Dracaena care at home: watering, reproduction, how to trim

Succulent shrubs dratsenovye family for many tens or even hundreds of years, are cultivated in the home, conservatories. Cultivation Dracaena, care at home is not difficult, because the plant is very unpretentious. With proper cultivation dracaena looks not only decorative, reaching a respectable size, but also in bloom.

About plant

In the natural environment, "dragon tree" grows in the subtropics, the tropics in Africa, Asia and Europe. One of the species growing on the island of Socotra, has an interesting property: if the bark is damaged, from the trunk begins to ooze reddish juice has healing properties. Local people once used it as an antiseptic, immunostimulant. Now these trees there are very few.

Home, office plant blooms rarely, and in greenhouses where conditions as close to natural - a little more often. To Palma does not apply, although it is very similar to the presence of bare woody trunk with lush mop of leaves at the very top. It grows slowly, but it can gradually reach a great height. Among dratsenok have dwarfs and giants, squat and slender, with a lush green and silver leaves.

Home dracaena should be placed in the bedroom, a sick room. It purifies the air quality around you from harmful chemicals (including allocated new furniture) helps to quickly heal skin diseases, injuries of bones, teeth problems, improves the condition under depression. The use of "false palm trees," Sure, but the damage is also present: by eating the leaves of a flower that sometimes make children and pets, the plant leads to indigestion, headache. Therefore, place the majority of instances should be such that the above subjects could not reach her. People who are prone to skin allergies, possible reaction to the hairs that form on the stem, as well as dust, which can build up on the "palm tree".

types Dracaena

In nature, there are more than 140 species. Among them is a purely green and striped shape shrub and tree, with wide and narrow leaves. Home bred only some of them.

The most popular are:

• Dracaena bordered (marginata) - unpretentious, miniature breeds, grows more than three meters high, has a stiff shaft. Leaves are narrow, the width of one to two cm, length 45-60 cm, green, at least -. with red and purple stripes. Kind is very resistant to overdrying;
• Dracaena fragrans or common - pleasant smell during flowering. It has erect stem that grows more than two meters high, placed on it a little hanging leaves, the middle of which the silver or yellow stripe. It flowers very fragrant white flowers. Easily tolerated insufficient watering, poor lighting and temperature 10-12 degrees during the winter;
• Dracaena deremskaya - has a dark-green leaves with a pair of white stripes running along. The leaves are slightly bent at the tip. Flower is suitable for cultivation at home, summer cottage, in the office building;
• Dracaena Sander - very elegant, with a thin stalk, up to 90-110 cm. Leaves usually grayish-green, with two strips of yellow color scheme, a little twisted the edges, the plant likes warm, humid conditions. Coiled shoots sold in stores called "bamboo happiness" or "bamboo, bringing luck "- this is Dracaena Sander, which artificially (culturing in a narrow tube) gave a shape;
• Dracaena Reflex (the bending) - the top part of the plant is framed by lush foliage of protruding in different directions shiny leaves with golden edge, elongated, bright green color;
• Dracaena Godsefa (Surkuloza) - pobegoobrazuyuschaya this kind of flower is very different from the others. In shape it resembles a shrub with oval, pointed leaves. Sami leaves are dark green with creamy white or golden spots. If the room a few such instances, the sunny, elegant look assured her.

Rules, tips on home care

Care dratsenu really is simple - to create favorable conditions to it quite easily. Acceptable humidity, temperature, light it fit ordinary room, frequent watering and fertilizing the majority of species is required. Land suitable peaty and sod-sheet, drainage need a big, since most of the roots is located close to the surface.

Temperature

The best temperature conditions for the inhabitants of sub-tropical latitudes Dracaena - moderate. In winter, the suitable temperature of 14-16 degrees in the summer - 22-24 degrees. Summer flower can stand on the balcony, sundeck, but the plant greatly afraid of drafts, cold air from the open windows in winter.

Air humidity

Dracaena brings great overdried air office space, as well as the heating season, even when placed near a radiator. But in order to "palm tree" throughout the year had a beautiful appearance, its leaves during the heating season, the intense heat is sprayed with water. Periodically, you need to wash off accumulates on the leaves, stem dust - to arrange a kind of a shower, but not too cold.

When spraying it is important that the water drops do not accumulate in the axils of the leaves - it often leads to decay.

Lighting

Winter dracaena recommended content on the south, south-east window, in the summer - in the south room, but in a half or two meters away from the windows. The plant likes partial shade, diffused light, but direct sunlight can cause it burns. Species with colorful leaves require more light than completely green.

If it is dark, variegated species gradually lose their decorative coloring.

Watering

The flower is not choosy in terms of irrigation - in the summer it can be watered every three to four days in the winter - once a week. It is undesirable to earth com strongly dry up. About once a month plant is very abundantly watered either immersed in water at room temperature a few minutes in full, along with the pot. Certain species require more frequent, almost daily watering.

