As a master of floral illusion, a dragon tree raises questions about trimming for gardeners. The most beautiful Dracaena species thrive with tree-like growth or are reminiscent of a multi-stemmed palm tree. Sooner or later, the space-consuming growth makes a pruning inevitable. This tutorial will put an end to any concerns you may have about cutting. Read here why you can reach for scissors without reservation. These instructions clearly explain when and how to skilfully prune your dragon tree.

Young dragon trees do not need to be pruned

Table of Contents

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  1. Why so cut compatible
  2. preparatory work
  3. Pruning Instructions
  4. Do not cut brown leaves
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. Why is a dragon tree compatible with pruning?

    At first glance, a dragon tree looks like a palm tree or a tree with several trunks. In fact, dragon trees (Dracaena) are an important one genus within the family of asparagus plants. Depending on the species, the evergreen indoor plants thrive on one or more woody trunks, which are adorned with a decorative tuft of sword leaves.

    A dragon tree is therefore distantly related to the popular vegetable asparagus or widespread ornamental plants such as milk star or bluebell. Regardless of manifold differences, asparagus plants draw a pronounced cut tolerance out.

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    Sleeping eyes - secret recipe for growth from nothing

    If you cut off a trunk on the dragon tree, two new shoots will grow at this point, similar to multi-headed dragons in myths and legends. The growth of Dracaena species has nothing to do with magic, but is based on the ingenious botanical property of freshly sprouting from sleeping eyes. Gardeners call the sleeping eye dormant buds, which are created as an iron reserve in proportion to the growth in height. If important plant parts fall out, such as shoots and trunks, sleeping eyes are activated. Your only job is to replace the lost plant volume. Since a dragon tree thrives with opposite buds, there are always two fresh shoots that sprout seemingly out of nowhere after pruning.

    Prepare the cut properly - tips & tricks

    As befits a dragon tree, it is permeated with dragon blood in the form of reddish plant sap. Since ancient times, a red-colored resin that is obtained from various dragon tree species has been referred to as dragon's blood. Accordingly sticky and intense coloring is the nature of the sap. When combined with a cut, dragon's blood can cause irreversible stains on pads, floors, and clothing. A high content of saponins also harbors the risk of annoying itchingif the sap comes into direct contact with the skin. The following preparatory work is advisable before pruning your dragon tree:

    • Freshly sharpen scissor blades, clean and disinfect with spirit
    • Replace the old, blunt saw blade with a new, sharp one on a folding saw (€17.70).
    • Place the dragon tree on foil, old blankets or disused curtains
    • Put on gloves and stain-resistant clothing
    • Keep cotton balls or torn paper handkerchiefs handy to catch the sap

    Do not prune a dragon tree on valuable wood, natural stone or carpeting ground. If covering the ground is too time-consuming for you, move the cutting work outside to a shed shady place on open ground.

    Prune dragon tree

    This is the best time to cut the dragon tree early spring. At the end of the winter dormancy period, the green plant prepares for the new vegetation period from February/March, is correspondingly vital and willing to sprout. The evergreen indoor tree makes pruning easy for its gardener, because everyone former leaf approach is suitable as interface. After the recommended preparations, prune your dragon tree like this:

    • Apply scissors or saw just above a former leaf base
    • Stabilize the shoot or trunk with one hand
    • With the other hand, cut or saw in one go to leave the cuts as smooth as possible
    • Sprinkle cuts with charcoal or cinnamon
    • Apply a thin layer of tree wax to large cuts with a diameter of more than 2 cm around the edges
    • Catch the heavy sap flow with cotton swabs or paper handkerchiefs

    As the image below illustrates, you can't go wrong when pruning dragon trees. Along the woody shoots and trunks there is a large number of former leaf bases from which new shoots can grow. The further down you start the cut, the longer it takes for new sprouting. If you cut an old dragon tree by more than half, please be patient for several weeks until growth begins. The process is beneficial if you then repot the green plant in fresh substrate.

    If a dragon tree becomes too large, it can easily tolerate pruning. Cut a short distance away from a former leaf base that hides a sleeping eye.

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    Revitalize clippings instead of throwing them away

    The clippings are far too valuable to throw away in the trash or compost. Cut leaflets and pruned stems are perfectly suited as vital propagation material. Place one or more stem cuttings in a glass of soft water. In the bright, warm location, you can follow closely how the offshoots root below and sprout magnificently above. When the root strands have reached a length of several centimetres, pot your youngsters individually, as a duo or trio in pots with slightly acidic, well-drained potting soil.

