The dragon tree, native to tropical Africa, is offered with more or less intensely patterned leaves. The white flowers are particularly delicate, but they rarely develop when grown indoors. But even without flowers, these leafy beauties convey a touch of exoticism. They can also remove harmful substances such as formaldehyde, xylene and benzene from the room air.
Profile
- Botanical name: Dracaena surculosa
- German name: Dragon tree
- Plant family: Asparagus family (Asparagaceae)
- Origin: tropical Africa
- Growth: slow, bamboo-like
- Growth height: 60-70 cm
- Flower: filigree, white, strongly scented
- Flowering time: January to December
- Leaf: oval, dark green, slightly dotted
- Toxicity: slightly toxic
- Use: Indoor houseplant
Location
The dragon tree 'Dracaena surculosa' likes it warm and bright. As a rule, it does well in both bright and partially shaded locations. The beautiful leaf markings are particularly pronounced in a bright place and the darker it is, the greener the leaves are. However, direct sunlight should be avoided as it could burn the leaves.
You should also avoid drafts and drying out. Depending on its origin, the plant depends on temperatures that are as constant as possible. They should ideally be between 20 and 25 degrees during the day and, if possible, not fall below 15 degrees at night. During the summer, the dragon tree can also be placed in the garden, on the balcony or terrace in a place protected from the blazing sun.
Substrate
This plant is not picky about the substrate. You can easily use commercially available pot or houseplant soil, loosened up with sand or gravel. For the sake of the environment, you should avoid using peat if possible. The pH value should be slightly acidic to neutral or between 5.5 and 7. Special palm earth would also be an option. If you want, you can make your own suitable substrate mixture. This can consist of a third of commercial potting soil and clay-containing garden soil as well as a sixth of coarse sand and pumice gravel.
Tip:
The most important factor is good permeability. Compacted substrates can lead to the formation of waterlogging, which in turn leads to rot in the root area and the associated loss of leaves.
Care instructions
In general, this type of dragon tree is very undemanding and requires relatively little care. Of course, this requires the right location and needs-based supply. She usually forgives minor care mistakes and recovers quickly.
Pouring
- Water requirement depends on temperature, light intensity and size of the plant
- Brown or yellow colored leaves, signs of too much moisture
- Allow the substrate surface to dry thoroughly before each watering
- The root area should never dry out completely
- Waterlogging is also not tolerated
- When watering, use rain or low-lime water if possible
- Also applies to hydroponic specimens
- Water level can show 0 for a short time
Tip:
As this houseplant requires high humidity, regular spraying with soft water is recommended.
Fertilize
Earth Culture
Freshly purchased or repotted plants do not need to be fertilized at first. Otherwise, fertilize during the growth phase, approximately from April to September inclusive. Complete fertilizers in solid and liquid form as well as long-term fertilizers in the form of fertilizer sticks are suitable. Ideally, liquid fertilizer is preferred, as solid fertilizers cannot be dosed so well. It is administered every two weeks with the irrigation water according to the instructions of the respective manufacturer. From late summer to autumn, fertilizer applications must be reduced and then stopped completely.
Hydroculture
In hydroponics, small clay balls serve as a substrate. They have the disadvantage that they do not contain or store any nutrients. Accordingly, they must be supplied in the form of liquid fertilizers from April to September. Particular care must be taken not to administer the respective fertilizer pure or undiluted. Otherwise it could burn the sensitive roots. Proper fertilization can be crucial, especially for the formation of flowers, even if Dracaena surculosa rarely develops flowers when grown indoors.
Cutting
- Pruning not absolutely necessary but possible
- If the plant is weak or better branching is desired
- Or has formed long, weak shoots in an unfavorable location
- In addition to cutting, look for a more suitable location
- Pruning possible at any time
- Optimal time in spring
- Cut shortly before the phase of most intensive growth
- If the timing is bad, wait longer for budding
- Cutting possible at almost any point
- But always at the level of a leaf base
- Pruning measures bring more light into the interior of the plant
- Let the plant grow back more compactly
Wintering
As a houseplant, Dracaena surculosa needs a warm place all year round. The optimal wintering temperature is between 15 and 18 degrees. A short-term drop to below 15 degrees is tolerated. However, it should not be exposed to such temperatures for longer, otherwise the leaves would quickly droop. Even in winter it wants to be bright but not sunny. Watering is reduced during the cold season without the bale drying out completely.
Fertilizer should be avoided completely. During the heating season, the air in the room is usually very dry. Since the dragon tree requires high humidity at all times of the year, it should be sprayed regularly with water, especially in winter. It is also advisable to remove dust from your leaves at certain intervals with a damp cloth.
