How to Care for a Dracaeana Marginata
The Dracaena Marginata, also known as Madagascar Dragon Tree, was favored by people who wanted an Asian, modern or architectural feel.
I was an interior plantscaper many years ago – yes, I maintained plants in offices, lobbies, hotels and the likes. I saw and took care of my share of Dracaena marginatas.
As a floor plant, this one grows with a lot of cane (or trunk) and you can find it in many interesting forms.
Some Of Our General Houseplant Guides For Your Reference:
- Guide To Watering Indoor Plants
- Beginner’s Guide To Repotting Plants
- 3 Ways To Successfully Fertilize Indoor Plants
- How to Clean Houseplants
- Winter Houseplant Care Guide
- Plant Humidity: How I Increase Humidity For Houseplants
- Buying Houseplants: 14 Tips For Indoor Gardening Newbies
- 11 Pet-Friendly Houseplants
This is a candelabra marginata.
I wrote another book, Keep Your Houseplants Alive, and this one is on houseplant care.
It’s a guide written in very simple terms with lots of tips and pictures. I guess this post a little warm up to that.
Like all Dracaenas, this is a very easy care plant.
The majority of interior plants are replaced because of two reasons. The first one is they are put in the wrong place and the is that they are overwatered. Head’s up – this is what you need to pay attention to:
Dracaena Marginata Care
Light
They like nice bright light but no direct, hot sun. On the other hand, keep it out of low light areas – no dark corners please.
Watering
Water when the top 2-3” of the soil is dry. I water mine every 2 weeks maybe a little more often if it’s really warm.
Fertilizing
Houseplants appreciate a little food once or twice a year. People over-fertilize their plants which is worse than not doing it all. I would recommend Organics Rx Indoor Plant Food or Superthrive (this is not certified organic but it’s natural). Be sure to sure them at the recommended strength because if you up the ante, you’ll burn the poor babies.
Update: Read about my worm compost/compost feeding right here.
Pests
Yep, your
Pruning/Cleaning
You can cut off the brown tips if you’d like. These plants are native to the humid tropics and tipping occurs because our homes are dry. Be sure your scissors are sharp otherwise the leaves will tear. The bottom leaves will yellow and die. That’s normal – it’s how the plant grows. Spray the leaves with water or take it to the sink, tub or outside to hose it down. It likes humidity and will love you for doing this.
By the way, kitties love to chomp on these tender, crispy leaves. This is my Oscar who is 14 years old and naps all day but gets the energy to gnaw away on this plant any chance he gets. The plant has been moved to safer grounds high atop a bookshelf where he stares at it daily with longing. Sorry Oscar.
The Dracaena Marginata architectural, sculptural plant is a great addition to any home environment. Oh … be sure to keep an eye out for my houseplant book. It’s going to be a no nonsense guide to keeping 23 of the most reliable interior plants alive and kickin’. Confessions of an interiorscaper!
Another Post On Houseplants: Sansevierias! Sansevierias Are Easy Care Plants
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- About the Author
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Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
This is a stunning looking plant! I have never heard of a Dracaeana Marginata before, but I have been looking for something to suit my modern dining table. By the looks of it I should be able to keep it small enough to be an attractive centre piece. Thanks for the run down!
It would suite your modern dining table so well. It comes in all sizes & forms so you could find one that suits you. I’m working on a book about houseplants right now so keep a head’s up for that!
Awesome tips, I have a dragon tree that looks fine but not perfect. After reading your post I guess I must feed it as I never did that before.
Thanks Elena. Be sure to not over fertilize your dragon tree. Once or twice a year is plenty. That’s one of the plants in our newly published book “Keep Your Houseplants Alive”, so you should check it out on amazon. It’s got lots of tips on houseplant care.
Thanks for the very informative blog post, I was wondering if you had any tips for me as we made a mistake and left the plant outside for a couple of days and it looks a bit worse for wear. Would you also recommend the best place to keep it in a room?
Thanks a lot for your help 🙂
Hi Zak – You’re most welcome. If you left your marginata in the sun it may have burned or if it was freezing, it could have gotten cold damage. Marginatas like nice bright light but no direct, hot sun. In a north or east window is fine. If you have a south or west exposure, then near the window but not in it. Hope that helps, Nell
Your candelabra D. marginata is exquisite! Is it possible to get mine to branch or does one have to buy it that way? I’ve had success with propagating rubber plants and “pruning” a Scheflera, so I’m willing to experiment.
One other question… I have a tree in my sunroom that’s gotten over 10 feet high; it grows only from the top. I thought it was a palm, but might it be a tarzan tree Dracaena? Could i get it to branch or is air-layering the only way to get it under control?
Thanks for your great site!
