Question

indoor plant/tree   I have an indoor plant/tree that resembles a palm to me. It is almost 8 feet tall now and has sprouted a second palm towards the top of the trunk. It loves the sun and will bend down to stay in the window. The new sprout is the one growing and now touching the ceiling. I'm thinking of cutting off the second head and seeing if it will grow roots in water, but don't want to kill it.

This plant is almost 40 years old and was given to my mom in some type of arrangement, and I've had it for about 13 years now. If you don't think it will grow in water, do you have any suggestions as to what will happen once it actually reaches the ceiling.. it's about 1/2 away now. I really would hate to see this tree die and don't know what to do.

I know NOTHING about plants and am surprised I kept this thing alive. It doesn't require much water and is thriving (obviously). I'm attaching a picture of it.

Whatever advice I can get is much appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Michelle

Answer
Michelle
It is a Dracaena marginata also called a Dragon Tree...They have a tendency to become long and leggy as they loose their bottom leaves...You can try and cut one of the tops off and put it in a hole in new soil in a new pot...And start watering the new plants and the old one this way...
I water most plants by weight. I put a saucer under the pot , water and let the plant sit in the excess water for 5-10 minutes. After that time I remove any excess water in the saucer. I pick up or lean the pot to check for weight. It should feel heavy. Don't water again until it feels considerably lighter in weight. Then check it every 3-10 days or longer. Watering frequency depends on many factors(type of plant,pot size, light exposure, temps, humidity, etc.).
Also most indoor tropical plants require you to add fertilize on a weekly to monthly basis during the growing season. Visit your local garden center (not chain store) and see what they recommend for your particular plants...Make sure you get an indoor plant food product - not an outdoor plant fertilizer mix...
Spray misting and humidity requirements will vary from plant to plant...Misting once or twice a week will help keep the plant clean. Overdoing it can cause mold and fungi problems...
Type dracaena marginata into your search engine to learn more about your plant...
Hope this helps...Let me know what you think...
Good luck...
Rick in southern NJ