Repotting
A newly purchased dragon tree plant should be repotted as soon as possible after purchase. For all other specimens, it is advisable to repot them about every two years. Normal potting soil, even that containing peat, tends to collapse over time, causing it to become compacted. This affects the permeability of the substrate and thus also the availability of oxygen. This can take a toll on this plant. The new pot should be about 20% larger and have a drainage layer. The plant is removed from the old pot and the loose soil removed from the ball. It is then placed in fresh substrate in the new pot and watered.
Switching from soil to hydroponics
Dracaena surculosa can also be grown very well in hydroponics, which has some advantages. On the one hand, it makes care easier and there is also no risk of waterlogging or fungal diseases if handled correctly. There is no soil that needs to be replaced regularly, soil-dwelling pests and mold have no chance. The substrate, consisting of small clay balls, is stable for years.
It only needs to be repotted if the pot is too small or the root ball is too big. Even allergy sufferers can breathe a sigh of relief. It is of course best to cultivate the plants in hydro pots from the start. Switching them later from soil to hydroponics is more difficult and much more stressful for the plants, but still possible. The best time for this is in spring. The plant to be transplanted should always be young.
Instructions
- Take the plant out of the pot and remove soil from the root ball
- Use a weak jet of water to wash out the last bits of soil
- Damage the roots as little as possible
- Remove rotten spots and yellow leaves
- Then fill the hydro vessel about a quarter full with clay beads
- Then place the plant in the middle
- Fill with granules
- Roots should be covered with a layer of granules
- Push the pot several times in between to close gaps in the substrate
After repotting
Now the roots of the plant in question must reach a certain length in order to be able to reach the water in the reservoir. To do this, first keep the expanded clay balls constantly moist and place the dragon tree in a partially shaded place with high humidity for two to three weeks. As soon as regular growth has begun, water can be filled up to the optimum mark according to the water level indicator. Now is also the right time to administer a suitable long-term fertilizer. The water level is checked once or twice a week, no further care is necessary.
Tip:
In hydroculture, this houseplant can easily be left to its own devices for three weeks in a location that is not too hot. However, this requires that the water tank has previously been filled to the maximum of the water level indicator.
Propagate
The dragon tree (Dracaena surculosa) can be propagated by cuttings or division. We show how to do it correctly and what you should pay attention to:
Cuttings
The most common method of propagation is via cuttings. You can get them, for example, with regular pruning or you can cut them from the mother plant in spring or summer.
- Cut cuttings about 15 cm below the shoot tip
- Seal the interface on the mother plant with tree wax
- Short the leaves by about half to minimize evaporation
- Then fill small pots with permeable growing substrate
- Or use a mixture of equal parts soil and sand
- Place freshly cut cuttings into the prepared substrate
- Press the soil lightly
- Moisten the substrate and keep it constantly moist until rooting
- Cover cuttings with translucent foil
- Place in a bright, not sunny and evenly warm place
- Soil temperature should be 24-25 degrees
As an alternative to growing in soil, the cuttings can also be rooted in a glass of water. You put them in a dark container filled with water. Once roots have formed, they can be planted. Rooting in both soil and water takes about two to three weeks.
Division
Thanks to its stalk-like stems, this plant is one of the species that can also be propagated by division. To do this, take them out of the pot in early spring and carefully shake off the loose soil. Use your hands to expose the roots as much as possible and remove damaged and rotten root parts. Then you separate them into several pieces. Each of them must have enough roots to grow. Finally, plant the newly acquired plants and water them well.
Diseases
Plant diseases are often the result of inadequate care or unfavorable site conditions. This can include large temperature fluctuations as well as excessive watering or exposure to sunlight. Fertilization errors or frequent watering with tap water are often the cause. To prevent all of this, you should ensure optimal environmental conditions and care that is appropriate to your species and needs.
Pests
Scale insects
Under unfavorable conditions, plants are also more susceptible to pests such as scale insects. They can be recognized by small brown plates on the leaves and stems. To combat the pests, you can dab them directly with tea tree oil or coat them with a soft soap solution and repeat the process several times. The use of parasitic wasps is also possible. Chemical agents should only be used if the infestation is already very advanced.
Mealybugs or mealybugs
Small cotton-like webs are typical of a mealybug infestation. The leaves turn yellow, curl up and eventually fall off. Affected plants should be isolated from others as quickly as possible. We then recommend combating it with a mixture of one liter of water, 15 ml each of spirit and paraffin oil or curd soap. The mixture is applied with a brush and the procedure is repeated several times, at intervals of two to three days.
