is located near an air vent. It will probably be fine near the entrance until the weather starts to get colder.
I’ll need to rethink where to move it, by the door is right in the path of the a/c vent. Another thing, I found out from my co-worker that she has been watering it every other day now “because it’s in a bigger pot”, instead of once a week like before it was repotted. Could that be part of the problem?
Maggie,
That could definitely be part of the problem! Once a week should still be fine even though it is in a larger pot. The tips could be turning brown due to a build-up of salt or chemicals from the water. Make sure you are watering it with distilled water or tap water that has been left uncovered for 24 hours.
I have a dracaena and it started with the tips but now the leaves are turning brown along the sides how do I get rid of the brown and not mess the leaves up
Gary,
First, you need to figure out what is causing the leaves to turn brown. It is most likely a watering issue. To remove the brown leaves, you can either remove the leaf completely or trim off the brown sections.
HELP. my sisters dracanea is brown and wilted, she left it alone for 2 weeks but thought it would be fine because they don’t need much water :( i’ve clipped the brown leaves off, what next??
Hi Olivia,
It might be receiving too much sunlight, so you can try moving to a different area, but also giving it a bit more water. Don’t overwater it, but it could need some water at this point if it has been left alone for so long.