The green-and-white-striped, sword-shaped leaves of the striped dracaena (Dracaena deremensis "Warneckii"), combined with its upright habit, add a brightness and bold texture to the landscape. This tropical shrub grows best in full shade where it reaches a mature height of 12 feet. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10b through 11, striped dracaenas thrive in fast draining, nutrient rich soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Striped dracaena plants require basic care to thrive and produce lush growth.
Water the striped dracaena thoroughly with a garden hose when the top 2 to 2 1/2 inches of soil becomes dry. Apply the water during the morning to allow the moistened foliage to dry before nightfall. Never over water the plant to the point that the soil becomes soggy.
Mist the plant's foliage lightly with a garden hose or spray bottle once per week if the tips turn brown and dry. Mist the plants in the morning to allow plenty of time for the water droplets to evaporate before dark, preventing the development of fungal diseases.
Add 1 teaspoon of 10-10-10 nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium water-soluble fertilizer and 1 gallon of water to a watering can. Stir the ingredients until the fertilizer dissolves completely. Pour the solution onto the soil surrounding the striped dracaena at a rate of 1/4 gallon per 2 1/2 square feet. Apply the fertilizer every two to three weeks while the plant is actively growing. Stop fertilizing the plant when growth slows during the fall and winter. Resume fertilizer applications in the spring, once new growth begins.
Spread a 1-inch-deep layer of mulch around the plant with a rake. Cover the ground starting 4 inches away from the plant's main stem and ending 12 inches past the tips of its leaves. Never allow the mulch to touch the plant's stem as this may cause the tissue to rot.
Cut off any yellowing or dead, dry brown foliage with a pair of pruning shears. Make each cut 1/4 inch above the point where the leaf meets the stem. Prune the plant in this manner every three to four weeks to maintain a healthy appearance and remove dead tissue that attracts insects.
Check both surfaces of the plant's leaves each time you water, looking for clusters of green-bodied aphids; pinhead-sized yellow, white or brown dots caused by feeding thrips and mites; sesame-seed-sized gray or black flying fungus gnats; 1/4-inch-long fuzzy white mealybugs; and 1/16-inch-long brown, red or white scale covered in sticky sap and black fuzzy mold. Spray lightly infested leaves with a steady stream of water to knock the pests off the plants. Spray heavily infested plants with an insecticidal soap or neem oil to eradicate the insects completely.
Things You Will Need
- Garden hose
- Spray bottle
- 10-10-10 (n-p-k) water-soluble fertilizer
- Watering can
- Pruning shears
- Insecticidal soap or neem oil
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Dracaena Deremensis Dracaena
- Identification, Selection, and Use of Southern Plants: For Landscape Design; Neil G. Odenwald et al.
- Ornamental Tropical Shrubs; Amanda Jarrett