Dragon Tree - Braided (Dracaena Marginata var ‘Magenta’)

Want a showpiece plant that looks avant garde and exotic, but is almost as easy to care for as a pet rock? Look no further than this Magenta Dracaena Marginata, which comes with custom-braided canes already snugly placed in a gorgeous 6” designer pot.

With its unruly head of knife-thin leaves edged in bright reddish-pink, the Dracaena Marginata var Magenta—also called a “dragon tree”—is a nigh-irresistible plant all on its own. But when you add in the fact that this specimen’s canes have been painstakingly trained into an artistic braid, it reaches a whole new level of intrigue. Toss in a 6” pot of the highest quality (and in the perfect color), and you’ve got an absolute show-stopper of a package.

Despite its fancier-than-thou appearance, Dracaena Marginata var Magenta truly does require a bare minimum of care. It’s perfectly happy with basic, run-of-the-mill potting mix as long as there’s a nice stack of volcano rock or pebbles at the bottom for drainage (like the fire-breathing dragons that inspired its nickname, it doesn’t like standing in puddles). It dislikes direct sunlight (it actually gets sunburn) but can handle indirect light at most any intensity, so any spot remotely near a window works just fine. Not great at remembering to water your plants? No problem. This beautiful little beast prefers its soil to dry out a bit between waterings. Finally, if it starts outgrowing its space, you can easily prune it back down to size, even rooting the cut pieces to spawn new “dragons”.

 

Characteristics and traits of a Dragon Plant– Braided (Dracaena Marginata var ‘Magenta’)

Scientific Name: Dracaena Marginata var ‘Magenta’

Genus: Dracaena

Family: Asparagaceae

Common Name: Madagascar Dragon Tree, Dragon Blood Tree, Dragon Tree, Money Tree (one of many plants with this name)

Indoors: All year ‘round as long as temperatures remain above 60F

Outdoor Zones: 10a-12

Type: Perennial; Cut canes can be rooted in soil or water.

Mature Height: 4-10 ft (but rare. 4-5ft is much more common)

Mature Width: 2-3 ft

Plant Height when Shipped: XXXXXX

Growth Rate: Slow to medium

Flower: Very rare, small, pale green to tan, non-ornamental

Foliage: Long, very thin leaves that grow in whorls from slender central canes and narrow to a pointed tip. Leaves sport strong reddish-pink margins around the leaf edges.

Plant Care and Advice for Magenta Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata var ‘Magenta’)

Grown In: Inside (all zones all year round), Outside (zones 10a-12)

Light Requirements: Bright indirect to medium-low. Enjoys partial shade. Will burn in direct sunlight (esp. outdoors). In lower light, leaves will be thinner and darker green, with less magenta.

Water Requirements: Water well, then let surface soil dry out between waterings. Good drainage is a must—waterlogged roots are the leading cause of dracaena death. Leaf tips will turn brown if given too little water, if water contains excess chemicals (fertilizer, fluoride, salt) or if humidity is too low (usually in winter)

Drought Tolerance: Excellent

Temperature: Likes indoor room temp. 65-85F - 75-ish is ideal. Outdoors can handle cooler temps (down to 50F) in winter, but won’t love it. Consider bringing indoors when temp falls below 50F.

Air Purification: Excellent - removes pollutants including formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene

Toxicity: Mildly toxic leaves. Can cause stomach discomfort, vomiting, drooling, and other symptoms in dogs and cats, but effects are rarely serious.

Fertilizer: Little needed. Liquid at ⅓ to ¼ strength 2-4 times during spring and summer will encourage growth. Too much will “burn” leaf tips.

Container Friendly: Yes - with proper drainage

 

Planting:

Dracaenas do fine with regular potting mix, but do insist upon adequate drainage. Repot every two years or any time the roots start to peek out of the pot’s drainage holes.

Plant Care:

Dracaenas prefer indirect light ranging in intensity from bright to medium-low. They do best when the surface soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. Just make sure they have adequate drainage. Tough as these “dragon trees” are, perpetually soggy roots will slay them.

Dracaenas grow slowly, require little fertilizer, and have few pest problems. They also self-prune, with lower leaves helpfully falling off as the plant grows. Should the plant get leggy, especially in lower-light conditions, simply pick a spot on the trunk and lop off the top. A new stem (possibly even multiple stems) will soon bud just below the cut, and the severed tip can be rooted in soil or water to become its own separate plant. Finally, according to NASA, dragon trees are one of the top-performing plants for filtering out airborne pollutants such as formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene.

 

Expert Advice:

Not only are dracaenas virtually indestructible, they also include an early-warning system to tell their caregiver when they could use a little TLC. If you notice the tips of the leaves starting to go brown, it’s likely that the plant would like a little more water, less fertilizer, less salt or fluoride (if you’re using softened or “city” water, try distilled water as a test), or a bit of light misting to increase humidity (especially if there’s a draft). While this list of possible causes can seem daunting, a quick detective-style examination of the plant’s immediate environment and your plant care routine should quickly narrow down the list of suspects.