Mastering Dracaena Fragrans Care: Ultimate Houseplant Guide

Do you want a spectacular houseplant to use as an ornamental piece? You have found it!

You must agree that this is one striking plant, and your guests will be so jealous. The Dracaena Fragrans (pronounced as “Dra-SEE-nuh FRAY-Granz”), also called as corn plant or cornstalk plant look like it is wearing a crown. You can actually say it spells royalty!

But where does this foliage come from, and how do you care for it? Plantly is right here to help. So, keep your eyes on the screen and read ahead.

Dracaena Fragrans Classification

Dracaena Draco care card

What Is The Dracaena Fragrans?

Dracaena Fragrans Plant

The genus Dracaena has several other species that you can add to your living space, from the Dracaena marginata to the Dracaena sanderina. Corn plant originates from tropical Africa, and you find them labeled Fragrant Dracaena, Happy Plant, or Dracaena deremensis.

It has been a fantastic ornamental piece people have placed in their homes since the 1800s. From tropical environment set-up to indoor plant relocation, they can surely thrive with your proper TLC. Remember, being a tropical plant doesn’t mean with direct sunlight exposure, they were thriving long before in a forest bed with shades from the bigger trees surrounding them.

You can keep them indoors but make sure they have access to indirect sunlight.

This houseplant will reward you with shiny-looking leaves that also keep the indoor air clean and fresh. If properly taken care of, corn plants will provide you with multiple crowns, and small fragrant whitish flowers in the coming years.

Basic Plant Care of Dracaena fragrans

Generally, Dracaena fragrans are very easy to care for. According to USDA, it can grow in zones 10 and 11. The plant is a slow grower so do not get impatient with it. When grown indoors, it can reach up to six feet tall. Sadly, a corn plant kept indoors will rarely produce flowers but that’s totally fine.

dracaena fragrans plant USDA growth map

Just enjoy the stunning leaves they’ll show off.

Following are the basic things you need to know about corn plant care.

Best Potting Mix

potting mix

Your corn plants thrive in loose and well-draining potting soil with plenty of organic matter. They do not appreciate soggy soil. A perfect potting mix is a combination of perlite and peat moss as it retains some moisture while draining the rest.

It also provides enough air space to hold oxygen. Please note that improper irregular soil moisture can turn our luscious green leaves to yellow.

To achieve good drainage, add pumice or perlite to the soil. Furthermore, to prevent your tropical plants from becoming root-bound, make sure to move them to a larger container. This will give enough breathing room for the roots.

Keep the soil in check to make sure they look healthy sitting in your garden or in a pot.

Watering Needs

Plantly’s rule of thumb is that when the top two inches of the ground dries, we water the Corn Plant. So why do this? When the soil is partially dry, it avoids problems such as rotting roots. Start by dousing it well and allowing all the water to drain.

If you use tap water, leave it to stand for 24 hours at room temperature to let all the chemicals inside float to the bottom. Try keeping your water schedule at a fixed time. So keep the soil moist but not drowning in water.

Ideal Lighting

plant light requirement

The best spot for dracaena plants is a spot with bright, indirect light. Proper lighting helps the variegation get more pronounced. Placing them in sunny locations helps them grow faster while variegated varieties easily grow on east-facing windowsills.

This outdoor plant can tolerate low light too if you want to place this beauty in your darkroom, but make sure you let them experience indirect sunlight every now and then.

Exposure to direct sunlight can scorch the leaves. If you don’t have a choice and need to place them in a south or west-facing window, make sure it stands several feet away. Again, direct sunlight is discouraged if you want your fragrans to be luscious green.

For north-facing rooms with limited sunlight, the artificial light works well on some corn plant cultivars. However, remember that different lighting conditions impact the growth of most plants. If there’s not enough light, the growth of your corn plants will be slow.

Temperature and Humidity 

The good news is your Corn plant can grow at an average room temperature of 60° to 75° F. If you maintain these temperatures, your plant is happy. One thing you do not want for your corn plants is stress.

Try to keep them away from cold drafts, AC, or heaters. Now, if you live with median temperatures above 60°, your genus Dracaena can grow well outdoors. The plants need bright light with shade.

With the correct humidity levels, your plant grows well, and if the levels are between 40-50%, it prevents brown tips (meaning the moisture is not right) on the leaves. For this reason, we recommend misting your plant at least once a week and keeping the leaves clean using a damp cloth.