Fertilizer, fertilizing

You need to feed about once every 15-20 days, any complex fertilizer for indoor plants. This dressing is required to "palm tree" in the period from mid-March to early September - during the most active growth. Species have variegated leaves require specialized fertilizers marked "for pestrolistyh plants."

breeding Methods

The question is how to propagate dratsenu, sooner or later there is anyone who has decided to grow it at home. Reproduction is allowed to engage in almost any time of year, but it is better to choose the spring and summer. Advance the winter will have to slightly increase the temperature, to provide additional lighting, watering.

Reproduction is performed:

• cutting the top portion, followed by rooting;
• air layering;
• stem cuttings;
• seeds.

The fastest, popular, successful method of reproduction - rooting of the apical part of the land suitable composition.

seeds

The sale is easy to find the seeds of many species of Dracaena. In nature, it blooms at the age of 10-25 years, at home - are extremely rare. In greenhouse conditions sometimes observed flowering Dracaena fragrans, bent, Draco, and deremskaya during flowering exudes an unpleasant odor. To get the seeds, pollination produce a soft brush. After receiving the fruits (fruits are formed are not always), they are cleaned from the pulp, are sown in moist potting soil - it is recommended to buy a special primer.

Planting is carried out to a depth of one cm., Drainage is required. Sow better in March-April, the container is covered with foil, glass, put in the warmest place - 27-29 degrees, it is desirable that was heated from below. Germination occurs within - 40-170 days, all this time, the land must be kept moist. When the seedlings to grow in height from four to six cm., Made their transplant into individual small pots. Now the plant is allowed to put in the cooler conditions - 22-24 degrees.

To get the germs faster they germinated, wrapped in a wet cloth, which is placed in a bowl, put on the battery, soaking periodically.

Cuttings stem cuttings top

How is the reproduction dratsenovyh cuttings:

• You need a very sharp knife, to be pre-treated with alcohol;
• The plants are cut into five to seven cm. from the beginning of the barrel;
• cut off the top of put in a glass of water, changing it twice a week - it is required to wait until the roots will then be transplanted into a pot with Soil mixtures or planted in the ground immediately after pruning;
• in the latter case, the cutting length is not less than five cm, you can even remove some of the lower leaves.;
• the lower part of the stem is sprinkled powder kornevina pot for the first time fit quite small - diameter, depth of not more than 10 cm .;
• graft is inserted into the excavated hole, lightly pressed, you can put the plant under a clear plastic or glass cover;
• the first two to three weeks is necessary to provide about 26 degrees temperature, frequent watering, spraying, if dry air in the room;
• spraying and watering only produce water at room temperature.

Stump, left after pruning, it is necessary to lubricate garden pitch or sprinkled with charcoal - suitable even pharmacy activated. On top of it and covered with a glass dome, waiting for the appearance of new shoots.

Another way - stem cuttings is generally used only when the apical portion of rotten or shriveled. Living not limp part of the trunk is cut by a sharp knife scars sheet, into pieces of length 4-15 cm. Rooting permitted in the sand, perlite, suitable pochvosmesi, moss, sphagnum moss, vermekulite. In horizontal embodiment rooting cuttings are placed on moist soil, gently pushing it in, with vertical - top layer of poured sand soil, about 6 cm thick stalk itself is inserted to a depth of two or three cm.

The optimum temperature for rooting - 22-25 degrees, a viable graft is rooted in the past month and a half, giving sprouts - in two.

How to cut

It is believed that the house dracaena live about 15-20 years. In this case, the leaves are growing only at the very top, and the trunk is gradually becoming naked. Term life leaves - about a year after that period they dry, fall off, leaving scars on the trunk. If the plant is properly prune to get the side shoots, it will become more "lush", due to the large amount of foliage, partially covering the bare trunk.

In the trunk, "palmochki" virtually over its entire surface, spread the "sleeping" buds, so when trimming anywhere in the new shoots are formed quickly. Trim is recommended during active growth - in the spring and summer, but sometimes we have to do for emergency indications. If the stem is broken, it is urgently necessary to prune below the site of fracture.

When pruning, note the following:

• the upper part, where the leaves are placed on the light - on the basis of this, the height of the cropping plan;
• from dormant buds that grew new shoots, they provide the most favorable conditions - moisture, heat;
• Instruments that produce cutting, sealing the cut, pre-disinfected;
• for successful cutting charge plant height not less than 25-35 cm from the ground level up to the point of growth of the upper leaflets.

Pruning is done only when Dratsenko completely healthy, adult, and is not contaminated by pests.

How to transplant

When transplanting is recommended to comply with the maximum accuracy, it is required if:

• the roots have grown so much that can be seen on the surface and the plant can not eat normally;
• potting soil over time "impoverished" and is not able to fill the needs of a growing flower;
• immediately after purchase - in stores plants are usually sold in pots of the minimum amount that a permanent "residence" is not appropriate;
• excessive water from the Gulf of risk podgnivaniya, lack the ability to quickly remove excess moisture, which is fraught with the loss of the plant;
• defeat "palmochki" pests;
• planned, usually annual transplant.

