Otherwise known as dragon trees or corn plants, dracaenas are a breath of fresh air. They are one of the easiest plants to grow indoors and will still give you that tropical, leafy foliage that’s often reserved for the difficult houseplants. Dracaenas have a magical airy quality to them that makes your house feel bright and fresh.
Popular varieties such as the dracaena ‘Lisa’ look like tropical corn stalks. Long, curved, deep green leaves resembling kelp drape from tall, sturdy stems that are ribbed like bamboo. Lucky bamboo, in fact, is part of the dracaena family too! Lisas often have multiple stalks growing out of their pot at the same time, adding to their fullness. As a houseplant, they can grow up to 8 feet tall, and sometimes taller!
The ‘limelight’ dracaena is a shorter variety that grows in a thick bushy clump of neon green leaves that instantly illuminate a space. These tend to grow about 3 feet tall and wide, though can reach up to 6 feet in perfect conditions.
The beauty of the dracaena is that it does not need to be fussed with. It’s perfectly content in a corner that receives little sunlight and will not keel over and die if you forget to water it. A good soak every 1-2 weeks is just fine.
The main issue you may run into is a bit of browning on the tips of their leaves. This is simply a sign that it needs a little more humidity. You cannot revive the affected leaves, but you can make adjustments to prevent the new growth from the same fate. You can choose to trim off the brown tips or the whole leaf, or just leave it be until you get a good misting schedule in place or relocate your plant to a steamy bathroom.
