Dracaena is fragrant. Care

Dracaena Fragrant, Deremskaya or Fragrance, whose homeland is Africa, belongs to the family and is considered the most fastidious of Dracaena. People call it the "tree of happiness", as there is an opinion that it is an indicator of emotions in the room, for example, if peace and tranquility reign in the family, there are no quarrels and resentments, then the dracaena grows well, feels great and even pleases its households with flowers, and if there is a tense situation in the family, scandals occur, then the dracaena begins to hurt, fade and gradually dies.

Fragrans means "fragrance", "aroma" in translation. It got its name for the strong aroma that its flowers exude, reminiscent of the smell of freshly cut grass. , but, if your beauty nevertheless decides to bloom, then it will inappropriately please you. , bloom on a high peduncle that grows from the center of the rosette.

IN natural conditions reaches a height of 6 meters, but in room conditions not higher than 2 meters.

About caring for Dracaena Fragrant, Deremskaya or Fragrans:

Temperature:Optimum temperature for Dracena in summer it is 19-25 ºC, and in winter the temperature should not fall below 10 ºC. In summer, you need to monitor the temperature, if the weather is hotter, you need to increase watering and spraying. It is worth not forgetting that in winter it must be protected from cold drafts. Same when it works central heating, Dracaena must be sprayed twice a day, and wipe the leaves with a damp sponge.

Lighting:Dracaena Fragrant prefers bright lighting, without direct sunlight. The perfect place there will be a west or east window for it, but if your windows face the south side, you need to create diffused lighting for it. This kind of Dracen loves fresh air, therefore, in the summer it can be taken out onto the balcony or terrace, but back, make sure that it does not fall on direct sunlight.

Watering:Dracaena Deremsis must be watered abundantly and regularly. In the summer, twice a week, if necessary, watering is increased, you should be guided by the drying of the earthy coma. If a upper layer the soil has dried out by 2-3 cm in depth, it is necessary to water. In winter, during the dormant period, watering is reduced to once a week, but if the plant is standing next to heating device, you will have to water it more often. Water must be used separated or filtered. Dracaena Fragransa normally tolerates dry air, but from time to time she still does not refuse to spray, especially in summer and winter if she is standing next to a heating device. Try not to overmoisten the roots of the plant. It is highly recommended to loosen the topsoil once a month for better air flow to the roots.

Dracaena fragrans Lemon Lime.

Fertilizer:Fertilizing Dracena Fragrans is necessary during the period of active growth, from March to September. Fertilize the plant twice a month.

The soil:Soil for palm trees is suitable for Dracaena, you can also use a mixture of leaf, compost and turf soil with the addition of sand, peat. Needed good drainage... It is recommended to add pieces of charcoal to the substrate, which will serve as the prevention of root diseases, you can also add a little brick chips to increase the looseness of the soil.

Transfer:It is necessary to transplant Dracena Fragrant, Deremsis or Fragrants after purchase in two weeks. Young Dracaena are transplanted once every 2 years as the plants grow. Adult plants are transplanted once every 3 years. In order to determine whether it is necessary to transplant dracaena, it is necessary to compare the height of the plant with the diameter of the pot, for example, for a plant with a height of 40 centimeters, a pot with a diameter of 15 centimeters is needed. You can transplant at any time of the year, but if possible, it is better to wait for spring. Transplanting must be done carefully, using the transfer method, in order to avoid damage to the roots. In adult plants that grow in tubs, it is necessary to change the topsoil annually.

Reproduction: You can read about the reproduction of Dracaena in this article:

Dracaena Fragrant.May be amazed. For prevention, you need to use a warm shower, wipe the leaves.

