Pruning a 20-Year-Old Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata)

Congratulations on 20 years with your Dragon Tree! At 7 feet, it's outgrowing its space. You have three options to reduce height and rejuvenate:

Option 1: Crown Cutting (Easiest)

1. Cut off the top crown (leaf cluster) with a few inches of stem.
2. Dip cut end in rooting hormone.
3. Plant in moist potting mix.
4. Cover loosely with a plastic bag for humidity.

Roots form in weeks. The remaining trunk will sprout new branches below the cut.

Option 2: Stem Cuttings

Cut the bare trunk into 3–4 inch sections. Root each horizontally or vertically in potting mix. Each can become a new plant.

Option 3: Air Layering (Slower, Higher Success)

Wound the stem, wrap with moist sphagnum moss and plastic. Once roots show through moss, cut below and pot up.

Result

One leggy plant becomes several bushy ones. Or, if sentimental like me, repot into a larger container and stake it!