I've had this plant for over 14 yrs. About 6 months ago it started to lose leaves, slowly beginning with the leaf turning brown at the stem. As the photo shows, I'm down to 1 leaf at the top. Nothing has changed, watering , light etc. Can anyone help me save it? Thanks in advance for any advice. Suzanne-PHX, AZ
It looks like it may have a fungus. Have you treated it with a fungicide?
There is also the possibility that it has just reached its lifespan. Plants, like people and animals, have a lifespan and once they reach it, like people and animals, they are much more susceptible to problems. In other words, your plant may just be dying of old age.
I have a Dracaena plant with pale cream leaves. I have left it outside and the leaves have curled and become brown. I live in Portugal and assumed it would like the hot weather. Should it be left indoors? Watered in a pebble tray? And how do I revive it, as it is looking very sad? Help. Regards Lydia
When it was outside, was it in the direct sun? Dracaena do best when placed in bright but indirect light. Try to avoid placing them in full sun as it will burn the leaves.
The soil of a dracaena should be kept lightly moist but not soggy. How often have you been watering it? Your plant could be under-watered or over-watered. Does your pot have good drainage? If the soil is soggy, you will want to repot your plant in fresh soil after inspecting it for root rot. If the soil is dry to the touch, you should water it.
For more information on drachena plant, please visit the following link:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/dracaena/dracaena-houseplant-care.htm
The tree is about 1.5 meters high and, at present, there are no leaves, but leaves are starting to shoot from the tips of the branches. As I find the tree at present rather plain, could I grow a creeper to disguise it during winter? (I have just moved into this apartment on a long "let")
It looks like it is a type of dragon tree:
http://www.ascensionatsea.net/Mediterranean/Spain/Canaries/Lanzarote/Lanzarote-30-1.jpg
I do not recommend using vines to disguise the tree. The following article explains why:
http://staugustine.com/stories/020406/gar_3601516.shtml#.VUFivpOGOW4
Just bought 2 weeks ago a beautiful 2 1/2 foot Dracaena plant and repotted it. Watered it thoroughly. Many of the leaves, including the new growth, are yellowing over half a leaf and many, many of the tips are brown. What am I doing wrong?
Was there a reason you repotted the plant?
Did you increase the size of the pot from it's original pot size?
What type of soil did you use to repot the plant?
I suspect the yellowing leaves may be from overwatering. Your plant may also be stressed from the move to a new pot before it was ready to be repotted. When moving up a to a new pot it's best to only go up one size.
Allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering. Provide a good amount of filtered sunlight.
Here is a link to the proper care and requirements of a Dracaena plant.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/dracaena/dracaena-houseplant-care.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/learn-more-about-repotting-houseplants.htm
Moved this outside along with my ficus benjamina. Ficus is loving it; however, the dracaena marginata is now drooping. It's not over or under watered, and neither get full direct sun. They just get the ambient light from the sky. Why is it drooping like this? And should I move it back in?
Your dracaena probably found its new setting a lot brighter than it's accustomed to inside your home. Outdoor shade is still brighter than most locations inside your home. Ideally, indoor plants should be slowly acclimated to outdoor life. Ficus are a little more adaptable than Dracaena in that respect which is why it's probably doing better. Here is an article on acclimating houseplants that will explain more:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/hpgen/acclimating-houseplants-outdoors.htm
I purchased the plant at discount price that apparently was not taken care of. Leaves are drooping and dry. I have watered and fertilized and am spraying with a water mist. What can I do, if anything, to make it healthy again?
Without knowing which USDA hardiness zone, I would suggest that the dracaena could be planted outside. However, if temperatures drop below 50*F., your plant won't flourish. If temps drop below 40*F, you will see significant cold stress, and below 30*F., the plant won't survive. Since dracaena's are tropical, they require appropriately warm temperatures. Any plant can tolerate a few hours of temps below their preference, once in a while, but not on a consistent basis.
My Dragon plant (with red striped leaves) has pushed itself up almost out of the pot! I took it out and found two large roots, each as thick as my little finger, one on the side, the other, (the cause of the problem) is like a leg with a foot on the end of it. The original got too big for the house so I cut it down and had three plants from it, neither the original plant (about 8 years old) nor the cuttings had any of this kind of growth on the root. I have repotted it, but want to put it back into its original pot in the house (it's on the patio at present). What should I do? Are these roots essential for the health of the plant?
Yes, these are simply the root system.