How to grow and care for Dracaena deremensis Indoors
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Photo Credit: Toronto Bulk Flowers
Botanical name: Dracaena deremensis
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Nolinoideae
Dracaena deremensis Description
Dracaena deremensis is a slow growing houseplant whose foliage is dark-green with one or more longitudinal stripes in a different color.
As it grows, Dracaena deremensis sheds its lower leaves, leaving a bare stem with a cluster of leaves at the top. A new plant may drop a few leaves as it adjusts to its new home.
Dracaena deremensis is ideal as a stand alone plant or as part of a mixed group, with the various leaf patterns complementing and overlapping one another.
Dracaena deremensis Size
The Dracaena deremensis plant can reach a height of 4 ft or more when mature. The leaves are about 1.5 ft long and may die if exposed to excessive sunlight.
Dracaena deremensis Air Purifying
According to the NASA Clean Air Study, Dracaena deremensis Janet Craig and Dracaena deremensis warneckii were found to remove common VOCs like xylene, toulene, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloethylene.
Dracaena deremensis Varieties
The common varieties of Dracaena deremensis are Dracaena deremensis Janet Craig which is all green. Dracaena deremenis warneckii which bears white stripes close to the edge.
Dracaena deremensis has two broad white bands at the center. Dracaena deremensis Lemon Suprise has yellow edges. Dracaena deremensis Janet Craig Compacta has much smaller leaves about 8 in. long and is ideal for small spaces among many others.
Dracaena deremensis for Sale
Buy your Dracaena Plants from Etsy.
Photo Credit: PlantVine
Dracaena deremensis Care Indoors
Dracaena deremensis Light Requirements
Dracaena deremensis grows best in light shade, an east- or west-facing window is ideal. It can also grow in shade but the the leaves will be much narrower.
Avoid direct sunlight for your Dracaena deremensis as it can lead to sunburn brown spots on the leaves. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
How to Water Dracaena deremensis
Keep soil moist at all times for Dracaena deremensis but reduce watering in the cold months.
Avoid soggy soil for your Dracaena deremensis as it can lead to root-rot disease. Ensure the pot has a drainage hole and the soil if free-draining.
Use water that is at room temperature that is free of chlorine, flourides and other chemicals for your Dracaena deremensis to prevent brown leaf tips. Read more on how to water houseplants.
Temperature for Dracaena deremensis
The best temperature for Dracaena deremensis is average warmth with a minumum of 150C. Read more on understanding temperature for houseplants.
Humidity for Dracaena deremensis
Dracaena deremensis has no need for high humidity. Average room humidity is ideal for your Dracaena deremensis.
However, if the air is too dry especially where temperature is high raise humidity by setting the pot on a wet pebble tray. Read more on how to raise humidity for houseplants.
Clean the leaves of your Dracaena deremensis by damp-wiping with a soft cloth to get rid of dust. Read more on how to clean houseplants.
Fertilizer (Feeding) for Dracaena deremensis
Feed Dracaena deremensis monthly during the growing period with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer.
Withhold feeding for your Dracaena deremensis during the cold season as growth is minimal and feeding at this time can lead to fertilizer burn.
Regularly flush out accumulated salts in the soil for your Dracaena deremensis by running a stream of water through the soil until the water comes out through the drainage hole. Allow it to run for a few minutes and repeat several times. Read more on how to feed houseplants.
How to repot Dracaena deremensis
Repot Dracaena deremensis at the beginning of the growing season when roots begin to grow through the drainage holes as the plant prefers to be slightly root-bound.
Use a pot 1 size larger and one that has a drainage hole for your Dracaena deremensis to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to root-rot disease.
The best soil for your Dracaena deremensis should be free-draining and rich in organic matter. Never allow the roots to sit in soggy soil as it can lead to root-rot.
How to Prune Dracaena deremensis
Pruning Dracaena deremensis involves removal of dead and yellow leaves to maintain the plant neat and tidy.
Prune thin or bare stemmed Dracaena deremensis plants during the growing season by cutting off the top crown of leaves along the stem. New leaves will sprout just below the cut.
The crown of leaves can be used to propagate a new Dracaena deremensis plant. Read more on how to prune houseplants.
Dracaena deremensis Propagtion
Dracaena deremensis can be propagated in three ways; by air layering, from stem cuttings or by use of the crown from old leggy canes.
How to Propagate Dracaena deremensis by Air layering
Make a notch on the stem of a healthy Dracaena deremensis plant and coat the notch with a rooting hormone.
