The fact that the dragon tree likes it relatively evenly warm all year round is not surprising given its natural distribution area. However, the sunlight falling directly on the leaves should be dosed carefully when caring for the dragon tree as a houseplant.

The dragon tree usually does not tolerate direct sunlight well

Better no place in the sun

The place directly at the window, which is often favored for indoor plants, should only be considered to a limited extent for a dragon tree for various reasons:

  • direct sunlight is often too strong
  • strong temperature fluctuations can occur
  • the dry heating air is poorly tolerated by the dragon tree

Although dragon trees need some light for healthy growth, they also tolerate locations with a more semi-shady character or very indirect supply of natural daylight. Thus, a place on a shelf or room divider can sometimes be a much more advantageous choice and preferable to a place on the window sill. East- or west-facing windows with a few hours of morning or evening sun per day are ideal, but you should then regularly spray the leaves with a little finely atomized water to compensate for the dry heating air.

Different subspecies like and tolerate different levels of light

There are many different types of dragon trees on the market, some of which have very different colored leaves. If you have already selected a fixed location for greening, you can also take into account the respective location and light requirements when selecting the variety. The rule of thumb is that species with clearer variegation (the markings on the leaves with lighter edges, etc.) generally tolerate more light and prefer them to dragon trees with relatively green colored leaves. This is because the less green leaves also contain less chlorophyll.

Occasional turning maneuvers make sense

Dragon trees have the peculiarity that they always grow with their shoot tips in the direction of the greatest brightness. This can result in plant growth that tends to the side at a window, for example. To prevent this from happening, simply turn the dragon tree in the pot a little bit every one to two weeks or every time you water it.

tips

In principle, it is possible to give dragon trees some fresh air on a balcony that is not too sunny in summer. However, you must then gradually get the plants used to the increased solar radiation or provide appropriate shade, otherwise a "sunburn" will quickly lead to brown spots and the leaves will fall off as a result.

Category:

Indoor plants