Dracena - Evergreen Ornamental foliage plants with rodyny Ahavovyh (Agavaceae). In nature, dracaena grows in tropical areas of Africa and South America it is widely distributed in Spain, India and the Canary Islands. Some species grow dracaena in Av straliyi and New Zealand.

Dracaena are odnosteblovi or multiple stems separated oderevilymy (bahatostebovi); different types as in color and width of leaves. At room conditions commonly cultivated fragrant dracaena (D. fragrans), Dracaena marginata (D. marginata), Dracaena Dragon (D. draco), Dracaena deremsis (D. deremsis), Dracaena bend (D. reflexa). Less common, but equally beautiful latter types of dracaena - Dracaena Holden (D. goldieana), Dracaena Hodzeffiana (D. godseffiana) iDratsena Sanderiana (D. sanderiana).

Dracaena fragrant priorities would need to have broad glossy. Do stochky and small flowers collected in large metelepodibni inflorescence. Home personal blyvist - unusually strong and pleasant aroma of fresh cut grass, which is derived from the leaves of the plant.

Dracaena dragon or dragon tree in nature can reach a height of 18-20 meters in the home does not exceed 1.5 m old trees in different thickness incredible. Ca IIR old specimens of this species on the trunks dracaena formed thick aerial roots of ship rope. Also, if this trunk dracaena scratch starts to trickle bright red viscous sap. Leaves dracaena dragon meche visible, hard, up to 50 cm in good light the leaves of this plant can take a red tint. The stem is thick and strong enough, on every capacious compared with narrow leaves.

Dracaena deremsis much smaller than dracaena dragon. This plant has a very beautiful leaves of medium width, characterized by different shades of sea green. Leaves dracaena deremsis grade Varneky a white strip in the middle and small dark and light green dash on the surface. In the middle class Bauzey leaves also is oblong white stripe, and on both sides of the strip is dark green. In dracaena spotted stem branched, serpentine. It placed curved narrow green leaves with reddish spots.

Dracaena bend is considered the most demanding and difficult to grow indoors views. This plant has leaves that reaches a length of 15 cm from the stem they bent. The most famous variety is deflected Dr. tseny Song of India, which is characterized by long thin stems and small curved November dots painted in bright green with yellow stripes on the edges.

Dracaena Holden has a creamy white leaves with dark green stripes cross them on both sides.

Dracaena Hodzeffa - very branched shrub with glossy leaves Kimi wide egg shape. The leaves are green with yellow, pink plynkamy countries.

Dracaena Sander - stunted plant that has a slim trunk and large, densely arranged leaves lanceolate shape. Point painted in luscious green color with silvery tion or white stripe on the edge.

Lighting. Top Dracaena feel the windows on the west and east side, since it does not need direct sunlight, but only bright ambient light. Species with green leaves shade-loving more than the species of colorful leaves - second need more light. Under the direct rays of the plant was challenged. You can make Dracaena summer outside, protected from rain, for the sun spot. Winter Dracena with poor natural light is desirable dosvichuvaty fluorescent lamps. If not enough light plant, Dracaena become ill.

Temperature. During active growth temperature should be kept at the level of 21-26 °С. In winter, keep the plant in a cool conditions - from 15 to 18 °С, it is not to lower the temperature below 12 °С.

Watering. Water for irrigation which are soft, pooled. In the summer and spring watered abundantly, but only 2-3 days after drying the top of the substrate. In winter watering only after complete drying of the soil, the roots do not rot started from excessive moisture. To protect the roots from rotting and plant - from lack of moisture, watering can be done less often, but more often sprayed. Half an hour after watering need to pour water that has accumulated in the pan, and the pan wiped dry. Species with broad leaves sprinkled with a little more because they evaporate more moisture.

Moisture. Dry air is only suitable Dracaena Dracaena Hodzefa and Canary, other enjoy high humidity. To do this you need to put the plants in a pan with a wet expanded clay or peat, but so that the bottom of the pot is not touching the water. During the summer, Dracaena sprayed every day, preferably 2-3 times (Dracaena deremsku sprayed very carefully to prevent water from accumulating in the leaf axils). Occasionally a plant can arrange a summer shower, covering ground cellophane wrap. To reduce lesion control leaves desirable occasionally wipe with a damp cloth. For more glitter leaves, they can be covered with liquid wax.

Feeding. Make fertilizer needed throughout the year: in winter - per month and in the summer - every week. Apply complete fertilizer for houseplants.

Defoliation. Lower leaves withering away of dracaena - a natural phenomenon, so do not take any action - does not help. First, the leaves turn yellow, then to Jan, unlocks and fall. Because eventually extended barrel and is not very good, it can be cut (about 30 inches) - top used as Zywiec and the old trunk with roots eventually give new shoots - usually 1 to 4. While no new shoots appeared, Dracaena watered less often than usual.

Transplantation. Young specimens Dracaena required annually to handle. When the plant grows, its transplanted after complete filling of the pot back - usually 1 every 2-3 years. At the bottom of the pot necessarily quality fill drainage. The soil should be slabkokyslym and nutritious. The optimum soil mixture - 1 part sand, 2 parts leaf and 4 of sod land. In addition, the substrate preferably 10 liters add 2-3 handfuls of charcoal (reduces the probability of decay of the roots) and a pint dribnobytoyi brick (loose soil and collects excess moisture). In large specimens in large pots can change every year two or three inches of the top layer of the substrate. Dracaena can be grown hidroponichnym way.

Propagation. Seeds for reproduction only suitable types of green leaves as strokatolysti forms lose varietal differences in seed breeding. Seeds sown in early to mid-spring, and stairs with appear in about 5-6 weeks. Strengthened stairs rolled over into the pot a little more, sprayed, poured, followed by fever.

Propagation. Forms with variegated leaves is not propagated by cuttings zderev yanilymy and the tops of the plants. 5 inches below the leaves make an oblique incision to the middle of the barrel upwards. To cut the stem at each other is not touched, there is inserted a match, wrapped with moss and OBV bind string. Moss occasionally moistened. Preferably around the incision wrap paper funnel filled with nutritious soil. When the roots fill the funnel, the upper part of the plant is separated and planted in individual pot. The lower part of the plant, the remaining stalks can be cut to a length of 5 cm and at an angle to land in fertile soil. Part of the stem with roots (must stay at least 5 cm) transplanted into sand-peat mixture Jan and maintain the temperature at 24-25 °С.

- dracaena very sensitive to excessive watering, so the slow growth needs to be checked or not started to rot the roots and reduce watering, letting the soil dry out between waterings;

- for one, the lack of moisture in the soil and low humidity leads to the fact that the edges and tips of the leaves turn brown;

- insufficient irrigation leads to brown spots on the leaves of dracaena;

- the big difference between day and night temperatures is causing leaf rolling. They can also become velvet and edges - korychnevity;

- lack of nitrogen in the soil - the reason for which dracaena leaves turn yellow. Another reason - too dry air in the room;

- if zhelteyut nyzhnye lystya dracaena - no reason to be scared and do something. Rather, it is a natural extinction of lower leaves. If the stem is heavily exposed, the plant can rejuvenate, cut and ukorenyvshy top;

- dry spots on the leaves of dracaena, most likely, is burns from direct sunlight. Dracaena should be kept in the shade, but in bright light.