The plant has a lignified stalk, elongated leaves, which are collected at the apex. Dugonervnoe venation of leaves. Each fetal nest has one seed.
In the room, the plant rarely blooms. The flowers are small, greenish or white, have a very heavy or fragrant smell, so during flowering it is advised to take the plant out of the room.
Of some plant species, smoggum is extracted, usually it is red (this resin is also called "dragon blood"). Fibers of leaves go to the production of brushes, since they have the properties of horsehair and bristles. A number of species are cultivated as ornamental plants.
In the form of ornamental plants, dracenes are used for office and residential premises. The dracen compositions perfectly fit into the architecture of modern design, combining the grace of a thin trunk and colorfully painted leaves.
It is believed that dracaena has a calming effect, and is also capable of removing a depressed state. In culture, the dracenas are unpretentious. Dracaens can grow as original stems.
Dracaena is similar to cordillin (a kind of close family), so there is often confusion, but there are differences between these two species: cordillins have white knotty roots and creeping rhizomes, and dracenes do not have rhizomes, their roots are smooth and straight, orange or dark yellow. There are also differences: the cordillins in the nest of the fetus have 3 seeds, and the dracaena has one seed; the cordillins from the main vein laterally deviate at an acute angle, while in the dracena, the arcuate venation of the leaves.
Care for dracaena.
Lighting. House plant dracaena prefers scattered bright light, but from direct rays of the sun it needs to be shaded. The plant grows well on the western and eastern window. Successfully will grow near the southern window, but with mandatory shading.
For variegated species more illumination is required than for species with green leaves.
In summer, the dracene plant is allowed to be transported to fresh air, but provided that the plant is protected from rain and direct sun rays. In winter, the plant needs to be placed closer to the window, because, as a rule, it lacks light. In the presence of artificial illumination, Dracaena is able to grow well. But the lack of light leads to the fact that the plant begins to ache.
Temperature. For the normal life of the plant the most optimal air temperature is 20-25 degrees, in summer can tolerate a temperature of up to 28 degrees. In winter, the temperature should not fall below 12 degrees, and the most optimal temperature is 16-18 degrees.
Watering. In spring and summer, watering should be abundant, but between the watering the substrate must dry out. In winter, watering is reduced and carried out after the soil is completely dry. Excess moisture causes the decay of the dracaena roots.
If you often spray this indoor plant, you can water less often, thereby giving the substrate a thorough drying out.
If after watering in a pallet there is water, then after thirty minutes after watering, it should be poured, and the pan should be wiped dry. The bottom of the pot should have good drainage so that the roots do not stagnate.
The type of dracen with broad leaves during the period of growth should be watered more abundantly than species with narrow leaves. This is because the wide leaves evaporate more moisture than the narrow leaves.
Air humidity. Dracaena is a plant that can grow in a room with dry air, but gives preference to high humidity. Dry air is loved only by the Drazen Godzef and the dragon tree.
In summer, the plant needs to be sprayed with water several times a day. The water should be 2 degrees of heat of air temperature. To increase the humidity, the plant in the pot is placed on a pallet with wet claydite or peat.
Leaves should sometimes be washed under a shower, and then wiped with a damp cloth, this will help not only to get rid of dust, but also to prevent the appearance of pests.
In winter, plants should not be placed near the heating batteries.
To avoid the accumulation of excess moisture in the axils of the leaves, the Dermen dracene should be washed and sprinkled with extreme caution. To give a glossy appearance, the dracaena leaves can be treated with liquid wax.
Top dressing. To feed the plant you need throughout the year: during the summer period, fertilizing is carried out with a complex fertilizer per week once; in the winter, once every thirty days.
Pruning. Dracaens are characterized by having green leaves just above the naked stem. The leaves of this plant do not last long, the lower leaves begin to turn yellow after two years, then wither and crumble. Once the trunk is exposed, it is cut off and applied to cuttings. You need to trim about thirty centimeters.
If the dracen is cut off, it is able to give new rosettes of leaves, and from this it becomes only more beautiful. In this period, until new shoots appear, watering should be reduced.
Transfer. Young plants can be transplanted every year. The grown adult plants are transplanted in spring in at least 3 years if necessary (the pot volume is filled with plant roots).
The earth composition should be nutritious, slightly acidic (pH = 6-6.5), besides it should have a large amount of humus. It can consist of sand (one part), leaf land (two parts), turf land (4 parts).
When planting a plant in a fresh earth mixture, in addition to sand, you can add brick crumbs and pieces of birch or charcoal. The bucket of substrate is taken 500 ml of brick chips and 3 handfuls of coals.
Pieces of coal are needed to prevent the development of decay processes. Well, a brick is needed to increase the friability of the substrate, in addition, it collects excess moisture, and this is a very important factor, because dracenes can not withstand stagnation and excess water. The bottom of the pot is equipped with drainage.
If the plant grows in a large pot, then periodically the top layer of the substrate (2 cm) needs to be changed (approximately once a year).
Dracaens are also grown with hydroponics.
Reproduction. Seeds reproduce only green varieties. The plant also reproduces parts of neodrevesnevshih stalks or cuttings.
It is damaged: a spider mite, mealybug, aphids, scabbards, thrips.