Detailed characteristics of the dragon tree

Dracaena (dragon tree) is a perennial plant that has been actively cultivated at home for over 100 years. As it grows, it forms a tree trunk crowned with a dense bunch of long green leaves. This makes the dracaena look like a miniature palm tree and allows it to be used in the design of residential premises, offices, shopping centers, etc.

History of the plant

Dracaena is a relict plant. They appeared during the appearance of the first dinosaurs. Their homeland is the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Southeast Asia. In addition, the plant is found on the Canary Islands.

In nature, there are about 200 varieties of tree and shrub species of this plant.

Only 15 of them are grown at home. Some large trees are protected by law. The age of especially valuable specimens is approximately 3000 years. It is impossible to determine it precisely, because dracaenas do not form annual rings.

Legends of the Flower

The unusual appearance of the plant led to the emergence of several legends about it. According to one of them, many years ago, intelligent dragons lived on the planet, who could live forever. However, people wanted to learn their secret and become immortal, so they began to exterminate the ancient lizards, believing that their blood would help defeat old age and give strength.

The last dragon avoided a sad fate for a long time, but when warriors caught up with him and seriously wounded him, he forgave his killers and all people. In the place where the dragon was buried, a dracaena grew, the juice of which could heal diseases and wounds.

Signs and superstitions

There are many signs and superstitions associated with dracaena. Plants with 3.5 or 7 trunks are the happiest. It is recommended to place them near the entrance to the house as a talisman.

The dragon tree is a good indoor plant for the living room and bedroom, as it helps to create favorable energy.

There is a sign that if a dracaena is suddenly presented to a person as a gift, he will have luck in love and rapid career growth.

In addition, this flower can bring harmony to family relationships. However, if the dracaena begins to dry out, this may indicate that negative energy prevails in the house, and even foretell the death of one of the spouses.

The Magic of Dracaena

It is believed that dracaena has powerful energy and some magical properties.

This plant:

• improves well-being;
• gives strength to solve problems;
• clears thoughts;
• relieves skin diseases;
• attracts good luck in financial matters;
• strengthens love and friendship relationships, etc.

Dracaena growing in the house can increase the life expectancy of its owners and protect the family from difficult trials.

Feng Shui meaning

Feng Shui gives dracaena the ability to bring happiness into a person's life. This plant is a good gift for any holiday. According to this teaching, a pot with this flower should be placed in the wealth zone, i.e. on the eastern and southern sides of the house.

The reason for the name “tree of happiness”

In Aztec mythology, this plant was called the "tree of happiness." According to legend, a warrior who fell in love with the daughter of a high priest had to fulfill the condition of her father, who gave him a stick and told him to water it for 5 days in a row and make leaves appear on it.

If green shoots do not appear, the groom will not only lose his bride, but also his life. However, the gods took pity on the warrior and at the end of the allotted time, leaves appeared on the stick.

The priest was forced to give his daughter in marriage, and the stick was planted in the soil. This was the dracaena. It is believed that if you cut a branch of this plant at midnight on a full moon, it will bring happiness in your personal life.

Description of Dracaena

Dracaena is a long-lived plant that can grow to gigantic sizes in natural conditions. However, it requires a long period of time to do so. At home, it does not reach such dimensions. In addition, many dwarf species of this plant have now been bred, intended for growing on a windowsill.

Plant size and type

All types of dracaena can be divided into tree-like and shrub-like. Plants belonging to the first category are found only in arid regions. Some specimens reach a height of 20 m.

Shrub forms grow on poor rocky soils. They often form 1-4 thick stems from one root, at the top of which there is a brush of long, hard leaves.

Such dracaenas grow slowly and reach no more than 2.5 m in height. In some species, as they age, a thickening forms at the base of the stem, in which water and nutrients accumulate.

Domestic dracaenas rarely exceed 2 m. The thickness of their trunk reaches 10 cm in diameter. In addition, 2-10 stems can branch off from one root. Such plants are often low-growing.

Trunk

Tree-like forms of the plant develop a thick trunk, the diameter of which can reach 13 m. It is crowned with a large umbrella-shaped crown. The powerful trunk contains a large amount of resinous juice, which includes a large amount of moisture and nutrients that help the tree survive the driest periods.

The peculiarity of this substance is its ability to acquire a red color when in contact with oxygen. Due to this, the plant was called "dragon tree". Only at the top do long leaves grow in bunches.

Standing under such a tree, it is almost impossible to see them. Shrub and artificially bred varieties of the plant often do not have pronounced branches at the end, but have a smooth transition into a rosette of leaves.