Dracaena Fragrance, Deremsis or Fragrant. Growing problems:

• Dry tips and edges of leaves - most often this indicates dry air and poor watering. When such a problem arises, it is necessary to increase the number of water procedures by increasing the frequency of spraying the leaves, to increase watering. You can also arrange shower more often for the plant, covering the substrate with a bag in order to prevent excessive moisture from getting to the roots.
• Yellowing of leaves - this may be due to natural withering away (the lifespan of an individual leaf is 1.5-2 years, after which it gradually dies off), this applies to the lower leaves and this is a rather slow process. If you are concerned about the yellowing of the foliage as a whole and not of individual lower leaves, then this may be the first symptom that your plant begins to die due to excess moisture in the pot. In this case, you need to take action. Dracaena must be removed from the pot, dried the roots and removed those on which rot has appeared, and transplanted into a new substrate. Also, yellowing of the foliage can speak of the exact opposite, that you have forgotten about your plant and it suffers from direct sunlight, change its location in relation to the window, or about a lack nutrients in soil, try fertilizing.
• Blanching leaves -the plant can react in this way both to direct sunlight and a lack of light. If the leaves have not only turned pale, but have also lost their brightness and the stripes have faded, then all the same Dracaena Fragrant is tired of shading.

• Leaves wither -this is an indicator of both over-watering and dry soil. But it can also be a consequence of frostbite.
• Speckled light spots on the underside of the leaf -this indicates that you are using poor quality water for irrigation. In this case, you can recommend boiling it additionally, or filtering it.
• Curling and blackening of leaf tipsin Dracena Fragrant, it occurs with prolonged storage at low temperatures.
• Drooping leavesis most often caused by insufficient watering.
• Wet brown spots – excessive watering.

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Dracaena is a genus of evergreen tropical trees and shrubs of the asparagus family, which includes more than a hundred species, many of which are widely used for landscaping houses, apartments and office premises... Fragrant dracaena is one of the most common potted varieties of the genus. She feels great in indoor conditions, delighting the owners with her spectacular appearance and absolute unpretentiousness to growing conditions.

Fragrant dracaena (Dracaena fragrans) is a perennial evergreen shrub from the genus Dracaena of the Asparagus family, including more than a dozen subspecies, whose natural habitat is hot African countries: Ethiopia, Tanzania, Nigeria, Cameroon and many others. In nature, the trunk can reach a height of 6 m, with room maintenance it usually grows no more than 2 m in height.

The scientific name of the genus, Dracaena, means “female dragon”. The word "dracaena" is usually used as the Russian name of the genus, but Vladimir Dal in his Dictionary gives one more russian name - "dragon".

The leaves of Dracaena fragrans have a rich green hue with a glossy surface, grow up to 1 m in length and up to 10 cm in width. Each is bordered at the edges by a wide strip, the color of which, depending on the variety, ranges from pale green to bright yellow. Many people have a question: dracaena palm or not? In young plants, the leaves cover the stems completely, but as they grow from the lower part, they fall off, as a result of which the dracaena becomes like a palm tree: the tops of tall trunks are crowned with lush rosettes of greenery. Because of this similarity, confusion occurs, although these exotics have nothing in common.

The fragrant blooming dracaena looks very impressive: it produces a long flower cluster (up to 1 m) with many light green or white inflorescences, each flower has an unusually pleasant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of fresh hay and honey at the same time. True, dracaena blooms at home extremely rarely.

There is another representative in the genus, which is sometimes also called fragrant in the description - deremskaya. In fact it is two different kinds, although very similar in appearance. During flowering, red and white buds bloom on the Derem variety, and it smells more intense and sharp.

Dracaena Fragrans: home care

The African "guest" is quite safe for indoor cultivation: it does not emit any harmful and toxic substancesand not a single part of it is poisonous. However, the juice from their green mass can cause indigestion, so it is advisable to keep the green pet's pot out of the reach of small children and animals.

To successfully care for fragrant dracaena, you do not need special knowledge and skills. This plant is one of the most unpretentious among all the representatives of the indoor flora. However, some of the nuances of how to care for an African pet are still worth familiarizing yourself with.

The varieties with green leaves are the most resistant to low light. If a dracaena with bright striped foliage appeared in the house, then she needs to find a lighter place, otherwise the pattern on the leaf plates will fade or disappear altogether.

Dracaena reproduction

This exotic shrub is best propagated in the second half of summer or spring. You can propagate fragrant dracaena in the following ways:

• cuttings,
• layering,
• stem segments.

