LIGHT

• Prefers medium, indirect light, but is highly tolerant of low light conditions.
• Avoid direct, harsh sunlight, which can easily scorch the leaves.
• In very low light, variegated colors may fade, and the plant will grow slowly.

WATER

• Prefers to be kept slightly on the drier side. Allow the top half of the soil to dry out completely before watering.
• Overwatering is the most common cause of root rot and is often indicated by yellow leaves with brown tips.
• Must use distilled, filtered, or rainwater. Dracaenas are extremely sensitive to fluoride and chlorine in tap water, which causes brown leaf tips.

SOIL

• Needs a well-draining, standard indoor potting mix.
• A mix containing perlite or coarse sand will help ensure the necessary aeration.

GROWTH HABIT

• Ideal conditions: Consistent warmth (65-75F) and average indoor humidity.
• Growth rate & size: Growth rate is typically slow to moderate. Most indoor varieties grow upright, reaching 5-8 feet tall, retaining a bare woody cane beneath a leafy crown.

PROPAGATING

• Propagated easily from stem cuttings or by air layering.
• Cut the woody cane into 4-8 inch segments, ensuring each has a node. Root these cane pieces in moist soil or water.
• The top leafy crown can also be rooted in water or soil.

PRUNING

• Prune to control height or shape. Cutting the main cane will force the plant to sprout new, multiple heads of growth below the cut.
• Remove old, lower leaves as they naturally turn yellow and drop (normal aging).
• Trim brown leaf tips with clean scissors, following the leaf shape.

REPOTTING

• Repot when the plant is root-bound, usually every 2-3 years.
• Repot in spring or early summer.
• Use a pot only slightly larger than the current one to prevent excess moisture retention.

FERTILIZING

• Feed lightly and infrequently during the spring and summer growing season (every 6-8 weeks).
• Use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength.
• Do not fertilize in fall or winter, and avoid over-fertilizing, which can cause salt burn.

FLOWERING

• Produces clusters of small, fragrant white or pale yellow flowers on a long stalk.
• Flowering is rare indoors and usually only occurs on large, mature plants.

TOXICITY

• Toxic to cats and dogs. The plant contains saponins, which can cause vomiting (sometimes bloody), weakness, incoordination, and dilated pupils in cats.

PRO TIPS

• Brown leaf tips are the #1 complaint and are almost always caused by fluoride/chlorine in tap water or mineral buildup from fertilizer. Use filtered water.
• Can be cleaned by wiping the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.
• To prevent tilting, rotate the pot occasionally if it is near a light source.