Transplanting is recommended in spring, before the maximum period of strong growth. Pot is chosen over about 2-3.5 cm in diameter, its equipped with several drainage holes to excess moisture quickly leaves. Primer adult plant suitable sheet with sod-peat compost - the components are taken in the ratio of 2 to 1 to 1 to 0.5. As drainage acceptable river sand, expanded clay beads, brick grit.

Before transplanting "false palm" not watered 36-72 hours - so it will be easier to remove it from the pot. Flower are holding the stem, pull lightly tapping the bottom of a pot, large specimens are transplanted together. Next is the examination of the root system - if damaged, cut them, prisypaya sections coal. Ground com sprayed water from the sprayer.

The container, which is made transplants, put a drainage layer, then a little ground, put the plant there, fill all the voids with soil, tamped, watered. Should not place undue bury flower - it would complicate normal watering. The first two weeks need frequent watering, fertilizing periodically stimulants for root growth.

Some types dratsenok transplanted into a common pot, having a peculiar mix having higher decorativeness.

bloom conditions

Few who can watch dratsenovyh bloom in the interior of your home, apartment, office. Practice shows that no over-fertilization, no huge pot to help with this can not be. The probability of occurrence of colors in "false palm" increases the availability of the period of winter dormancy, when watering and lighting are minimal, as well as strong fluctuations between day and night temperatures. The latter option can be easily achieved if the plant lives on the glassed-in balconies, loggias. In the summer it is necessary to maintain high humidity, but not too much to fill the flower.

Pests, diseases, how to deal with them

Like all other plants, dracaena can be damaged by pests - scale insects, aphids, mealybugs, thrips, spider mites. They must be removed by mechanical means, and then to apply insecticides. Offense dangerous parasites occurs at close proximity to already infected flowers, because in the case of buying a new instance of it for some time (up to three to four weeks), kept separately from others.

Sometimes the "palm tree" affect various diseases:

• powdery mildew (characterized by the appearance of plaque, similar to flour);
• spotted wilt (occurrence of the bronze-brown spots, stripes);
• root rot (trunk browns, becomes soft);
• gray mold (spots coated gray pile);
• bacterial blight (softened tissue everywhere specks watery);
• Fusarium (yellow, red and brown spots in leaves);
• alternaria (beige specks caramel with white dots in the middle);
• bacteriosis (sores around the trunk, the ends of the leaves watery), and others.

This usually occurs with weakened specimens, which have not carried out proper care. It is also important from time to time to wipe the leaves of each plant collection with a damp cloth or arrange a warm shower. But cleaning and spraying are not required to make a sunny day - water droplets on the leaves under the influence of the sun lead to burns.

What should I do if dracaena leaves turn yellow

To stop the yellowing of foliage needed to identify why this happened. Often this happens with fans of excessive care for the flower - the constant moisture in the leaf axils of stagnation after a shower may well lead to yellowing. Overdrying podgnivanie roots or leads to the same effect. Yellowing leaves, gradually covered with dark spots - a sign of brown rot.

When attacking dratsenovyh such pests as thrips, scale insects, spider mites, as yellow leaflets. Measures to combat the most simple: thoroughly wash the "palm tree" warm, soapy water and a small amount of alcohol, if it does not help - to apply insecticides. When yellowing beginning tip of the flower you want to remove from the draft, provided that the rest of the leaves become dull - the tip has been exposed to direct sunlight. Sometimes yellowing - a consequence of a lack of nitrogen fertilizer, excessive watering.

Why dry leaf tips

When "false palm trees," suddenly began to dry the ends of the leaves, the more often it is a sign that the air in the room too dry - requires constant moisturizing. Output will be frequent spraying, placement in close proximity to the water containers (for example, the aquarium). Do not put any kind of dracaena next to the battery. Dried parts are cut off - they can not be saved. If the leaves curl and dry - a sign of lack of watering.

The causes of decay Dracaena

The fact that the "tree of happiness" began to rot immediately evident from its leaves - they appear dry areas along the edge. Fungal diseases of the same thing happens. The root system - the "heart" of any plant roots die - die and flower. It stems rotting usually occurs when there is excessive burial root collar, lack of quality of drainage, in combination with excessive watering. If the rot has only just begun, the flower is removed from the pot with roots, dried earthen room. When the process has gone too far, but the tip has not been damaged, it is cut, perpetuate.

Causes of leaf fall

When suddenly began to fall off the leaves, the cause of this phenomenon need to find out as soon as possible - then chances to save a copy. If foliage is rapidly and almost completely opal whole, and the plant itself was sluggish - so the root system is lost due to a long illness, which is not noticed in time. To prevent this, it is recommended to make a potassium-phosphorus fertilizer at the first sign of foliage loss.
Tip: It is important to know that the periodic falling off one by one the lower leaves - the natural process, do not affect the general state of the flower.

conclusion

"False palm tree" or "tree of happiness" - one of the most popular houseplants. Under natural conditions, the tree is increasingly rare, he carefully guarded. Dozens of species of perennial very different from each other, but all grow well in apartments, offices, greenhouses and outdoors in the summer. Grow dratsenovye easy - they require very little attention.