Download Fragrant Dracaena (Dracaena fragrans)

Fragrant Dracaena (Dracaena fragrans): Growth, Description, and
Maintenance
Stephen H. Brown, Lee County Horticulture Agent, [email protected]
Kim Cooprider, Lee County Master Gardener
Plant about 14 feet tall with side branches
Closed daytime flowers. Late January
Family: Asparagaceae
Common Names: Fragrant Dracaena, Corn-Stalk
Dracaena, Corn-Plant
Synonyms: Aletris fragrans, Cordyline fragrans,
Dracena deremensis, Pleomele fragrans,
Sansevieria fragrans
Origin: Tropical Africa including Kenya, Sudan,
Zimbabwe and Cote D’Ivore
USDA Zone: 10A-12 (33°F minimum)
Plant Type: Shrub, becoming tree-like
Growth Rate: Medium
Typical Dimensions: 10-20' tall x 3-6' wide
Leaf Persistence: Evergreen
Leaf Type: Simple, linear
Texture: Coarse
Flowering Months: December-January
IBD: 12
Flower Color: Diurnal red and white
Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Requirements: Wide
Drought Tolerance: High once established
Salt tolerance: Low
Wind Tolerance: High
Nutritional Requirements: Medium
Propagation: Tip and cane cuttings
Motility: Low
IFAS Assessment: Not found
Human Hazards: None
Major Problems: Leaf tipburn
Uses: Specimen, container, foundation, hedge, pool
side, roadway, windbreak
Distribution
Dracaena fragrans, also know as fragrant Dracaena
or corn-plant, is native to tropical Africa where it is
widely grown. It is also cultivated throughout tropical America, Asia, Northern Australia and the
Pacific Islands. It is the most commonly grown
landscape Dracaena in Florida and is only found in
cultivation in the state.
2
Growth Habit
D. fragrans is an upright herbaceous tree-like shrub that commonly reaches 20 feet tall in South Florida
gardens. On occasion some vertical canes develop horizontal bends with upright apices and branches.
D. fragrans, the species, is entirely green and is an excellent landscape plant. However, most gardeners
prefer the more colorful cultivars such as D. fragrans ’Massangeana’ which has leaves with a broad,
yellow, central stripe.
Maximum plant growth occurs between 65°F and 90°F. Below 65°F, very little growth takes place. As
the plant develops, it will shed its lower leaves exposing a gray colored ringed cane with a cluster of
leaves at the tips. Naturally occurring but infrequent branching may develop from leaf scars on the
canes. Branching is also induced by nicks, or cuts on the canes or from severed canes. Canes are commonly 2 to 3 inches in diameter throughout much of their length and the base of older canes are typically
6 to 8 inches or more across.
Two flowering canes with branches toward the tops.
Mid January
Gray colored cane
Two new shoots on cane
Several unbranched 8-year old canes 20 feet tall and
still growing. Mid January
A damaged cane and an
emerging new shoot
Branches from the top
of a severed cane
3
Leaves
D. fragrans has entire lanceolate or narrowly oblong leaves, commonly 1.5 to 2.5 feet long by 2.5 to 4.0
inches wide. Leaves are sessile, the most distal and newer leaves are recurved and the older lower leaves
are drooping. The young leaves of the most popular cultivar, D. fragrans ’Massangeana’ has leaves with
a broad yellow central stripe. Variegation fades with age and the leaves become green and persist below
newer striped leaves.
Leaves are spread along the stems of young plants and also along branched stems which are often
densely foliated. Eventually the stems become bare and the leaves become crowded at and near the tops.
Leaves may persist on the plant for several years.
Young leaf of D. fragrans ‘Massangeana’
Younger, striped and recurved leaves. Older, green and
drooping leaves. Mid July
Flowers and Flowering
Flowering occurs usually once a year in December and January. There are approximately 14 intense
blooming days. Flowers are arranged on pendent panicles commonly 24 to 40 inches long and 10 inches
wide. The panicles are at the end of terminal leaf clusters and the flowers are packed into dense globular
bundles. Flowers are sessile and are about 1.0 inch long and 0.12 inch wide. They are composed of a
funnel-shaped calyx with a narrow tube and 6 narrow lobes 0.25 inch long. There are no petals. Six stamens are inserted within the tube and alternating with the lobes. Flowers are closed during the day but
open shortly after 5:00 PM. The flowers have diurnal alternating colors. When closed they are dark red.
When opened, they are brightly white and are highly fragrant. During the day, closed flowers are
odorless.