Surround the notched area of your Dracaena deremensis with damp moss and then cover it with a polythene film or clear plastic wrap.
Maintain the area moist and allow some time for roots to develop in the notched area of your Dracaena deremensis.
After the roots have formed sever the Dracaena deremensis stem just below the covered part, remove the polythene and carefully pot the rooted cutting.
New shoots will sprout from the shortened stem of the old Dracaena deremensis plant.
How to propagate Dracaena deremensis from the top crown of leaves
Remove the top crown of leaves from your Dracaena deremensis plant bearing about 3 in. of stem.
Apply a rooting hormone on the lower cut end of the stem of your Dracaena deremensis.
Insert the crown of leaves of your Dracaena deremensis in moist, free-draining rooting soil.
Place the set in a warm, shaded place and maintain the rooting soil moist until rooting occurs. Rooting will occur in about 3-6 weeks.
When you observe new growth, the new Dracaena deremensis plant can be transplanted to its own pot.
How to propagate Dracaena deremensis from stem cuttings
Take 2-3 in. long stem cuttings from your Dracaena deremensis. Ensure each cutting has some leaf nodes as this is where new growth will come from.
Dip the lower cut-end of your Dracaena deremensis cuttings in a rooting hormone.
Fill your rooting container with free-draining rooting soil. Lightly moisten the rooting mix.
With a pencil or similar object, make a hole in the moist rooting mix. The hole should be slightly wider than the diameter of the cutting.
Insert your Dracaena deremensis cutting in the previously made hole in the moist rooting mix.
Cover the container with clear polythene sheet. Place the set up in a warm shaded place.
Maintain the soil moist through out until the new Dracaena deremensis plants are well established after which routine care can begin.
Dracaena deremensis Problems Indoors
Dracaena deremensis brown leaf tips and yellow edges
There are four possible reasons for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Dracaena deremensis.
One possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Dracaena deremensis is dry air.
Set the pot on a wet pebble tray to raise humidity for your Dracaena deremensis. Read more on how to raise humidity for houseplants.
The second possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Dracaena deremensis is underwatering.
Maintain the soil moist at all times for your Dracaena deremensis and do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
The third possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Dracaena deremensis is chemical accumulation in the soil.
Use chemical free water and regularly flush out salts from the soil for your Dracaena deremensis.
The fourth possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Dracaena deremensis is cold draughts.
Protect your Dracaena deremensis from cold draughts or place the plant away from cold draughts.
Dracaena deremensis yellowing lower leaves
Yellowing of the lower leaves is a natural process in your Dracaena deremensis. As the plant matures it sheds the lower leaves.
Each lower leaf of your Dracaena deremensis turns yellow and dries leaving a crown of leaves on top of the cane-like stem.
Dracaena deremensis leaves soft, curled with brown edges
If the temperature is too low your Dracaena deremensis leaves become soft and curled and the edges turn brown.
Maintain an average room temperature and protect your Dracaena deremensis plant from cold draughts.
Dracaena deremensis brown leaf spots
Dracaena deremensis will form brown leaf spots if it is underwatered.
Maintain the soil moist at all times for your Dracaena deremensis and never allow the soil ball to dry out completely.
Dracaena deremensis bleached dry leaf patches
Direct sunlight will cause bleached dry patches on the leaves of your Dracaena deremensis.
Move your Dracaena deremensis to a shadier spot or protect it from direct sunlight.
Dracaena deremensis dying
Dracaena deremensis is prone to root-rot disease which is promoted by soggy soil.
Ensure the pot for your Dracaena deremensis has a drainage hole and the soil is free-draining to avoid soggy soil.
Reduce watering for your Dracaena deremensis during the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist.
Another possible cause of the death of your Dracaena deremensis is keeping it too cold
Maintain an average room temperature for your Dracaena deremensis and protect it from cold draughts.
Dracaena deremensis could also be dying from accumulation of salts in the soil.
Regularly flush out accumulated salts in the soil for your Dracaena deremensis by running a stream of water through the soil until the water comes out through the drainage hole. Allow it to run for a few minutes and repeat several times.
Dracaena deremensis Pests
The common pests in Dracaena deremensis are Mealy Bugs, Scale Insects and Spider Mites.
Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants and treat it appropriately for these pests.
Is Dracaena deremensis toxic?
Dracaena deremensis is toxic to both humans and pets.
The leaves contain alkyds which if ingested they may cause vomiting and excessive salivation.
