Why do dracaena leaves fall, what to do, whether it is necessary to save the plant

This exotic plant has an equally exotic name, which translates as female dragon or dragon tree. Africa is considered his homeland. Some of the species grow in the Canary Islands, in southern Asia, in the tropics of Central America, they believe dracaena tree that brings happiness.

The oldest specimen still grows in the Canaries, its age is 6 thousand years.

The article will tell you about dracaena, its varieties, care rules, methods of reproduction and rejuvenation, diseases and pests that can affect the flower.

Content:

1. A little about dracaena
2. Frequently encountered species
3. Care
4. Reproduction methods
5. Dracaena rejuvenation
6. Diseases and pests

A little about dracaena

Dracaena is a beautiful exotic plant found naturally in the humid climate of the subtropics of Africa, Asia and the Canary Islands. In nature, it can reach 20 meters in height with a trunk of several girths.

Of course, indoor dracaena cannot reach such huge sizes. However, this plant knows how to attract attention with its originality. It can make any room cozy and attractive.

Sometimes dracaena can reach a height of several meters, but usually does not grow more than 50 centimeters. Rosettes of greenish-gray sword-shaped leaves up to 50 cm long and 5 cm wide, collected at the top of the tree in an original bunch, will decorate your home or office.

Common types of dracaena

The most common variety is marginata. Sometimes it grows up to 3 meters in height. It is decorated with panicles, like torn leaves. The long, narrow leaves fall off over time, leaving noticeable scars on the tall trunk.

Another type is fragrant. It is so named because of its flowers, which have a strong aroma. But flowers appear quite rarely at home. It can grow up to 6 meters in height. The shiny and long green leaves curve beautifully towards the ground.

Sandera - completely different from those described earlier and is bush. Its leaves are oval, bright green in color with small golden spots.

Dragon - grows slowly, has an exotic appearance, resin that turns red in the air, like blood, its height can reach one and a half meters.

Care

Dracaena is an unpretentious plant, so caring for it is simple and not burdensome. This is a light-loving plant, so it is preferable to place it on southern windows. However, during the height of summer, your pet needs to be shaded.

Bright sunlight is less harmful to flowers with variegated leaf colors, but dracaenas with darker foliage need protection from the sun.

They need to be watered frequently, but moderately. In the summer - every other day, and do not forget to take a warm shower every week. To do this, you need water at room temperature.

When the room temperature drops to 14-16 degrees, reduce watering, the plant falls asleep. For irrigation you need to use filtered or boiled water. And you also need to remember the main rule: waterlogging is always more harmful than drying out. This rule is also relevant for dracaena, although it is moisture-loving.

Like other house flowers, it needs feeding.

If there is a lack of nutrients, even green leaves may fall off. You need to feed it with special fertilizers. Use them according to the detailed instructions on the packaging.

Reproduction methods

For propagation, you can use apical cuttings, pieces of stems, layering and seeds. Planted in peat mixed with sand. Rooting occurs within 2 to 4 weeks.

Dracaena has a highly developed root system. A cramped pot inhibits the growth of the flower, so it is necessary to replant the plant annually, before the growth period begins. This is the end of March or the beginning of April.

When purchasing a plant from a store, it is best to replant it as quickly as possible. It is necessary to correlate the size of the plant and the pot. If it is forty centimeters high, then the diameter of the pot should be no more than 15 cm.

A substrate for palm trees is suitable for dracaena. We pour drainage into the bottom of the container to avoid rotting of the roots. We replant the plant and it’s good wateringby adding a growth stimulating drug to the water.

Plant rejuvenation

Very often, gardeners have to deal with the problem of leaves falling off in dracaenas. Why is this happening and what to do?

Some species grow quite quickly. Over time, the trunk of the plant begins to become bare due to the falling of the lower leaves. This means that the plant needs to be rejuvenated.

It’s just scary to decide on it. After all, it would be a pity if such a large crown could not take root or if the buds on the trunk did not grow and such a beautiful flower would die.

Cast aside all doubts, because this plant is very life-loving; not many indoor flowers can compare with its durability.

Pruning needs to be done with the onset of spring.It is necessary to cut with a sharp pruner, because it cannot be done with a knife. They are cut at an arbitrary height, the cut surface is blotted to remove the released juice, sprinkled with crushed activated carbon, applied with garden varnish or filled with wax.

The height of the cut top is left about 25 centimeters, removing the leaf plates located below. Then it needs to be dried for several hours, and then placed in water with an activated carbon tablet. Roots will appear on it within a month. After this, the top can be planted in the prepared substrate. It can be tied to a support, this will give stability.

The part of the trunk that turns out to be “extra” can be cut into separate segments. Each of them should have 2-3 growth buds. Dry the resulting pieces and place them in a damp substrate for rooting. They can be placed horizontally on the surface or vertically, slightly deeper.

The stump left after cutting will soon delight you with awakened buds.

New shoots will begin to develop from them. It is important to reduce watering after pruning, because the plant has nothing to evaporate the moisture that goes to the roots. Watering should be increased gradually as the green mass increases.

Diseases and pests

This is an unpretentious flower, but still it requires attention. In its absence, diseases and harmful insects can spoil the appearance of the plant or completely destroy it. Often, owners of this exotic flower have to deal with various problems.

Why does dracaena drop its leaves? This problem has to be faced in connection with replanting the plant and replacing the soil after purchasing the flower.During this procedure, damage to the root system occurs and the plant requires time to recover and acclimatize.

Why do the tips of dracaena leaves turn yellow? This occurs due to too dry air in the room where the plant is located, which leads to the appearance spider mite. The leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out. A simple spray of water will help get rid of it. And on sale there are “Fitoverm” and “Fufanom” - special chemical preparations.

One of the main pests of dracaena is scale insect. When it appears on the flower, yellow spots appear on the leaves and stem. Growth is slowing down.

If you notice pests in time, you can wash the foliage and stem with a solution of soap and vodka. And if the flower is severely damaged, then it is necessary to use Actellik, created for pest control.

Sometimes they appear on dracaena thrips - not large black insects. Their presence is indicated by silvery streaks on the leaves and slower growth. To expel unnecessary residents, the leaves are washed with a soap solution and traps are set - Velcro for flies.

The most important reason for the death of a flower is not diseases and pests, but improper care. When indoor air is dry, the leaves dry out and turn brown. The same thing happens with insufficient watering.

Cold and draft also cause harm. But when dracaena sheds old leaves, this is a natural process that should not frighten the gardener. People, on the contrary, begin to “save” the flower, which often leads to the death of the plant.

You can learn even more secrets of proper care of dracaena by watching the video: