One of the most beautiful plants in indoor floriculture is the reflexed dracaena. Despite the difficulties in care, this decorative plant has more and more fans every year. It is valued for its elegant leaves, which have an original arched shape.
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Description and popular varieties
The evergreen plant belongs to the genus Dracaena of the Asparagus family. Its other name is Dracaena reflexa. Wild specimens of this species are found in the tropics and reach a height of five meters. The graceful indoor tree does not exceed 2 m.
In appearance it resembles a small palm tree: it has a bare trunk and shoots with leaves that are arranged in a bunch at the ends. The stem is weak, the branches extend almost from the root. This makes the dracaena look like a bush and allows it to be called a false palm.
Leathery green leaves with a light border and thin veins are curved downwards. They are tightly adjacent to the stem with a wide base. The length of the leaf blades is up to 16 cm, the width is up to 3 cm. Fragrant small flowers are painted white or greenish-yellow and are collected in panicle-type inflorescences. Indoor culture blooms extremely rarely.
There are several varieties of unusual indoor palm trees.
The most popular ones include:
- Dracaena Anita - characterized by linear leaf blades of a uniform green color;
- Song of India - attracts attention with its wide dark green leaves with a yellow border and a longitudinal light stripe;
- Song of Jamaica - has compact, glossy, dark green foliage with contrasting veins.
Caring for Dracaena reflexa at home
In its original homeland – the islands of Madagascar and Mauritius – Dracaena reflexa lives in tropical conditions. In order for the exotic plant to feel at home, it requires an appropriate microclimate.
Location and lighting
A guest from the tropics needs bright diffused light for at least 12 hours a day. The best place to keep it in the house is windows facing southwest or southeast. Excessive lighting, as well as its lack, negatively affects the decorativeness of the leaves. Direct sunlight is especially dangerous, as it can cause burns. In late autumn and winter, additional lighting should be provided using daylight lamps or special phytolamps.
Temperature
The temperature regime of cultivation is no less important. During the period of active growth and development (from March to September), the required temperature is +20…+25 °C, during the dormant period (from October to February), the indicators are slightly lower: +17…+20 °C. At lower temperatures, the leaf blades become soft and curl. In extreme heat, it is better to keep the crop in a cool place with an influx of fresh air - on the veranda, balcony, loggia. Or take it outside, while protecting it from hypothermia, sudden temperature changes, drafts.
Air humidity
The plant does not like dry air. As a result of low humidity, the tips of the leaf blades dry out and curl. Therefore, during the heating season, dracaena is placed away from radiators. A humid microclimate can be created using simple procedures: wipe the leaves on both sides with a damp sponge, wash the flower under a warm shower twice a week, spray the air around it every morning and evening. Using an electric humidifier gives a good effect. It is advisable to maintain humidity at 70-75%.
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Watering
As for watering, it should be abundant in summer (2 times a week), moderate in winter (as the top layer of soil dries). Dracaena should be watered with settled soft water at room temperature. When using hard water, dark spots will form on the leaves. Do not allow the soil to dry out, it should always remain slightly damp. Lack of moisture leads to leaf fall, excess - to root rot and yellowing of the leaves.
Soil
A representative of tropical flora is undemanding to the soil composition. The main thing is that the soil is slightly acidic (pH no more than 6), air- and moisture-permeable. It is better to buy a ready-made soil mixture for decorative foliage crops, dracaenas or palms.
Or prepare it yourself:
- for an adult plant - mix 1 part sand and peat, add 3 parts turf and leaf soil;
- for the young one - combine the specified components in equal proportions.
It is recommended to add a baking powder (perlite, vermiculite) to the homemade mixture. To destroy possible pests, you must first heat all the components in the oven.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Dracaena reflexa responds well to fertilizing. They are especially necessary during the period of active growth, which occurs at the end of March - beginning of September. At this time, the plant is fertilized every 2 weeks. In winter, there is a period of rest, and fertilizing is carried out once a month. It is advisable to use special complex liquid fertilizers (Ideal, Rainbow and others), which are used according to the instructions.
Pruning and crown shaping
In order for a home palm tree to always look attractive, it needs to be trimmed in a timely and correct manner. This will allow you to get a compact tree with a beautiful lush crown. Only healthy specimens, the height of which is at least 30 cm from the ground to the level of attachment of the upper leaves, are suitable for trimming. It is necessary to cut off the upper part of the shoots, located above the visible buds.