The first option is the most effective. When a plant is propagated by cuttings, a successful result is almost guaranteed. Cuttings are cut from the apical shoots, slightly dried. To root the dracaena, you need to create greenhouse conditions for the cuttings: they are placed in a moistened substrate and covered with a bag or glass. After 1-1.5 months, the roots will hatch and start growing, after a while, the grown young bushes are planted in a permanent place.

Reproduction at home with the help of air layers is possible if the dracaena is young and has not yet had time to turn into a large bush. On the trunk under the fallen leaf, a transverse incision is made to the middle of the stem, into which a match or a toothpick is inserted so that it does not overgrow. The incision is wrapped in wet moss and covered with a bag. After some time, roots will sprout through the moss - the cutting becomes independent, which means that it can be cut from the main plant and transplanted into a new pot.

An even more exotic way is to root the stems. How to propagate dracaena in this way? In fact, everything is quite simple: a healthy stem is cut into fragments about 15 cm long so that the slices fall on the places where the petioles are attached. The resulting cuttings are placed in moist soil vertically or horizontally and await the appearance of roots and new shoots. After 1-1.5 months, if the young stems are strong enough by this time, they can be planted in permanent pots.

A properly selected pot for dracaena is another of the conditions for its successful cultivation. In this species, the main root always grows in length, and the lateral roots are short, poorly developed. Given this feature, it is preferable to use a container for fragrant dracaena that is high and narrow, in the shape of a glass, not too spacious.

For bushes about 40 cm high, a pot 15 -17 cm in diameter is suitable. When transplanting, the size of each subsequent container should increase by no more than 2-3 cm.

If a tropical "guest" came to you from the store in a temporary shipping container, after the plant has adapted to indoor conditions, it must be replaced with a permanent one.

Watering and feeding

Dracaena fragrant fragrant is a drought-resistant plant, therefore watering it needs moderate, without waterlogging and stagnation of moisture at the roots. During the period of active growth (from spring to autumn), the shrub is watered 2-3 times a week, with the onset of winter, watering is reduced to 1 time in 10-12 days. To preserve the decorative qualities, the leaves of the dracaena must be regularly sprayed, and from time to time wiped with a damp cloth.

They feed the African "guest" in spring-summer period every month with a special fertilizer for palm trees or ornamental foliage plants. For the winter, feeding is suspended.

Dracaena transplant

Young plants need to be replanted every 2 years, adults - no more than once every 3-4 years. Instances that have reached a venerable age do not need to be disturbed by transplants; it is enough to remove the top soil layer from the pots to a depth of about 5 cm every year and replace it with fresh soil.

The transplant is carried out by the transshipment method, in which the bush is "relocated" from the old pot to a new one, completely preserving the earthen lump. This method allows you to protect sensitive root system.

After the purchase, the dracaena is kept in quarantine for about two weeks, and then a decision is made to transplant: young plant, who is cramped in the container, can immediately get a new "apartment", and a more adult can wait with "relocation" until spring.

How to cut fragrant dracaena

Dracaena pruning is usually carried out in April-May. It is at this time that it falls on the period of active growth and the places of the cuts heal the best way... Crown formation in summer and winter is not recommended. These are periods of rest, when all processes in the plant slow down, and the wounds on the sections will heal for a very long time.

For the procedure, take only a sharp instrument (knife, pruner). The place of the future branching is chosen 15 cm from one of the tops. The upper part of the shoot is cut off (it can be rooted), the cut is sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. The bush is removed for a month in a darkened warm place, where after a while new buds will begin to appear on it.

Before you renew the dracaena, you need to make sure that it is completely healthy and has enough strength to build new shoots. If there are signs of disease or damage, it is better not to prune the bush, but pay attention to its restoration.

Fragrant dracaena: diseases

These exotics practically do not get sick if all growing conditions are properly organized for them. With mistakes in care, the shrub can be affected different kinds rot. These diseases arise in plants that have been exposed to prolonged exposure to low temperatures in combination with excess air and soil moisture. The main sign of waterlogging is that the tips of the leaves turn black, if measures are not taken in time and the treatment does not begin, putrefactive processes will develop.

The most common disease of dracaena is hypothermia, which most often happens in the winter season if a pot with a plant stands near a window or in a draft.

