Question

Plant id  

Plant I'd   Hello yet again. Could you please I'd this plant and give any info ? Potting soil, types of water to water with , etc. Thanks

Answer
Hi Vicky,

Your new plant is a Dracaena reflexa 'Song of India.' It does best in mostly bright indirect light with no more than an hour or two of direct sun each day. The location shown in the photos is a good one.

I cannot see the pot in the photo, but it appears to be in the original pot and is relatively small. This is a GOOD thing! I do not recommend repotting it just because it looks big relative to the size of the plant. Unnecessary repotting is the single most common cause of plant failure.

As with most plants, the soil mix that it was grown in is the best potting mix for it. Song of India is usually grown in a standard potting mix. Again, I caution against repotting it.

Allow the top quarter of the soil to dry in between thorough waterings, until a bit trickles through the drain holes. If the pot has no drain holes, then post a photo that shows the pot and I will tell you how to accommodate this problem. Use tap water unless your tap water is on the hard side or has been artificially softened. In that case, use filtered or distilled water.

Fertilize sparingly at half strength no more than once per month.

Eventually, this plant will grow tall and a bit leggy. The best solution is to prune back leggy stems by about half, as needed. Pruning will keep it full and compact, as it is now. Your best bet is to trey to maintain its appearance as it is now rather than trying to make it grow as big as possible. Size is not an indicator of success with plants.

I have written detailed articles on repotting and pruning that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com