Dracaenas are tropical crops usually grown as indoor crops as a consequence of their mild, temperature, and water wants. The attractive crops of this genus are grown particularly for his or her foliage and are generally known as dragon crops.
Some species might get slightly dear, so it’s good to know there are literally a number of methods to propagate mature crops from the consolation of dwelling. Right here’s the whole lot you want to know in regards to the other ways to propagate Dracaena crops.
Some of the controversial houseplant genera in recent times, the genus Dracaena might embody as many as 120 species, relying upon the classification system used.
WARNING: Not All Dracaenas Are Created Equal!
A number of years again, botanists examined the DNA of the Sansevieria genus and located them to be genetically associated to Dracaenas.
Because of this, they reclassified all sansevierias as dracaena crops, however there have been some large issues. Not solely do these two genera look totally different, however they’ve very totally different care wants in some instances.
Because of this, most plant fans refuse to just accept the title change, however a number of on-line sellers use the brand new names.
Earlier than following any of the directions on this information (or another dracaena information), please guarantee your dracaena isn’t really a sansevieria.
How To Propagate Dracaena
Dracaena plant propagation isn’t tough, however it may generally take slightly work.
The excellent news is there are 4 totally different strategies to select from, making propagation a lot simpler.
Earlier than Propagating
Earlier than starting your propagation journey, gathering the whole lot you want is necessary, so the method isn’t interrupted.
Give your dracaena an intensive examination from tip to root to make sure you have a wholesome plant, as infestations or illnesses can endanger the brand new crops.
Relying on the tactic used, additionally, you will want the next:
- A pointy, sterile knife (or shears)
- An appropriate pot or container for the brand new plant
- Isopropyl alcohol or an analogous plant-safe disinfectant to maintain your instruments sterilized
- A free, well-draining soil
- Sphagnum moss
Air Layering
Whereas this methodology requires a bit extra talent, it’s maybe probably the most enjoyable and rewarding of all propagation strategies.
Right here’s what you want to do:
- It’s essential to discover a great place between 12″ and 24″ inches from the tip of the plant.
- Utilizing your knife, rigorously take away the bark in a 1/2″ inch extensive ring across the plant.
- Mud this space with some rooting hormone and make a poultice with barely damp sphagnum moss. Sphagnum has a extra impartial pH, whereas peat moss is a little more acidic, so it’s necessary to keep away from utilizing the unsuitable one for this methodology.
- Maintain the moss onto the plant’s wound utilizing plastic wrap and a few tape.
- The plastic wrap helps forestall the moss from drying out, whereas the moss acts as a planting medium.
- Place your plant the place it’s getting oblique mild however gained’t be uncovered to direct daylight, as this could dehydrate your plant’s poultice.
- Each few days, it’s possible you’ll must loosen the plastic and spritz the moss a bit to revive moisture, however watch out to not disturb the moss an excessive amount of, or you can harm your new plant’s roots.
- You’ll understand it’s time to carry out the ultimate steps once you see little roots poking by the sphagnum. As soon as this occurs, rigorously take away the plastic and reduce the brand new plant away just under the poultice space.
- You possibly can plant your new dracaena in a brand new pot with or with out the moss and deal with it like a freshly repotted plant.
The brand new plantlet ought to start sprouting new leaves in a few weeks.
Seed Propagation
We gained’t talk about this methodology in depth, as dracaenas will be fairly unpredictable in relation to blooming.
Nonetheless, we are going to word that planting and rising dracaena seeds isn’t any totally different than most different tropical crops – in case your plant is form sufficient to supply some, that’s.
Stem Cuttings
This tends to be the most well-liked propagation methodology for a lot of crops, together with dracaenas.
Starting on the prime of the plant, reduce as many items as you want to propagate, every being roughly 8″ inches lengthy and having a number of nodes.
Be sure you nonetheless go away loads of the mom plant to recuperate and attempt to word which finish is the highest for every slicing.
You may have two methods to root your dracaena cuttings from right here earlier than transplanting them to their dwelling pots.
In Soil
Get a small pot of well-draining soil combine and insert your slicing backside aspect down.
You’ll need it deep sufficient that it gained’t topple over, and a minimum of one node is touching or beneath soil stage, as that is the place the brand new roots will develop.
If you want, you may dip the stem slicing into rooting hormone to assist velocity issues up earlier than planting, however this isn’t important.
When planting cuttings in soil, it’s necessary to discover a spot the place the plantlet may have brilliant, oblique daylight and might be at minimal danger of getting knocked round.
Additionally, make sure you hold the soil evenly moist, as moist soil may end up in rot.
The plant can take a few months to supply leaves, however roots normally type in round 4 weeks.
You’ll know they’re rising if you happen to give the stem a mild tug, and there’s resistance.
In Water
Contemplating the danger of rot, you would possibly suppose rising dracaena cuttings in water could be counterproductive, but it surely’s each doable and enjoyable to observe.
Get a transparent glass (similar to a consuming glass or vase), fill it with distilled water or pure rainwater, after which cowl it in plastic wrap.
Poke a gap into the center of the plastic wrap and insert your stem part in order that a minimum of one node is submerged.
Place the glass the place the plant will get brilliant, oblique mild.
You need to start to see tiny roots forming after a number of weeks, and you may transplant your new dracaena to a pot as soon as the roots are about 2″ inches lengthy.
Prime Chopping
Also known as beheading, this course of is similar to air layering, besides eradicating the highest of the unique plant with out rooting it.
Choose a spot just under the leaf line underneath a minimum of one node and take away the plant prime utilizing a clear reduce.
You possibly can then deal with the highest the identical approach as a stem slicing. Solely your new plantlet will have already got a head begin within the foliage division.
In the meantime, the beheaded mom plant will sprout new leaves close to the highest from a number of nodes.