4
Pendent panicle with closed flowers just before dusk
A 6:00 PM view of the same panicle. Late January
Pendent panicle emerged from top of clustered leaves. Late December
5
Fruits, Fruiting
Fruits are orange-red, flattened-globose, 0.5 to 0.75 inch in diameter, clustered near the ends of the panicle. Each fruit (berry) has one to three rectangular to bean-shaped seeds that are white, turning to brown,
covered with a papery remnant of endocarp. Plants rarely develop mature fruits in South Florida landscapes.
Propagation
D. fragrans can be propagated by tip cuttings and cuttings from cane segments. Gardeners can start new
plants by placing cuttings of various lengths directly into the ground then giving them frequent irrigation. In South Florida, this can be done at anytime of the year. New growths from cuttings usually appear three to four weeks afterwards.
Immature fruits that failed to
develop. Late January
D. fragrans propagated from canes
await sales
Cane cuttings newly arrived from Costa Rica await propagation in a
nursery on Bermuda. Late January
6
Uses
Use D. fragrans as a screen between houses, to line driveways, for roadway plantings, or to frame structures. It can be developed into an informal hedge. It is commonly used as an indoor container plant.
Screen of D. fragrans along a Costa Rican road
Maintenance
D. fragrans is an easy to grow, low maintenance landscape plant. Light levels can strongly affect the
appearance of dracaenas, especially the variegated cultivars. For ‘Massangeana’ good contrast between
the yellow and green portions of leaves occurs in partial shade or dabbled sunlight. Plants can tolerate
low soil moisture, but best growth occurs if plants are not subjected to drought conditions. Plant in high
sunlight and especially combined with low soil moisture are inclined to have yellow leaves. Alkaline
soils, pH 7.5-8.4, can also induce leaf chlorosis, especially iron deficiencies.
Plants are damaged at 33°F even if exposed for short periods. Temperatures in the 30’s°F produce
chlorotic or necrotic leaves. Symptoms caused by cold damage will not be evident for two or more
weeks after the event.
Branching to produce a bushier plant can be induced by severing or nicking the canes. However, to
maintain unbranched canes, remove developing shoots that might begin forming on canes.
Old lower leaves will likely develop tip burns that will eventually spread to most or all of the entire
leaves. Affected leaves persist on the plants and can be removed by the gardeners for appearance sake.
7
Leaf tip burn
Tip burn on older, lower leaves
References
Broschat, T.K and A.W. Meerow. 2001. Betrock’s Reference Guide to Florida Landscape Plants.
Betrock Information Systems, Inc. Hollywood, Florida
Conover, C.A. and R.T. Poole. 1992. Propagation of Dracaena fragrans “Massangeana’ Affected by
Cane Position on Stock Plants. University of Florida, CFREC– Apopka, Florida
Dehgan, B. 1998. Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida, Gainesville,
Florida
Gilman, E. F. 2014. Draceana fragrans ‘Massangeana’ Corn Plant, Fragrant Dracaena. UF/IFAS
Extension Service, Gainesville, Florida
Hyde, M.A., B.T. Wursten, P. Ballings, and P.M. Coates. 2016. Flora of Zimbabwe: Species Information. Dracaena fragrans.
McConnell D.B., J. Chen, R.J. Henny and K. C. Everitt. 2015. Cultural Guidelines for Commercial
Production of Interorscape Draceana. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Smith, Nathan; Mori, Scott A.; Henderson, Andrew; Stevenson, Dennis Wm.; Heald, Scott (Editors)
2004 Flowering Plants of the Neotropics Princeton University Press, New Jersey
Staples, George W. and Herbst, Derral R. 2005 A Tropical Garden Flora Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii
8
Introduced Plant Links
Crinum Lily (Crinum asiaticum)
Hedges and Screens for South Florida
Sweet Begonia (Begonia odorata ‘Alba’)
‘Song-of-India’ (Dracaena reflexa)
Native Plant Links
Blue Porterweed
Coontie
Dahoon Holly
Fiddlewood
Prickly Plants in the Prickly Zones
Seven-Year-Apple
Spanish Bayonet
Trees with Exfoliated Bark
Wild Coffee
Winged Sumac
Video Links
Collier County Extension YouTube Channel
Colony Collapse Disorder
The Buzz on Bees
Gladiolus
Lee County Extension YouTube Channel
Stormwater BMP
Shell Point Landscape Walkabout
All pictures taken by Stephen H. Brown,
[email protected] or (239) 533-7513
Send me an email to request Brown’s Plant File.
Include your first and last names and your general
location. The plant file is emailed at no cost to you
about every six weeks.
This fact sheet was reviewed by Peggy Cruz, Lee County Extension; Pat Rooney, Lee County Master
Gardener.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to
race, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, martial status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. 8/2016.
Return to first page.