Are rotting symptoms found on the bush? You should urgently place the pot in a dry warm place and, if possible, eliminate excess moisture in it! Plants with large foci of rot, most likely, cannot be cured, they will have to be destroyed, but you can first cut healthy cuttings from them and try to root them.

Many gardeners are concerned about the question: "Why do the leaves of a seemingly healthy plant turn yellow?" The cause of this problem most likely lies in too dry air, as is evidenced by brown spots on the leaves. In this case, the bushes should be sprayed more often and wipe their crown with a damp soft cloth. If the leaves, located at the bottom of the trunks, curl and dry, this is a normal natural process.

Among pests showing interest in an exotic green pet, mealybugs, spider mites, aphids and scale insects are especially dangerous. Most effective method combating them - the use of special insecticides. As preventive measures from the appearance of harmful insects, dracaena regularly arrange a warm shower, and also wipe its crown with a soft damp cloth.

Dracaena varieties

There are about two dozen varieties of fragrant dracaena. All of them are very decorative, unpretentious and ideal for indoor growing. Consider the most popular varieties that characterize the fragrant dracaena:

• - the most common variety, which is perennial shrub up to 2 m high, with thickened stems and a dense dark green crown formed by long wide leaves with a glossy surface.

  Dracaena fragrance "Compact"

• - a variety of fragrant dracaena, characterized by a spectacular crown formed by large wide leaves, combining shades of yellow and green in color. Powerful stems when grown indoors are capable of reaching a height of 2-2.5 m.

  Dracaena fragrance "Yellow Coast"

• Lemon lime (Dracaena lemon lime) is an unusual variegated variety, compact at a young age, but eventually grows into a powerful 2-meter tree-like bush. The leaves are lanceolate, narrow, with a glossy surface, lined with multi-colored stripes. Their color contains shades of green, white and yellow.

  Dracaena fragrance "Lemon lime"

• - unpretentious decorative variety fragrant dracaena maximum height about 1.5 m. Thin short stems topped with lush rosettes of rich green leathery leaves with longitudinal dark green stripes on both sides of the leaf plates.

  Dracaena fragrance "Golden Coast"

• - one of the most prominent representatives of the family. An evergreen tree-like shrub with thick trunks and a dense crown of bunches of powerful glossy dark green leaves with a wide bright yellow stripe in the center.

  Dracaena fragrance "Massengeana"

• - spectacular variegated shrub tree about 2 m high, which stands out for its extraordinary decorative qualities. The leaves of this variety are wide and short with a light green, almost white center, bordered by a bright dark green stripe.

  Dracaena fragrance "Malaika"

• Steudneri (Dracaena steudneri) is a tall variety that can grow up to 3 meters in height under favorable conditions. The leaves are usually long and narrow, lanceolate, bright green in color with many darker longitudinal stripes converging at the top of the leaf.

  Dracaena fragrance "Stoudnery"

• Is a common pot-growing variety. The trunks are thickened, up to 2 m high, the crown is lush, dense, formed by many long, wide leaves of a rich green hue with a silvery border along the edges.

  Dracaena fragrance "Varneschi"

• - one of the most spectacular varieties, capable of reaching a height of 4 m even under conditions home growing... The trunks are thick, topped with a dense crown of dark green glossy leaves of an elongated lanceolate shape.

  Dracaena Fragrance "Janet Craig"

• Jade Jewel (Dracaena jade jewel) is a highly decorative variety with slender well-branched trunks that grow up to 2 m up. Long leaves collected at the tops of the stems in rosettes, have a very bright green color with contrasting stripes of white, yellow and light green.

  Dracaena fragrance "Jade Jewel"

• - a rather rare variety. At home, the bush reaches a height of 1.5 m, thickened trunks are decorated with lush glossy bright green rosettes of leaves, lined with longitudinal white stripes. The color of the plates from the center to the edges changes from rich emerald to pale green.

  Dracaena fragrance "Kanzi"

• Shinto (Dracaena cintho) is a spectacular shrub tree up to 3 m high. It has thick, strong stems, on the tops of which long lanceolate leaves of a rich green hue with a wide light green strip in the center form lush rosettes.

