How to grow and care for Song of India Plant (Dracaena reflexa) Indoors
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Botanical name: Dracaena reflexa
Synonym: Pleomele reflexa
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Nolinoideae
Common names: Song of India Plant, Pleomele, Song of Jamaica
Song of India Plant Description
Song of India Plant also called Pleomele or Song of Jamaica is a spectacular houseplant with yellow-banded, short, narrow, pointed, green leaves which are arranged spiraly and are tufted at the end of the branches.
The stems in Song of India Plant are weak and are about 3 ft high. This plant requires moist air inorder to thrive.
Song of India Plant is easy to grow and can survive in low light but the variegation develops best when under bright light.
The spectacular Song of India Plant is ideal as a specimen plant or as a table-top plant on account of its compact size.
Song of India Plant Origin
The Song of India plant is native to Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean.
Dracaena reflexa for Sale
Buy beautiful and healthy Dracaena Plants from Etsy.
Photo Credit: Toronto Bulk Flowers
Song of India Plant (Dracaena reflexa) Care Indoors
Song of India Plant Light Requirements
Song of India Plant grows best in bright, filtered light; close to an east- or west-facing window. In low light Song of India plant will lose its variegation.
Avoid direct sunlight on your Song of India Plant as it can burn the leaves causing the plant to wilt. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
How to Water Song of India Plant
Keep soil moist at all times for Song of India Plant but reduce watering in the cold months and maintain the soil fairly moist.
Avoid soggy soil for your Song of India Plant as it can lead to root-rot disease. Ensure the pot has a drainage hole to avoid soggy soil.
Use water at room temperature to avoid shocking your Song of India Plant.
Ensure that the water is free of chlorine, flourides and other chemicals to prevent brown leaf tips in your Song of India Plant. Read more on how to water houseplants.
Temperature for Song of India Plant
The best temperature for growing Song of India Plant is an average warmth with a minumum of 130C. Check this guide on understanding temperature for houseplants.
Humidity for Song of India Plant
Song of India Plant requires high humidity inorder to thrive. Brown leaf tips in your Song Of India Plant is an indication of low humidity.
Set the pot on a wet pebble tray to raise humidity for your Song of India Plant. Read more on how to raise humidity for houseplants.
Regularly clean the leaves of your Song of India Plant by damp-wiping with a soft cloth to get rid of dust. Read more on how to clean houseplants.
Fertilizer (Feeding) for Song of India Plant
Feed Song of India Plant every 2-3 weeks during the growing period with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer.
Withhold feeding for your Song of India Plant 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 Song of India Plant 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 Song of India Plant
Repot Song of India Plant at the beginning of the growing season when the roots begin to grow through the drainage holes as the plant prefers to be slightly root-bound.
Use a pot 1 size larger for your Song Of India Plant. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy.
The best soil for your Song of India Plant 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 disease.
How to Prune Song of India Plant
Pruning Song of India Plant involves removal of dead and yellow leaves to maintain the plant neat and tidy.
To encourage a bushy and compact growth for your Song of India Plant, cutback the stems. New stems will sprout below the cut.
The foliage emanating from the pruning, can be used to propagate new Song of India plants. Read more on how to prune houseplants.
How to Propagate Song of India Plant (Dracaena reflexa)
Song of India Plant can be propagated by stem-tip cuttings at the growing season.
How to propagate Song of India Plant from stem-tip cuttings
Take 2-3 in. long stem-tip cuttings from your Song of India Plant. Ensure each cutting has some leaf nodes as this is where new growth will come from.
Dip the lower cut-end of your Song of India Plant 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 Song of India Plant 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 Song of India Plants are well established.
Photo Credit: PlantVine
Song of India Plant (Dracaena reflexa) Problems Indoors
Song of India Plant brown leaf tips and yellow edges
There are four possible reasons for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in Song of India Plant.
One possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Song of India Plant is dry air.
Set the pot on a wet pebble tray to raise humidity for your Song of India Plant. Read more on how to raise humidity for houseplants.
The second possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Song of India Plant is underwatering.
Maintain the soil moist at all times for your Song of India Plant and do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
The third possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Song of India Plant is chemical accumulation in the soil.
Use chemical free water and regularly flush out salts from the soil for your Song of India Plant.
The fourth possible reason for leaves with brown tips and yellow edges in your Song of India Plant is cold draughts.
Protect your Song of India Plant from cold draughts or place the plant away from cold draughts.
Song of India Plant brown leaf spots
Song of India Plant will form brown leaf spots if it is underwatered.
Maintain the soil moist at all times for your Song of India Plant and never allow the soil ball to dry out completely.
Song of India Plant bleached dry leaf patches
Direct sunlight will cause bleached dry patches on the leaves of Song of India Plant.
Move your Song of India Plant to a shadier spot or protect it from direct sunlight.
Song of India Plant yellowing leaves
Yellowing of the lower leaves is a natural process in Song of India Plant. As the plant matures it sheds the lower leaves.
Each lower leaf of your Song of India Plant turns yellow and dries leaving a crown of leaves on top of the cane-like stem.
Song of India Plant leaves soft, curled and have brown edges
If the temperature is too low your Song of India Plant leaves become soft and curled and the edges turn brown.
Maintain an average room temperature and protect your Song of India Plant from cold draughts.
Song of India Plant dying
Song of India Plant is prone to root-rot disease which is promoted by soggy soil.
Ensure the pot for your Song of India Plant has a drainage hole and the soil is free-draining to avoid soggy soil.
Reduce watering for your Song of India Plant during the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist.
Another possible cause of the death of your Song of India Plant is keeping it too cold
Maintain an average room temperature for your Song of India Plant and protect it from cold draughts.
Song of India Plant could also be dying from accumulation of salts in the soil.
Regularly flush out accumulated salts in the soil for your Song of India Plant 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.
Song of India Plant Pests
The common pests in Song of India Plant are Mealy Bugs, Scale Insects and Spider Mites.
Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants and treat it appropriately for the pests.
Is Song of India Plant (Dracaena reflexa) toxic?
Song of India (Dracaena reflexa) is toxic to both humans and pets.
The leaves of Song of India Plant contain a substance which is toxic. If ingested they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, loss of appetite and depression.
