- Introduction
- Dracaena Janet Craig Houseplants are one of the most popular plants used in homes and offices. Dracaena Plants thrive on neglect, grow well in low light, and need very little water. These attractive plants have sword- shaped, leathery, dark green, shiny leaves that are about 3” wide and 2ft. in length. When purchased, Dracaena Plants should have at least 3-5 stalks in the pot. This will ensure that the plant will be full as it matures. Dracaena Janet Craig plants can be used as table plants, floor plants, or tall, stately trees. NASA lists Dracaena Janet Craig Houseplants as excellent Clean Air Plants, helping eliminate harmful toxins from the environment.
- LIGHT
- Dracaena Janet Craig Houseplants will grow slowly in low light but grow faster in medium light. If the light is extremely low, new leaves on the will be smaller and narrower in size. Placing Dracaena Janet Craig houseplants in the direct sun, even for a few minutes, burns the leaves.
- WATER
- When in doubt, do not water Dracaena Janet Craig houseplants. Allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering. The lower the light, the less often Dracaena Janet Craig plants need water. Fluoride, chlorine, and salt in the water cause brown tips and yellow spots on the leaves of Dracaenas.
- FERTILIZER
- Dracaena Plants do not need very much plant food. Feed a Dracaena Janet Craig once or twice a year in the spring and summer with a basic houseplant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Too much fertilizer causes leaf tip burn on Dracaena Plants.
- TEMPERATURE
- Dracaena Janet Craig Plants do not do well in temperatures below 13° C. Cold winter drafts and blowing heaters damage the leaves of Dracaena Plants.
- HUMIDITY
- Basic household humidity is sufficient for a Dracaena Janet Craig.
- FLOWERING
- If the growing conditions are right, a Dracaena Janet Craig plant may produce a 10″-12″ stalk with a large fragrant white flower. Although this is fun to see, the flower often slows down leaf production, alters the shape of the plant, and may secrete a messy sticky sap that get all over the plant. I recommend cutting off the flower as soon as it starts to grow.
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SOIL
- Dracaena Janet Craig Plants need a loose soil that drains quickly.
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POT SIZE
- PRUNING
- Thin or bare stemmed Dracaena Plants can be pruned in the spring and early summer. Cut off the top part of a cane anywhere along the stalk. The Dracaena will send out new leaves directly below the cut. The pruned section of the Dracaena Plant can be used to start a new plant.
Common Questions
1- HOW QUICKLY DO DRACAENA PLANTS GROW? I WANT TO BUY A DRACAENA JANET CRAIG PLANT FOR A ROOM WITH TALL CEILINGS. SHOULD I BUY A TALL PLANT IMMEDIATELY OR A SHORT PLANT THAT WILL HAVE SPACE TO GROW?
That’s a hard question to answer since it depends on the light in the room. Dracaena Janet Craig Plants grow very slowly in low light, but grow much faster in bright indirect light. Always allow some space between the ceiling and the plant for growth.
2- WHY ARE THE TIPS OF THE LEAVES ON MY DRACAENA JANET CRAIG HOUSEPLANT TURNING BROWN? CAN I TRIM DRACAENA LEAVES OR DO I HAVE TO CUT OFF THE DAMAGED LEAVES?
You can trim the leaves of your Dracaena Janet Craig Plant using very sharp, wet, scissors. Using wet scissors helps prevent the cut edges of the Dracaena leaves from turning yellow. Brown tips on Dracaena leaves usually indicate too much salt build-up in the soil due to over-fertilizing the plant, or too much fluoride or chlorine in your water. Dracaenas need very little plant food, only a few times a year in the spring and summer. Never use water that has passed through a softener, it’s too salty.
3- HOW DO I PRUNE A DRACAENA JANET CRAIG THAT IS TOUCHING THE CEILING?
If your Dracaena janet craig houseplant is too tall, cut the stalks back to whatever height you want. Think about the shape of the tree before you do any pruning because the plant will branch out, developing two or three new “heads” below each cut.
4- I AM GETTING A FLOWER ON MY DRACAENA JANET CRAIG. IT IS HUGE AND SMELLS WONDERFUL. SHOULD I LEAVE THE FLOWER OR CUT IT OFF?
Although the flowers on Dracaena janet craig houseplants have a lovely fragrance, they present a couple of problems. The flower and its stalk often ruin the shape of the Dracaena. As the Dracaena flower matures, it secretes a sticky, messy sap that gets on the plant leaves, floor, and anything else that’s nearby. I recommend removing Dracaena flowers sooner rather than later.