Question
Hi
I have two house plant palm type plants- don't know what they are but they both have skinny trunks which halfway up split into three stems and from the top of the stems are long skinny fonds(they are abount 3 feet tall) , the fonds are soft more like a leaf. One of the plants has dark green foliage and the other is light green variagated. My problem s that both plants are now struggling to hold up their foliage and are very top heavy - Is there anything I can do to resolve the problem? I have them propped up with garden cane at the moment.
Many thanks
Lynn

Answer
Lynn,

I suspect that your plants are dracaena marginata. Check the following site and see if you agree:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=dracaena+marginata++&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&...

If not I need a picture to help you identify it. Send the picture to [email protected].  

If it is first get a heavy ornamental pot that is a pit larger than the pot they are in and set their pot in the ornamental pot. Then they won't be falling over. I think the trunks are stronger than you think and will hold the tops up but they may be out at angles. They will slow down in growth over the winter so if you need to keep them staked for awhile the trunks should catch up over the winter. Do not fertilize during the winter and cut back on the amount of water you give it and that will also help resolve the problem. Typically this plant grows to tree size in tropical desert type areas ant this plant will survive only being watered once a week during the summer and every 2-3 weeks during the winter. Good luck.

Darlene