Question
Hi,

I have a dragon tree about 5 years old that is suddenly dying! It's getting yellow leaves and losing them. It is about 3 feet tall in a 12" pot. I repotted last spring so it will soon be time to repot it again. Nothing has changed in the last five years, it still sits in a east window and gets watered every week. I've had  the plant since it was really small and it's never lost so many leaves before. Everything is the same so I don't know why it is dying! Do you think it has a disease? Please help before the trunk goes bald!
Sandy  

Answer
Hi Sandy,

I have seen this happen many times with Dracaena marginatas. As they age, their roots shrink back slowly and they use less water. This happens mostly out of sight and the upper portion of the plant continues to look fine until one day it starts to yellow and the leaves drop off in abundance. The plant can deteriorate quite rapidly at this point because many of the roots have rotted.

The commonly held belief that plants should be repotted every spring compounds this problem. An oversized pot contains extra soil that keeps the soil from drying out as frequently as the roots need. In other words, this process of root rot has been going on for a long time without your being aware of it. (This is one reason Marginatas are not one of my favorite plants.)

It may or may not be too late at this point. I suggest that you let the soil dry out and then unpot it. I am quite sure you will not see very many healthy roots wrapped around the outside of the rootball. Gently remove all loose soil from the outside in, until you reach a mass of healthy roots in the center. If you do not find lots of healthy roots, then your plant's future is limited.

Once you have removed excess soil and any dead roots, repot your plant into the SMALLEST pot that they will fit into. Add a small amount of porous potting mix to fill in the spaces and to stabilize the plant.

Water it lightly to get the soil to settle in. Henceforth, water only when the top quarter of the soil is dry. If you are diligent about letting enough air get into the roots, then there is a good chance your Marginata will slowly recover. However, it may continue to drop leaves for several more weeks.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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