From £9.00
Shop Patch’s dracaena plants
The dracaena plant is extremely easy to care for, making it a much-loved indoor plant for beginner and seasoned plant parents alike. Its popularity has earned it a number of fond nicknames. You may know it as the dragon tree (dracaena comes from the Ancient Greek “drakaina” meaning female dragon) or corn plant, which refers to its stems that resemble a stalk of corn.
Dracaenas have thick stems and glossy, green leaves. Our Mick, Rick and Flick plants are all part of the dracaena family, but they each have their own personality. Some have wider, variegated leaves and others have slimmer, darker fronds.
Explore our varieties of dracaena plants
There are more than 170 types of dracaena plants, and we've chosen four of our favourites for our collection. Each of our dracaenas has its own unique appearance and great quality, coupled with easy care for simple plant parenthood.
Our Rick and Mick plants are both dracaena fragrans, but Rick has dark green leaves and Mick has vibrant, striped leaves. Flick is a dracaena marginata, or a Madagascar dragon tree. She’s named after her homeland and is the picture of breezy island life.
Dracaena growing conditions
Dracaena marginata and dracaena fragrans both require exactly the same care. You don’t need to water them very often and they’re happy in almost any light condition, except direct sunlight. Your plant will appreciate a feed with plant food once a month during spring and summer.
Common dracaena plant problems to look out for are leaves turning yellow or beginning to brown. These are a sign you're either overwatering your plant or its leaves aren't receiving moisture. For more information on caring for dracaena plants, read our guide.
Dracaena features and benefits
It's not just their easy care that makes dracaena plants so popular. They bring a touch of tropical style to homes and, depending on the type of dracaena, will produce lovely flowers if cared for properly. Dracaena fragrans, for example, gets its name from its sweet-smelling flowers and small yellow fruit. Bringing nature into your home can also help to improve your mental health; plants are known to help reduce stress, improve productivity and create a calm and relaxing environment.
How big do dracaenas grow?
In the wild, dracaenas can grow up to 6m tall, but as houseplants they’re more likely to reach 2m. They don’t grow very quickly, which means you should only need to repot yours every two or three years. When you begin to see roots growing out of the nursery pot, it’s time to give your plant a new home. Choose a pot a couple of inches wider, to give it room to grow. Read our repotting guide for step-by-step tips.
Are dracaena plants toxic to children or pets?
Dracaenas are mildly toxic to cats, dogs and people if eaten. Households with young children or furry friends should keep their dracaena out of reach of potential nibblers, or in a room they don't often go in. If you're looking for non-toxic plants, explore our child and pet-friendly options.
Where to keep your dracaena
Dracaena plants are very easy going, and will happily live in pretty much any spot in your home. They love humidity, so a steamy bathroom or kitchen would be the ideal place to keep your plant.
The dracaena plant is tropical and so likes warm temperatures, which is why it makes such a great houseplant. You can move your dracaena outside if you want to, but we recommend only doing so in summer when the weather is warmer. Place it in a spot with bright, indirect light.