  Dracaena fragrance "Chinto"

• Dorado (Dracaena dorado) is an unpretentious well-branched variety up to 2.5 m high.The bush has thick trunks, topped with a very lush crown from glossy light green leaves, bordered by a wide strip of rich yellow hue.

  Dracaena fragrance "Dorado"

• - highly decorative variety, growing up to 2 m up. The trunks are strong, well-branched, the crown is dense, formed by long variegated leavescombining longitudinal stripes of dark green and silver shades in color.

  Dracaena fragrance "Surprise"

• White Jewel (Dracaena white jewel) is a powerful evergreen shrub that grows at home up to 2 m in height. The trunks are thickened, with a dense green mass, the crown is formed by long lanceolate leaves of a variegated color: a plate of a rich green hue is bordered and lined along with bright white stripes.

  Dracaena fragrance "White Jewel"

• Hawaii sunshine (Dracaena hawaiian sunshine) is an elegant and spectacular variety up to 2 m high. The shrub has thickened trunks with lush rosettes at the tops. The leaf plates are wide, deep-green in color with pronounced longitudinal stripes of a more delicate green color.

  Dracaena Fragrans "Hawaii Sunshine"

It is a pleasure to take care of fragrant dracaena. She does not need constant attention and develops very well practically on her own. Even a very busy gardener can grow dracaena luxury decoration for your own home or office.

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There are several varieties of the plant, extremely varied in color of leaves, size and color of stripes. Moreover, these can be plants with monochromatic leaves, while others are variegated with a border around the edge. There are forms with a height of only about 20 cm with bright striped leaves, for example (D. fragrans "Surprise"). varieties are "Compacta" and "Massangeana" ... (see photo)

Dracaena fragrans is loved by flower growers, because it looks great both in compositions with other cultures, as well as as a solo plant. Ideal for landscaping living spaces and offices.

Dracaena fragrant and home care

Dracaena transplant. Repot a large plant in the spring, every 2 years. If a very large plant is not easy to handle, only change the topsoil.

Features of caring for fragrant dracaena

Wipe the leaves with a damp sponge supporting them from below. You can use leaf polish once a month. Be careful - too much polish can clog the pores of the leaves. If the leaves fall off and the plant looks bare, use a sharp knife to cut off the branches directly at the main stem of the plant. New shoots will appear soon.

Dracaena fragrant (fragrance) Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana"

Fragrant dracaena is a very slowly growing shrub, usually multi-stemmed at the base, with a narrow crown and thin branches. It has dark green glossy dense leaves.

Mature plants grow to a height of 15 meters or more. Stems are up to 30 centimeters in diameter. At first, the dracaena is single-stemmed, but as the trunk grows, the leaves begin to fall off and buds wake up on the trunk, forming branches.

Several varieties of Dracaena fragrans are endowed with variegated leaves. For example, "Massangeana" has a bright yellow center stripe on the leaves. "Compact" is more compact for small spaces. Some popular varieties, including Janet Craig and Warneckii, are usually sold in our regions under the guise of Dracaena deremensis (Dracaena deremskaya), although it is only a variety of fragrant dracaena.

Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana"

Fragrant Dracaena is very easy to care for. which makes it an ideal plant for growing at home from all types of dracaena.

Dracaena Fragrans arrived at our homes from Tropical East Africa... It grows very slowly, but it can reach two meters. The optimum temperature for the development of this species is 16-24 degrees Celsius.

Hardy dracaena Fragrans is an unbranched tree plant with xiphoid curved leaves. The leaves are usually dark green in color, up to 60 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide, with a wide creamy yellow stripe down the center of the leaf.

Under natural growing conditions, dracaena periodically blooms with fragrant flowers with a strong aroma. It is very difficult to wait for the flowering of the fragrant dracaena in the room.

Photo: Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana"

As it grows, the plant discards lower leaves, leaving behind a bare stem. Don't be alarmed: this is a normal process. When dracaena hits a new environment and you bring it home, it is very likely that it will shed a few leaves. The plant needs a little time to acclimatize.