Leaves

Depending on the variety of dracaena, the length of its leaves can vary from 10 to 55 cm. Their width ranges from 1.5 to 7 cm. Most plants have dark green leaves, but there are also species that are distinguished by their striped coloring.

Flowering period

The flowering period of most species of these plants growing in nature begins with the onset of the rainy season or immediately after its end. Often it takes from 3 weeks to 2 months.

Ornamental species rarely bloom.

Even creating better conditions for the plant does not lead to the activation of this process.

Flowers

During the breeding season, adult trees and shrubs produce large inflorescences of white, pink or purple shades. Their length reaches 20 cm. They emit a pleasant aroma. During the day, they attract insects, and at night they are pollinated by some species of primates, bats and hawk moths.

Seeds and fruits

After flowering, greenish fruits, up to 2 cm in diameter, form in place of the flowers. Small black seeds form in their pulp. As they ripen, the fruits acquire a red tint. They are attractive to animals and birds, which can then carry the seeds over a long distance.

Chemical composition

In folk medicine and pharmacology, the fruits, seeds and juice of dracaena are especially valued.

They contain the maximum amount of active substances, such as:

• borneol;
• alpha-copaine;
• alpha-tuhin;
• penin;
• alpha-calacorin;
• beta-elemene;
• beta-caryophyllene;
• betaine;
• cedrusin;
• catechin;
• gallocatechin;
• Decosterol;
• camphine;
• bincatriol;
• D-limonene;
• eugenol;
• dihydrobenzofuran dimethylcedrusin;
• magnoflorin;
• lignin;
• gamma-terpineol;
• tannin;
• taspin;
• methylthymol;
• norisoboldin;
• taspin;
• dracocarmine;
• pigments;
• ethers, etc.

In addition, the fruits and juice of dracaena contain a high content of tannins, vitamins and minerals.

Pharmacological properties

Recent in-depth studies have revealed the pharmacological properties of dracaena.

The active compounds contained in the raw materials from this plant are capable of:

• suppress the activity of viruses, bacteria and pathogenic fungi;
• have an antioxidant effect;
• accelerate wound healing;
• strengthen muscle fibers;
• improve immunity.

In addition, products based on the juice of this plant can be used to eliminate parasites. The positive effect of the active substances present in dracaena on metabolism is also noted.

Varieties of dracaena

Both natural and artificially bred species of dracaena have their own characteristics.

Marginata

This is the most popular species among flower growers, which is not whimsical in care. Marginata reaches 3 m in height. The leaves of this dracaena are quite narrow and slightly curved. Their edges have a reddish tint. The presence of thin yellow stripes is acceptable. Up to 2-5 shoots, crowned with green rosettes, depart from the trunk.

Fragrant

The fragrant dracaena is distinguished by large leaves, the length of which reaches 70 cm, and the width is 10 cm. The outer edges are light green, and the core is dark. The woody trunk grows slowly.

This dracaena can reach 2 m. It is one of the few artificially bred varieties of the plant that are capable of flowering. In spring, they throw out white flowers that exude a strong aroma.

Deremskaya

This species is characterized by slow growth, but can reach large sizes. The length of an adult plant is at least 1.4 m. This dracaena forms dense rosettes. The length of the leaves is more than 50 cm. They have asymmetrical longitudinal stripes of different shades of green.

Bent over

This species is more suitable for growing in greenhouses, where it is possible to maintain high humidity. It grows in the form of a bush. Dracaena is highly decorative.

The trunk is covered with leaves, the length of which is 20-25 cm. Their outer edges are yellow, and the inner part is richly green. With proper care, the bush can reach 2 m in height.

Golden

Golden dracaena is a dwarf variety, reaching 1 m in height. The length of the leaves is 20 cm. Their width reaches 10-15 cm. The leaves are pointed at the ends. Their edges are golden and the core is rich green. The trunk woodies slowly, remaining green for a long time. This plant is capricious in maintenance.

Uses of Dragon Tree

This perennial has pronounced healing properties and is also used in industry and plant growing.

In plant growing

Dracaena is grown for further sale as ornamental plants. Less often, their leaves are used to make mulch, intended to protect the soil from drying out and erosion.

In industry

In industry, the leaves of the plant are used to obtain coarse fiber, which is the raw material for the production of high-strength ropes. Dracaena juice is used to create natural paints and varnishes.

In medicine

In folk medicine of a number of African and Asian countries, dracaena juice is actively used. It is used to suppress manifestations of diabetes, dermatitis and oncological diseases.

