Question
I bought a massangeana cane (corn plant) seven years ago. It has three stalks and one died a while ago but the rest is really healthy. Recently, when it's been warm for the last 2 months the plant sprouted these weird looking pods. I take the houseplants outside in partial shade during the warm months every year. In a couple weeks the pods spread out on what seems to be a flexible branch. Then in the course of 24 hours the pods grew away from the branch (about 3-4 inches). Over another couple of weeks the pods separated a little to show closed flowers (much like a tiny version of an unbloomed lily). Today, the 30th of May I misted the houseplants with the hose because it was very hot. I left for a ceremony 20 minutes later and it lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes. I come back to see that all of the closed flowers have popped open (they are small and white). I noticed the plant from the very strong sweet aroma it gave off (all of the houseplants are near the entrance to the house). I didn't know that massangeana canes bloomed and I'm not sure if they're supposed too. Are they like bamboo plants that bloom flowers after a 100 years and die immediately right after? How do the the florists and home-improvement stores get these plants (from seeds or cutting of a bigger stalk like aloe plants)? What should I do? If you want I can send pictures because I can't find any information about the cane having flowers.

-Karen

Answer
Karen,

Members of the Dracaena family do occasionally bloom very sweet smelling blooms when they are fairly old and usually very healthy and rootbound. It does not hurt the plant and it could do it again next year or it may not do it again for 10 years. When the flowers start to fade I would cut them off, do not let them attempt to set seed, they probably will not get pollinated but if they do allowing the seed to grow will weaken the plant and the seed produced will not produce the same plant you have but rather ugly looking ancestral plants. You are better off just cutting off the flowers as they fade or whenever you can no longer stand the strong oder from the flowers. Congratulations on keeping your plant so healthy that it bloomed! Good luck.

Darlene