Dracaena Fragrant does not tolerate drafts and direct sunlight, which will damage the leaves up to burns.

This easy-to-care plant can normally tolerate "difficult" conditions of stay - and dusty rooms, and shade, and dry air, but the fragrant dracaena cannot stand the constant moist soil and abuse of fertilizers. Consequences are damaged yellow leaves that indicate root rot. Be sure to use a pot with good drainage.

When the dracaena is too tall, you can trim the trunk to the desired level. The tip can be left for breeding.

Trim better in spring or in early summer when the plant is at its maximum growth. Below the cut on the trunk, buds will wake up - there can be up to four of them, and you will get new shoots.

A transplant of Fragrant Dracaena should be arranged in the spring, only when the root system has filled the entire pot. This species grows slowly, so you can replant it about once every three years.

Photo: Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana"

Dracaena Fragrans loves dense soil and a small pot. Watering "aroma" is necessary in the morning, preferably a little, but several times. This way, you will be able to control the moisture in the pot and not flood the dracaena. In winter, let the soil dry almost to the bottom.

A little attention and care, and this dracaena will delight you with its presence for many years.

In translation, the name of the genus Dracaena fragrant means "female dragon". In tropical countries, some varieties grow to huge beautiful trees... When the bark is damaged, a red sap similar to blood is released, hence the strange name of the plants.

Dracaena flowers emit a pleasant aroma. Its peduncle reaches one meter in height. The plant has a tall and unstable stem that resembles a small palm tree with a bunch of leaves at the top.

There are such plant varieties:

• Massangeana. It grows up to one and a half meters in height, the leaves are light green with a yellow stripe in the middle.
• Surprise. A low-growing variety, it grows to only 20 cm in height.
• Cintho. Adult plant looks like a thin-stemmed palm tree. It grows up to one and a half meters in height, with a bunch of narrow leaves at the top.
• Kerry. Compact tree with green and light green leaves.
• Compact. A tall variety similar to a palm tree. Leaves are dark green;
• Victoria. Light yellow foliage with a green stripe in the middle.
• Alobeka. A tall variety with dark green leaves showing yellowish green stripes.

The leaves of some plant varieties can be up to 10 cm wide, they are curved in arcs and are crowded in the upper part of the trunk.

The nuances of growing fragrant dracaena

Dracaena is unpretentious. It is easy to grow and easy to reproduce. If two trunks grow in a pot, one may become depressed and soon die. Therefore, after purchase, it is better to plant the shoots in separate pots.

The plant requires minimal maintenance, in good conditions can grow at home for over 15 years.

Flower care at home

The quality of care for an adult plant can be judged by the number of leaves preserved in the lower part of the shoot. If there are many of them, then the care was good.

Important for the plant correct watering, feeding, transplanting, wet air and good lighting.

Temperature, humidity and lighting

• Dracaena is photophilous, but if it stands near the southern windows, it requires shading at midday, otherwise burns may remain on the leaves. Cirrus-leaved varieties require more light to maintain a vibrant color.
• To make the plant grow even, turn it different sides to the light... The light source can be fluorescent Lamp, for dracaena this does not play a special role.
• In winter, the temperature should not be lower than + 12 ° C, in summer - up to + 25 ° C.
• The plant does not like drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations.

Watering the plant

It is advisable to water the moisture-loving dracaena often, especially in warm time of the year. The plant pot should have loose soil and good drainage so that all excess water can drain through the holes in the bottom of the pot and not stagnate in the soil. Excess water is poured from the pan. The soil is loosened so that the roots can breathe and develop normally.

City water for irrigation is desirable to take settled. It is even better if the water is spring, melt, rain or filtered.

• In summer, the plant is watered once every 2 or 3 days.
• In winter, this is done less often - 1 or 2 times a week.
• You can spray the leaves with warm water daily.

A sign of excessive dry air in winter time are the yellowed ends of dracaena leaves. If the plant is not far from the radiator, daily spraying of the foliage continues in winter.

Top dressing and fertilization

The plant needs fertilizing for the entire warm period, from spring to late autumn, once every 10 days. Fit mineral fertilizers for indoor decorative and deciduous crops. You can use commercial fertilizers on an organic basis with peat extraction, chicken droppings or manure.

