Question
Ailing Dracena
I have a large dracena whose leaves have started to curl in on themselves. It's been about 6-9
months I suppose since it started. It's in a 12" pot with no drainage. I got it from a friend about 5 years ago and have never repotted it. But it's been fine for all those years. It's been in bright filtered light this whole time. I recently moved and am even more worried about it. The house I am in gets less light and has very dry air. The plant needs to be fairly close to the window to get a good amount of light, but unfortunately the heating vents are right under the windows so it also gets a good blasting of that. I think the leaves may also have been burned a bit from being in direct sun in my new home because they're browning on the tips and in spots. Bizarrely it's recently put up some new leaves on top which it hasn't done in quite a while. Any thoughts? I'm also wondering if I should prune it back (it's reached the ceiling and has nowhere else to go!). Or is that a bad idea at this point - too stressful for it? I've almost given up hope on this one.
AnswerHi Aislinn,
Your Dracaena is not a Dracaena. It is a Yucca. They look similar, but they are not related.
Yuccas do best in lots of direct sunlight. They do not mind dry, hot air as long as their roots receive adequate water. They come from dry regions so they withstand drought quite well, but their roots will rot if kept too moist.
The shriveled leaves are a Yucca's way of wilting from lack of water. Before you assume that you need to water more, read on. Plants in pots without drain holes are at high risk for root rot because any excess water you may apply has nowhere to go and sits in the bottom of the pot. Out of sight, the roots start to rot because of this water accumulation. When roots rot, they are no longer able to absorb water for the plant and the plant acts as though it is not getting enough water. So both severe under and gradual over watering will cause the symptoms you see.
I suggest that you take it out of its existing pot about the time you would next water it. Inspect the bottom of the pot and the rootball. If you see water in the bottom of the pot and soggy soil and roots, then you know you have been overwatering. If the soil is bone dry all the way through, then you will know that you have not been providing enough water.
In either case, put the plant back into a pot that has drain holes and is the same size as the existing pot. Then either increase or decrease your watering depending on what you have discovered.
Don't worry about the heating vents, but do be sure to move it close to a sunny window,
To prune, simply cut off as much of the top as you prefer. New growth will slowly emerge from a point on the stem just below where you make the pruning cut and grow upward from there. The top cutting can be rooted in a small pot of soil or in the base of the existing plant.
I have written an article on Yuccas that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who sends 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
