Dracaena (genus)

Japanese name: ドラセナ
Scientific name: Dracaena

[Overview]
An evergreen shrub to tall tree.
The leaves grow densely clustered at the stem tips and vary in shape from linear to elliptic.
Panicles emerge from the leaf axils and bear many small 6-petaled flowers densely.
There are no bracts at the base of the flower.
The ovary is divided into 3 chambers, each with 1 ovule.
The fruit is a berry.

[Uses]
It is used as a foliage plant.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings, layering, cuttings of new shoots, or stem cuttings laid on the soil.
It is safest to keep it at 10°C or above over winter.
It prefers fertile soil that drains well, retains water and is well ventilated.
Variegated cultivars color poorly if the light is poor, and direct sun in summer can scorch the leaves, so place them in a sunny spot from autumn to spring and in partial shade in summer.
Do not let it lack water or fertilizer during the growing season from spring to autumn.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and keep it on the dry side in winter.
Insufficient humidity can cause the leaf edges to wither, so mist the leaves all year round.
From spring to autumn, apply slow-release fertilizer once a month, or liquid fertilizer once a week.
Pests and diseases include soft rot, damping-off, scale insects, aphids and spider mites.

[Notes]
It is often confused with the genus Cordyline, but it is distinguished by not having fleshy rhizomes and by having no bracts at the base of the flower.

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