Transplant and pruning

It is advisable to transplant the plant in spring, in March or early April, so that it starts growing as quickly as possible. Timely transplantation prolongs the life of the dracaena.

• A powerful root system requires a few centimeters to increase the planting capacity during annual replanting.
• A layer of expanded clay must be placed on the bottom.
• There should be several holes in the bottom of the pot to maximize the removal of excess moisture from the soil.

Having bought a new plant in a store, it is transplanted one month after purchase. It is necessary that the dracaena gets used to the new microclimate of the room, lighting.

For a plant about half a meter high, a pot of at least 20 cm in diameter is needed. The transplant soil is used universal. It should be loose, water and air permeable. In flower shops you can also find special primer for dracaena. A soil mixture is prepared independently from equal parts of peat, sand, turf, leafy soil and humus.

As the stem grows, leaves can only remain at the top of the stem. This reduces the decorative qualities of dracaena. In the spring, the trunk is cut so that shoots begin to grow from the lateral buds. The cut off top is rooted in a separate flower pot. The cut must be treated with charcoal and Zircon preparation.

Post-flowering care

In indoor conditions, the flowering of fragrant dracaena is a unique phenomenon. In the wild, this happens once every 10 years. A long panicled inflorescence with white or yellow-green fragrant flowers opens at night. After flowering, the trunk of the dracaena begins to expand in a circle.

Flowering takes a lot of energy from the plant, so the seeds are not allowed to ripen. Immediately after flowering, the peduncle is cut off, and the dracaena is fed with complex mineral fertilizers.

Dracaena is loved by many connoisseurs of indoor plants. More than a hundred of its species forms are distinguished, differing from each other in shape, color of leaves and flowers. Among them is Dracaena Fragrance.

Basic information about the plant

Dracena is truly awarded the title of one of the most spectacular decorative leafy plants. The homeland of dracaena is considered tropical and Africa and the islands South-East Asia, where almost all species of this plant are found.

Translated from Latin, the name of this houseplant sounds like "female dragon", hence the derived names: dragon or dragon tree.

Dracaena fragrance belongs to the asparagus family.

The main differences between dracaena and cordilina

You can often hear the following formulation: dracaena is a false palm. All due to the fact that this plant is often confused with mini-palms, yucca, the plant is mistakenly attributed to the genus Cordilin, etc.

Scientists-taxonomists, after conducting a special investigation, managed to find out that dracaena, fragrant and cordilina, occupy completely different positions in decorative floriculture, and the easiest way to distinguish them is to look at the roots of plants.

How to distinguish dracaena from cordilina: basic rules

Pay attention to the root system first. Dracaena is determined by orange-yellow smooth roots, and cordilina - by a more thickened white rhizome.

According to the shape of the sitting of the leaves on the stem: the cuttings of the dracaena leaves are absent. The leaf shape is linear, the structure is sinewy, with a thick skin.

Depending on the subspecies of the plant, the leaves are collected in small rosettes and form bundles closer to the top of the stem (dracaena marginate) in some, while in others they are arranged along the entire length of the stem in whorls or spirals (dracaena fragrance Lemon lime).

We take care of dracaena correctly

The plant is unpretentious. But, as in caring for any indoor plants, individual rules are required.

Dracaena fragrance is distinguished by its endurance in comparison with other relatives and perfectly tolerates a lack of light. Subspecies with solid dark green leaves show excellent growth in the shade, but variegated forms quickly lose their bright color. The best is considered to be bright, evenly diffused light from windows on the south or east side.

Important! From frequent contact with unscattered sunlight, dracaena leaves turn yellow and the color becomes paler.

Remember to remove dust from the plant. Do this periodically throughout the year: wipe the leaves with a damp sponge, sometimes give the dragon a warm shower. It is not recommended to use leaf polish products, as plants of this species do not react well to chemistry. Instead purchased funds you can use folk: alcohol, diluted citric acid, glycerin, but process the plant no more than 1-2 times a month.