In addition, the plant juice is used to treat gastrointestinal pathologies and fungal infections. In folk medicine, dracaena is used to eliminate inflammatory gynecological diseases and postpartum bleeding. In China, the juice is used to eliminate stomach ulcers.

Necessary care

Dracaena is a rather capricious plant that requires the necessary level of lighting and temperature conditions.

It is necessary to water it correctly and maintain air humidity. In addition, many species of this perennial are distinguished by increased demands on the soil composition.

Location and lighting

This perennial is a light-loving plant, so the pot should be placed on the windowsills on the south-east or south-west side. When growing on the southern windowsill, care must be taken to ensure that the leaves are not burned by direct sunlight. The length of daylight should be at least 10 hours per day. In summer, it is recommended to take the plant outside.

In winter, dracaena may experience a lack of light. In this case, the leaves may turn yellow and wither. To compensate for the deficiency, additional lighting should be provided using phytolamps.

Temperature

Dracaena is a heat-loving perennial. Throughout the year, the temperature should be +20…+28°C. If it drops to +15°C, you need to stop watering to preserve the plant. Most species of this plant can survive a short-term drop in temperature to -5°C.

Air humidity

In nature, dracaena grows in regions where rainfall is rare. It gets most of its moisture from the air. When the room is dusty and dry, the plant's leaves begin to dry out.

To maintain the necessary humidity, you need to regularly ventilate the room and periodically wipe the plant with a damp cloth. A container with water should be placed near the pots. Liquid will evaporate from it, maintaining air humidity.

Top dressing

This perennial needs to be fed twice a month in spring and summer, and once every 30 days in winter. Complex garden fertilizers containing all the necessary nutrients are suitable for this.

Watering

During the summer heat, the plant should be watered 4 times a month. With the onset of cold weather, the soil in the pot should be moistened once every 2 weeks. For watering, it is necessary to use settled water.

Priming

This perennial grows best in well-drained soils with high air permeability.

To prepare a mixture suitable for dracaena, mix the following in equal proportions:

• fine gravel;
• clay;
• peat;
• leaf humus;
• pumice.

All components are thoroughly mixed to obtain a homogeneous mixture.

Pot for dracaena

For planting this plant, pots with a height of at least 15 cm and a diameter of more than 10 cm are suitable. In the future, this perennial will need to be replanted every year, increasing the volume of the container. The bottom of the pot must have a large number of holes to drain excess moisture.

Maintaining appearance

The perennial does not require special care. Removal of the lower leaves is practiced to achieve the desired shape.

When and how to prune dracaena

To obtain a branch, the entire top is cut off. The cut site should be covered with polyethylene for 30 days. The cut part is used to obtain cuttings. It is best to carry out this procedure in the fall.

Planting methods

It is best to propagate and plant dracaena in the warm season. The easiest way to do this is with seeds and cuttings. Each of these methods has its own characteristics.

Layers

Dracaenas, which have flexible stems, can be planted by layering. In this case, the trunk is bent to the ground and fixed in this position. It needs to be sprinkled with soil on top.

Roots will form in the place of sprinkling. After that, the plant can be separated from the mother root. This process takes about 2-3 weeks. The cut should be covered with polyethylene film. Later, buds will form on it.

Seeds

Getting plants from dracaena seeds is very difficult, because they have low germination. To increase the chances of a positive result, you need to soak them in a warm growth stimulator for a day. Then you can sow them in palm soil.

The substrate should be moistened moderately. After that, the pot with the plantings is covered with polyethylene film. On average, the first shoots appear in 1-2 months. It is necessary to periodically ventilate the containers, lifting the films, and moisten the substrate if necessary.

Reproduction

It is easier to propagate this perennial by apical and stem cuttings. This process has some peculiarities.

By apical cuttings

To obtain apical cuttings, a T-shaped cut should be made on the upper part of the trunk, into which disinfected peat is placed. The place is carefully wrapped with polyethylene from above. This stimulates the formation of aerial roots. After about a month, the cutting is separated and planted in another pot.

Stem cuttings

If there are a large number of buds on the trunk, they can be used to obtain new plants. First, the stem is divided into pieces so that each of them has at least 2 buds. The length of the pieces should be 3-5 cm.

The finished cuttings are planted in a moistened substrate, kept warm and provided with the necessary lighting.

The container is covered with polyethylene to prevent the soil from drying out quickly. New shoots appear within a month.

Diseases and pests

Dracaena is susceptible to many diseases and pest attacks. It often suffers from scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites. Infectious diseases observed in this plant include phyllostictosis, alternaria, spotted wilt and bacteriosis.