The procedure is performed in April or May according to the following algorithm:
- Mark the height to which you need to cut.
- Make a quick, even cut with pruning shears or a sharp knife. Do not break off the top.
- Remove the released juice with a piece of cotton wool.
- The cut is treated with heated garden pitch.
- Remove all leaves 15 cm below the cut level.
- Spray the plant trunk with water to reduce moisture loss.
- Sphagnum moss is wound around the trunk below the cut and secured with threads.
- Place a transparent plastic bag on top of the plant to create favorable greenhouse conditions. It is recommended to remove it once every 5-7 days and air the crop.
- The flower pot is moved to a warm, dark place.
- Water regularly through the tray.
- After young lateral shoots appear, the bag is removed and the dracaena is moved towards the light.
Transfer
An important moment of home cultivation is transplantation. It is recommended to perform this procedure in early spring, then the plant will tolerate it more easily. Young specimens are transplanted annually, adults - once every 2-3 years.
Choose a tall and narrow flowerpot. Put a thick layer of drainage on the bottom. Stop watering 2 days before replanting. Remove the flower carefully along with the soil ball so as not to damage the root system. Move the dracaena into the pot, sprinkle with soil mixture, compact the soil around the stem, and then water. If the tree is too large and cannot be replanted, it is recommended to replace 10-15 cm of the top soil layer.
Reproduction of reflexed dracaena
Vegetative propagation is best done in spring. You can get a new indoor tree by cutting the tops and parts of the stem or by air layering.
Tops
Many amateur gardeners prefer to propagate dracaena in this way.
The procedure is simple:
- The top with leaves and a stem 10-20 cm long is carefully cut off at an angle of 90°.
- The future seedling is dried in the room for about 2 hours, after which it is placed in water.
- Place the cutting in a warm place (away from direct sunlight) for several weeks.
- Change the water every 3 days. It is advisable to add a root formation stimulator, heteroauxin, to it.
- When the cuttings have roots, they are planted in a pot.
Air layering
This method of propagation is more complex and time-consuming. It is recommended to be used only by experienced gardeners.
The process is as follows:
- The zone of formation of future roots is determined under the leaf node.
- Make a cut on the stem up to 0.5 cm deep and about 4 cm long.
- Insert a match or toothpick vertically into the cut area to prevent it from overgrowing.
- The stem is covered around the cut with sphagnum moss and wrapped in transparent film.
- From time to time, spray the sphagnum under the film with a spray bottle to keep it moist.
- When roots grow through the moss, the film is removed.
- The resulting seedling is cut from an adult specimen and placed in a permanent pot.
- The cut on the mother plant is sealed with wax.
Stem cuttings
This method is similar to top cuttings. It is suitable for both experienced and novice gardeners. The material for propagation is stem parts 15 cm long. Such cuttings can be obtained after pruning the dracaena or removing the tops.
The stems are divided into sections, which are treated with heteroauxin on the bottom and wax on the top.
Prepared cuttings are planted in moist soil to form roots. A transparent bag is used to create greenhouse conditions. Young seedlings take root within 2 months. Then they can be transplanted into separate pots.
Diseases and pests
If you take proper care of your dracaena, it rarely gets sick.
Failure to comply with the maintenance rules may result in negative consequences:
- late blight;
- bacterial leaf spot;
- root rot;
- powdery mildew;
- anthracnose.
The pathogens of these diseases – phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi – are transmitted through unsterilized soil, reused pots, inventory, and spread through the air. Favorable factors for their reproduction are insufficient ventilation of the room, stagnant moisture in the soil, high temperature (+25…+30 °C) and air humidity, acidity of the soil mixture above 6, lack of mineral fertilizers. Treatment consists of treating the affected crop with special preparations.
Among the pests that affect Dracaena reflexa, the most common are:
- spider mite;
- aphid;
- scale insect;
- mealybug.
To get rid of these insects, you should rinse the plant well under a hot shower, then treat it with insecticides (Fitoverm or Intavir).
If you thoroughly ventilate the room, provide sufficient lighting, avoid crowding of plants, and do not use homemade soil mixtures, you can prevent attacks by harmful insects.
Growing a reflexed dracaena at home is not easy. But it is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance. If you give the tropical plant due attention, it will become a decoration of any interior.