Momentarily, the biggest challenge is to keep the air humid in winter with your plant grown indoors. While they need less water, you need to pay attention to the leaves that do not turn yellow or have brown tips.

Necessary Fertilizer 

plant fertilizer

A great thing you will love with the Cornstalk plant (yes, another familiar name) it is not a big feeder. With this houseplant indoors, the plants grow slower compared to outside. If you have followed the instructions on using organic-rich soil, it will get all the nutrients it needs.

However, it does not mean you do not need to provide it with a balanced liquid fertilizer each month during the growing season. Avoid feeding this indoor plant in winter as it is its resting season—other important care tips to prevent the accumulation of salts in the soil.

You can notice this when it has brown or yellow leaves. So how do you remove these salts? We’ve got you covered, don’t stress!

  • Place your Corn plant outside or in a bath,
  • Open the water and let it gently run through the soil, drenching it,
  • Keep it flowing for up to five minutes,
  • Allow the water to drain well (this is where good drainage is important) and place it back in its preferred spot.

You can do it up to three times during the plant’s growing season.

Potting

dracaena fragrans

Dracaena fragrans will need repotting every three years as it is a slow-growing plant. Although most dracaena species wouldn’t mind being a bit rootbound, it’s still best to transfer your plant to a larger pot.

To do this, wet the soil and leave it to stand for a while. Tug at it gently, and if it does not want to budge, cut the pot and remove the stem. Shake the soil off and push the roots in water to clean the roots. Look for signs of rotting and trim them off.

Take your new container and fill it in with soil halfway. Place your plant gently inside and fill the surrounding spaces with the remaining potting soil. Lastly, give it a thorough watering and place it in a shaded area until it’s fully accustomed to its new container.

Propagation

plant propagation

The easiest way to propagate a corn plant is by cuttings. Once the plant becomes tall and lanky, you can now propagate them. Cut the stem into three parts, leaving you with the crown, root, and middle segment.

First, cut the crown and keep five inches of the branch. Plant it in a sterile potting mix. Next, take the root system and remove the remaining stem as new growth occurs in the cut section. Now, take the middle part and leave it for a few days before planting.

Keep the newly propagated corn plants under warm and moist conditions.

Dracaena Fragrans Diseases & Pests

Sadly ☹ overwatering is the main concern with the Corn plant. Gradually bacterial and fungal diseases spread to the root system, causing brown leaf tips and, yes, death. Overwatering can also cause white plant mold (while harmless) but can ruin the look completely.

To remove mold, you can mix water and baking soda with dish soap to destroy it. Another bad disease is pythium causing yellow leaves and wilting. Eventually, the leaves turn black, and everything becomes hopeless.

If this happens, make sure the vessel you use is well-drained. Then, remove the infected foliage and use a fungicide spray to remove the fungus.

Dracaena Fragrans Varieties and Similar Plants

Some of the known varieties of Dracaena Fragrans are:

Dracaena Fragrans Massangeana

Dracaena fragrans Massangeana

Is by far the most common species available and a best-selling Corn plant. It has yellowish-striped leaves and a thin yellowish line, and the leaves are longer and narrower. Some call it the Dracaena Massangeana.

Dracaena Fragrans Lindenii

Dracaena fragrans Lindenii

Also has yellowish edges making it an exceptional indoor plant to have.

Dracaena Fragrans Victoria

Dracaena fragrans Victoria

Also has yellowish-striped leaves in the middle but tends to be smaller with wider triangular foliage.

Frequently Asked Questions

When exposed to bright indirect light, it can take up to ten years to mature.

Underwatering and no enough light can cause yellow leaves to any plants.

The Corn plant has solid green leaves while the Dracaena Massangeana has a distinct yellow stripe running through the middle of every leaf.

Overwatering is one of the major reason why your dracaena leaves turning brown and crispy. If you let your plant sit in a soggy wet soil for too long,  Underwatering is also another reason why this brown, crispy leaves is happening.

Make sure to water your corn plant when the top soil is completely dry. You can stick your finger in the pot to check the dryness of the soil, then that’s your cue to feed them. 

Brown spots on your corn plant mean excessive salt, chlorine, or fluoride. This chemical can be found in your tap water.  If you see this sign, make sure to let your tap water sit for 24 hours for the chemicals to evaporate before using them, or use rainwater or distilled when watering your dracaena.

Whether you want to buy, sell or simply reach out to other plant enthusiasts, Plantly is the right place to be!

 

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