    Do not cut off dead leaves

    No case for the scissors are dead leaves on the dragon tree. The term evergreen foliage does not imply that a single leaf lives forever within the crown. As a rule, a sword blade pulls in after two to three years. In exchange, a fresh leaf usually sprout in the tuft, so that the leaf volume is not reduced.

    Please do not cut off a dead leaf. The remaining tissue rots and becomes the focus of infection for diseases. Instead, wait until a dragon tree leaf has completely died. The plant either releases the leaf by itself by shedding it. Alternatively, one is sufficient courageous jerk, to remove the used sword blade from the trunk without leaving any residue.

    frequently asked Questions

    Is a dragon tree poisonous?

    Some of the popular dragon tree species are classified as slightly poisonous. The plants contain saponins and other toxins that can cause nausea, vomiting, and convulsions if consumed. Affected are children, sensitive adults and pets. Furthermore, skin contact with the red plant sap can cause allergic reactions associated with annoying itching. Asthmatics suffer from breathing difficulties when they are exposed to the vapors of dragon trees for a long time.

    Overwintering a dragon tree outside - is that possible?

    All dragon tree species are native to tropical and subtropical regions. Consequently, the evergreen indoor trees have not learned to survive winter frosts. One of the most cold-tolerant species is the popular Canary Island dragon tree (Dracaena draco), which at least survives temperatures close to freezing for a short time without damage. From April to October, a dragon tree likes to enjoy fresh air and sunshine on the balcony and terrace. If the temperatures fall below 10 degrees, it is of course time for the exotic green plants to set up a frost-free winter quarters.

    Can a dragon tree bloom? If yes, what do the flowers look like?

    Under ideal conditions, it is quite possible for a dragon tree to blossom. If you are granted the rare honor, you can look forward to a decorative inflorescence consisting of countless, large, white bell-shaped flowers that spread an alluring scent. If pollinating insects get to the flowers, they turn into orange-colored berries. The fruits are beautiful to look at, but not suitable for consumption.

    Which dragon tree varieties are suitable for the bright living room?

    The favorite of all indoor gardeners is undoubtedly the Canary Island dragon tree (Dracaena draco) with a majestic stature of 300 to 400 centimeters, a magnificent trunk and sword-shaped leaves that are up to 50 centimeters long. Dracaena fragrans disputes the reputation of the Canary Dragon Tree as the most popular dragon tree with a height of 150 to 200 centimeters and decorative leaves with colored borders or stripes. The multi-stem beauty with the botanical name Dracaena marginata shines no less decoratively. Its narrow, lanceolate leaves grow up to 40 centimeters long and gather in elegantly curved clusters of leaves. Dracaena hookerana exudes a comfortable jungle atmosphere, whose leathery-green sword blades grow up to 70 centimeters long and 7 centimeters wide.

    Cut off brown leaf tips on dragon tree or not?

    With brown leaf tips, a dragon tree signals that the humidity is too low. You can cut off the damaged areas with sharp scissors. It is important to note that you leave a tiny bit of brown tissue and do not cut into the green leaf mass. We then recommend increasing the humidity in the room or regularly spraying the dragon tree with soft water.

    The 3 most common cutting mistakes

    If a dragon tree no longer sprout after pruning or causes problems with moldy cuts, the indoor gardener has made a typical pruning mistake. The following table names the three most common mistakes when cutting, points out classic damage patterns and gives tips for prevention:

    cutting error damage picture prevention
    cut under direct sunlight dried, resin-bonded incision wound without expulsion always prune in a shady location
    cut off dead, yellow or brown leaves Spread of putrefaction from the cuts tear off retracted dragon tree leaves
    use a blunt cutting tool frayed cuts, infestations with diseases and pests Freshly sharpen and disinfect blades and cutting edges before cutting
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    tips

    The lucky bamboo proves the versatility of Dracaena species. Also known under the name Lucky Bamboo, the trendy houseplant is not a bamboo. Rather, the evergreen lucky charm with the botanical name Dracaena Braunii syn. sanderiana to the dragon tree genus. Consequently, the artistic green plant is equipped with a good-natured tolerance for cutting, which brings with it a variety of training options.

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Indoor plants