Question
Plant #1
Hi Tracy:
I recently inherited some houseplants. I'd like some help identifying them so that I can give them proper lighting, water, feeding and loving care. Can you assist?
Plant # 1 is tall(4 feet) with wooden stems
Plant #2 has wooden stems that like to branch out like a bush.
Plant #3 looks like a punk rocker with green bad hair day.
Plant #4 has white flowering leaves.
I'll send 4 emails with images of these plants.
Thanks for taking the time to do this...
Tom
AnswerHi Tom
The only picture I received was of 'Plant 1'. I am pretty sure that you can upload more than one picture with your question. I do not know how to do it but I have had people send me more than one picture with their question before. If you can resubmit your question with pictures of plants 2-4, I will do my best to identify them and tell you the best way to care for them. Be sure to resubmit your question as a follow up question to this question. That way it will be sent to me even if I have already reached my limit of questions for the day.
Plant #1 is a Dracaena Marginata, more commonly known as a Dragon Tree. Dragon Trees are part of the Dracaena family and are pretty hardy plants.
Dragon Trees like bright, indirect or filtered light with little or no direct sunlight.
A general rule for watering plants is to allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry between watering then water just enough for a small amount of water to drain out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. This watering practice will work well for Dragon Trees. However it is important to never allow the soil to dry out completely. The soil drying out even once can be fatal.
Most Dracaena, including Dragon Trees, are especially sensitive to the fluoride found in most tap water. Fluoride toxicity is the most common cause of brown leaf tips, which is the most common problem people have with this plant (actually it is the most common problem with most Dracaenas)
Watering the plant with distilled water will prevent the problems caused by fluoride as well as other water quality problems such as chlorine and other mineral deposits in tap water.
Most Dracaenas like lots of humidity. You can raise the humidity around the plant by placing the plant on a tray of pebbles and water (Be sure that the bottom of the pot is not sitting in the water). If your Dragon Tree is too large to find a tray big enough to put under it then you can place several small trays filled with pebbles and water around the plant.
Another way to raise the humidity around the plant is to group it together with other plants. Plants give off moisture into the air around them. The moisture given off by each of the plants will help to raise the humidity around the whole group.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
Tracy