Choosing a place for a plant

Most plant species are endowed by nature with variegated leaves. Such species must be kept in a warm, bright place, providing open access to sunlight, otherwise the plant will become pale. Green-leaved monophonic dracaena are placed in a place where light and heat enter, but open sunlight does not pass.

Most gardeners believe that Dracaena Fragrance Compact is shade plant, But actually it is not. Deprive the flower of the sun and it will begin to fade. Good growth and the development of plants is facilitated by moderate, diffused sunlight. Therefore, it is so important in winter to move the dracaena closer to the window so that it receives as much light energy as possible.

We select the optimal temperature regime

The air temperature in the room where you keep the plant should be moderate. Dracaena fragrance Massangeana feels comfortable at +15 in summer and tolerates wintering well at + 10-13 degrees Celsius. The optimum temperature is considered to be 20-25 degrees (this is the average value). Hardy ones such as dragon tree, scented, hooker's dracaena can be grown in cold greenhouses. They are not afraid of either drafts or cold (they can winter at a temperature of +7 degrees Celsius).

Water the plants

Maintain a constant moisture content in the pot with the plant, but do not overmoisten it: this can lead to decay of the roots and the development of pathogenic bacteria. Try to keep the earthy coma from drying out. Keeping dracaena in moderate conditions, keep watering to a minimum, alternating with soil drainage. When temperatures rise, spray the plant with water once a day, try to maintain a humid warm indoor climate.

Frequent spraying helps not only to nourish the plant with water and useful minerals, but also has a kind of prophylactic effect against spider mites.

When making a warm shower for the plant, do not forget to cover the pot itself, this will help to avoid waterlogging of the substrate.

Fertilizing indoor plants

When dracaena fragrant Janet is actively growing (from April to August), it is fed. This is done systematically, every 14 days, using special complex fertilizers for feeding. In the cold season, fertilization is carried out 2 times a month.

We transplant dracaena

As the plant grows, it is transplanted once every 1-2 years, in the spring. A large pot is used for transplanting. At the bottom of the container, an artificial drainage is formed from small pebbles or shards, on top of which an earthen or peat mixture is poured. For transplanting dracaena, it is recommended to use the following mixture:

• sod land - ¼;
• leafy land - ¼;
• humus - ¼;
• peat or sand - ¼.

Cutting the plant

Pruning dracaena helps form a lush crown of the plant. Almost the entire top is cut off, leaving 4-5 leaves on the trunk.

Important! To stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, the cut site can be wrapped with polyethylene.

Propagating dracaena

A plant that is easy to breed is dracaena fragrance. Reproduction takes place with the help of apical cuttings, layering, stem fragments, which should be rooted in the soil covered with a film, maintaining a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

Dracaena breeding methods fragrance

1. With apical cuttings. The top of the old plant is cut off and the apical stalk takes root. To stimulate the plant, phytohormones are used and the pot is heated from below.
2. With the help of air layers appearing at the top of the plant. When dracaena lets small root processes, the tip is cut off.
3. With the help of stem segments. Parts of the stem 5-7 cm long are used as material for propagation. Stem cuttings are rooted in the soil mixture, covered with a film, creating a mini-steam room. In such conditions, the stalk takes root easily.

Disease and pest resistance

Having provided the dracaena with complete care, you do not have to worry about getting sick.

Plant diseases can be associated with insufficient watering (leaves dry in a houseplant), with the influence of direct sunlight on the plant (light white spots appear on the leaves).

Dracaena are most often affected spider mite or a shield. Spider mite - small bugs that live at the base of the leaves, with back side... When a spider mite is affected, the leaves turn yellow, and a web of cobwebs forms between them. The scabbard can be recognized by the formation of brown plaques on the underside of the leaves.

An amazing plant, unpretentious in care and hardy, is dracaena fragrant. Home care and plant care will help you grow an impressive tree. By creating a composition of several types of dracaena, you can create a living tropical corner at home. You can arrange winter Garden, if the area of \u200b\u200byour home allows it, or create a mini-greenhouse on the balcony. No matter where you place the greens houseplants, your home will look cozier, more fun and cleaner, because they not only perform a decorative function, but also purify the air.