Dracaena · Lemon Lime, corn plant, Janet Craig and more
Dracaenas are tough, upright houseplants with long, striped or solid leaves. Lemon Lime, corn plant and Janet Craig are a few of the ones we use most. They grow slowly, ask for little, and can live for decades.
They have one quirk worth knowing from the start: they are sensitive to the minerals in tap water. Most brown leaf tips on a dracaena come from the water, not from anything else you are doing.
Use filtered water, and not too much of it
Water with filtered, distilled or rain water when the top one to two inches of soil are dry. Tap water often carries fluoride and salts that build up and burn the leaf tips brown.
Dracaenas are easier to overwater than to underwater. When in doubt, wait another few days.
Finding the right spot
It handles medium light well; bright, indirect light keeps the stripes strongest.
- A spot several feet from a bright window, or right beside a north window.
- Direct afternoon sun scorches the long leaves.
- It will survive in a dim corner, but the stripes fade and it grows very slowly.
- Keep it away from heat vents and doors that open in winter.
Everyday care
Dracaena
Dracaena fragrans and relatives
- Light
- Medium to bright, indirect light. No direct afternoon sun.
- Water
- When the top one to two inches are dry, usually every one to two weeks. Water lightly and let it drain.
- Water quality
- Filtered, distilled or rain water. Flush the pot at the sink every couple of months to wash out built-up salts.
- Humidity & temperature
- 65–80°F and never below 55°F. Dry winter air browns the tips too.
- Feeding
- Half-strength houseplant food every other month in spring and summer. Too much food also browns the tips.
- Trimming
- Cut brown tips off at an angle with clean scissors, following the natural leaf shape.
Toxic to cats and dogs. Chewing the leaves can cause vomiting and drooling. If any part is eaten, call your veterinarian.
When it gets too tall
A dracaena that has reached the ceiling can be cut back in spring. Cut the cane at the height you want; it will sprout new leaves just below the cut within a few weeks. The top piece you cut off can be rooted in water or moist soil to make a new plant.
The eastern North Carolina year
What to do through our Johnston County seasons.
| Season | What to do |
|---|---|
| SpringMarch–May | New growth. Light feeding, repotting and cutting back tall canes are all spring jobs. |
| SummerJune–August | Check the soil weekly in the heat. It can summer on a shaded porch once nights stay above 60°F. |
| FallSeptember–November | Bring it in before nights drop below 55°F and stop feeding. |
| WinterDecember–February | Water less often. Raise the humidity and keep it off cold windows and away from vents. |
Repotting
Dracaenas like being a little snug, so repot only every two to three years in spring, one size up, with drainage holes and regular houseplant mix. Plant it at the same depth it was growing.
Quick fixes
Brown, crispy leaf tips
Tap water minerals, dry air or too much plant food. Switch to filtered water and flush the soil.
Yellow lower leaves
A few old leaves yellowing is normal. Many at once means too much water.
Stripes fading
Not enough light. Move it closer to a bright window.
Soft, mushy cane at the base
Root rot from soggy soil. Cut off healthy top pieces and root them.
Brown patches in the middle of leaves
Direct sun scorch. Move it back from the window.
Leaning or growing crooked
It is reaching for light. Turn it a quarter turn each week.
Common questions
Why does my dracaena have brown tips?
Usually fluoride and salts in tap water. Use filtered or rain water and flush the pot every couple of months.
How often do you water a dracaena?
Every one to two weeks for most homes, when the top inch or two is dry.
Can I cut the top off my dracaena?
Yes, in spring. It sprouts again below the cut, and the top can be rooted.
Is a dracaena a low-light plant?
It tolerates medium-low light well, but grows slowly and loses some color there.
More plant care guides
Tropical Trio
Croton · Lemon Lime Dracaena · Golden Pothos
Three houseplants in one planter, each in its own pot, and how to keep all three happy.
Read the guide →Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum
Medium light, a drink when it droops, and filtered water for clean leaf tips.
Read the guide →Dish Gardens & Planter Baskets
Mixed green and blooming plants
Several plants in one container. Water lightly, give it bright indirect light, and separate them when they outgrow it.
Read the guide →About pets and plants: The pet notes in this guide are general plant knowledge from our florists, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet chews or swallows any part of a plant, contact a licensed veterinarian right away, or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. If a person swallows any part of a plant, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”1 Corinthians 3:7
Questions about your plant?
Call or text us. We are always glad to help, whether you bought it from us or not.
Call or text (984) 250-7771 Clayton Florist · 11440 Clayton Blvd, Clayton, NC 27520claytonncflorist.com