Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Branch a Dracaena
How to Branch a Dracaena. Dracaenas, numerous species within the genus of the same name, are evergreen trees and shrubs enjoyed for their sword-shaped leaves and a variety of different growth habits and leaf characteristics. Many dracaenas, such as the the Madagascar dragon-tree (Dracaena marginata), are tender and survive outdoors only in U.S....
Dracaenas, numerous species within the genus of the same name, are evergreen trees and shrubs enjoyed for their sword-shaped leaves and a variety of different growth habits and leaf characteristics. Many dracaenas, such as the the Madagascar dragon-tree (Dracaena marginata), are tender and survive outdoors only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11 unless cultivated as houseplants. Some dracaena specimens display a tendency to grow tall and spindly with bare stems as lower, older foliage drops off the plant. A simple pruning method will encourage branching and leaf growth at the desired height.
Things You'll Need
Household disinfectant
Sharp, clean knife or other cutting tool
Dip the blade of a sharp knife or other cutting tool in household disinfectant for five minutes, and then rinse it in clear water or let it air dry. Disinfect the cutting tool in this manner between uses, and if you are making cuts into plants that may be diseased, after each cut.
Cut through one or two dracaena stems cleanly at the desired height, removing the top portion of each stem, or cane. Two or more branches or leaf clusters will grow out of the cane just below where you made the cut.
Water the dracaena deeply and infrequently, supplying it with lukewarm distilled water or rainwater whenever the soil surface around the plant feels dry to the touch. Keep the dracaena in a spot with bright, indirect light and daytime temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with nighttime temperatures 10 degrees cooler. Providing the dracaena with excellent care will encourage vigorous new growth.
Rotate the container of a trimmed dracaena regularly, once new sprouts begin to emerge below the point at which you trimmed the cane. This will encourage even branching and keep the new sprouts from all leaning in one direction toward the light.
Tips & Warnings
It is possible to propagate dracaena vegetatively using the portion of the cane you trimmed off the plant: Cut the cane into 6-inch sections and insert each partway into a container with ample drain holes and well-drained growing medium. Keep the cuttings in a warm spot with bright, indirect light and make sure the medium remains constantly moist, but not soaking, to encourage root and shoot growth.
