Dracaena
Dracaenas are rugged, carefree houseplants (including the corn plant Dracaena fragrans and the dragon tree D. marginata) with striking strap-shaped, often variegated foliage. They're widely used in homes and offices because they're easy and tolerate lower light.
Care basics
- Light: Bright, indirect light is best, but most dracaenas tolerate lower light.
- Water: Let the top of the soil dry out a little between waterings, then water thoroughly. Avoid overwatering, which rots the roots.
- Water quality: Dracaenas are very sensitive to fluoride and to salts/chlorine in tap water — these cause browning leaf tips. Filtered or rainwater is best.
- Temperature: Warm, roughly 60–75°F; keep away from cold drafts and hot radiators.
- Humidity: Does best in moderate to higher humidity; misting can help in very dry air.
- Soil: A well-drained houseplant mix.
The 3 most common problems
1. Brown leaf tips
Drying leaf tips and brown edges are usually caused by low humidity or fluoride and build-up from tap water — dracaenas are among the most sensitive plants to fluoride. Salts from tap water and fertilizer also burn the tips. Fix: Use filtered or rainwater, and add humidity. See our brown tips guide.
2. Yellow leaves
Yellowing leaves are most often caused by overwatering or, sometimes, too much direct sun (which scorches the leaves). Fix: Let the soil dry more between waterings and keep it out of harsh direct sun. See our yellow leaves guide.
3. Leaf drop
A sudden loss of many leaves can come from changes in temperature, drafts, too much water, or poor drainage. Fix: Stabilize the conditions — steady temperature, no cold drafts, and correct, well-drained watering. See our leaf drop guide.
Also watch for scale, spider mites, mealybugs, and other common houseplant pests.
Pet safety note: Dracaena is toxic to cats and dogs — symptoms can include vomiting and excessive drooling. Keep it out of reach of pets. (Source: ASPCA.)
A few extra tips
Dracaenas range from compact plants to substantial specimens that can reach several feet tall, depending on the cultivar — and they're easy to keep shorter if you want by pruning. They also root readily from stem cuttings, making them great pass-along plants. Wipe the long leaves with a damp cloth now and then to keep them dust-free and looking their best.
Dracaena at a glance
- Light: bright, indirect; tolerates lower light
- Water: let the top of the soil dry, then water thoroughly
- Water quality: sensitive to fluoride — filtered or rain water is best
- Watch for: brown leaf tips (fluoride or low humidity), yellow leaves (overwatering or too much sun), and leaf drop (drafts or a change)
Keep dracaenas out of the sun, water with good-quality water, and avoid cold drafts, and they're among the easiest, most rugged houseplants around — with handsome, striped foliage that suits almost any room. Pruning a lanky dracaena not only controls its height but coaxes out fresh young growth from lower down.