Thank you Pat! I bought my candelabra in that from a grower. They’re hard as the dickens to train so it’s best to buy it that way. It could be a graft or the small “knobs” could be where the cuts sealed over. They’re quite striking as they get taller. Tarzan tree dracaenas really don’t look like palms to me – just bushy, fuller marginata with bigger heads & more foliage. So, I can’t advise you on that one unless you send a pic. nell@joyusgarden.com Hope that helps! Nell
I love your blog! I have watched your videos before on youtube, and now I’m gonna read the blog. I have a few dracaena marginatas.. One of them has a white mould coming from the bottom of the clay pot its in. It actually looks like roots, but its definitely not. Do you have any idea what it could be? Thanks for all the advice on this page, I have successfully propagated a few baby dracaenas, and I am going to try again next summer with your method, mentioned in another blog post. Also, do you have any tips on good garden centers? I live not too far south of you in San Diego. I am looking for somewhere that has an excellent range of pot sizes for careful up-potting! Thanks again for sharing your plant knowledge, I look forward to reading more of your blog!
Thanks so much Jenna! If the pot is sitting directly on the ground or floor, there’s no air circulation flowing under the pot. Clay pots are porous & that’s why mold & moss is able to grow on & under them. Pot feet help to get a bit of air movement under a pot. This doesn’t happen with plastic pots. Another reason for white patches on clay pots is too much fertilizing. Fertilizers have a lot of salt in them & it builds up on the outside of the pots. I love pottery! I’ve been to funky, smaller nurseries in SD on a hunt for unusual succulents but here are a few of the “biggies” that I’ve been to: Armstrong (there are several locations), Walt Anderson & Weidners. I love the Madd Potter for pots but they also have some plants too. Happy gardening! Nell
I recently bought one of these beauties and it’s the perfect desk plant for me. I was wondering if there’s any way to keep this plant small?
Thank you!
Hi Irene –
You can keep it in a small pot which will restrict the root growth. However, over time it’ll start to suffer. If it starts to get too big, you can easily cut off the top to the height you want it to be & new sprouts will appear at the top. Nell
Hi Nell,
For the first time in–I hate to say it–8 years I reported my marginata. It’s been thriving overall. However, after repotting with new soil in a larger pot (was extremely root bound), I fed it for the first time ever with Miracle Grow as I watered it. It’s looking droopy as I imagined from transplant shock, but how bad of a mistake did I make with fertilizing it??
Thank you! Dana
Hi Dana – I don’t use Miracle-Gro but I do know that it’s a water soluble fertilizer which is recommended to be used on houseplants every 7-14 days. That means it’s pretty mild. If you used it at the recommended strength, that shouldn’t be an issue. The droop is caused by low light &/or a watering issue. It’s most likely transplant shock. Don’t fertilize it until spring – I only fertilize my houseplants once a year. Nell
I use Miracle Gro on a row of newly planted hedge plants, about10 to 12 inches long. It was early spring. They ALL died. Afer that lesson, I use only half the recommended dose of ANY plant fertilizer and watch closely.
Yes Linda, a lesson learned the hard way. I’m not a big advocate of commercial fertilizers because people tend to over do it. Also, they contain a high amount of salts. Thanks for sharing! Nell
Nell,
I am a college kid, and the Dragon Tree is my first plant! Been reading some articles to make sure I do this right . . . thank you for writing this! The most comprehensive article I’ve found, and you clearly write it for this plant. Some articles feel as they might apply to any species, so it’s nice to know you have a purpose in your writing. Anyways, I have one question. You mentioned that this plant likes humidity and appreciates misting, is there any limit to how much one should do this? Watering is obviously done more carefully, but is misting bad on a daily basis? Or does it matter? Thank you!
Hi Wesley – Thank you, I’m glad you found the article to be helpful because I always write in a manner which I hope people can easily understand. This plant, like many houseplants, is native to the tropics. It can adapt to a “normal” houseplant environment just fine but would appreciate a weekly misting. Just know that this plant is subject to tipping (dried brown tips on the leaf points) so don’t be concerned about that. My marginata grows outdoors here in the desert & I hose it down every week. It’s doing great which you’ll see in a video & post next month. Nell
Love your video! I have several Dracaenas now..A dracaena corn plant, a redmargin dracaena, and a dracaena marinara. I think..I would love to send you pics and you tell me exactly what I have..
Debbie – Thank you! Dracaenas are some of the easiest houseplants out there. The leaves of a corn plant look just like corn. This is a Dr. Lisa: https://www.joyusgarden.com/dracaena-lisa-care/ Nell
I had a dracena maginata plant for a couple of months I watered it very little n just notice that it died I don’t know what happened
Hard to say Florence. Houseplants are easy to over water. Also, could have been lack of light, insects or other reasons. Nell
Hi there Nell , I’m very new to this plant in my home. After I changed the plant in to organic succulent soil it kind of was drooping. So I gave it a thorough soaking with Pur faucet filtered water. Within 2 days the whole plant just came alive beautifully !! But just about few days after the tips of all the leaves including the new ones all had brown tips !! The soil in dry now to the touch and I also use a moisture meter it shows at 2 level. Please, Nell I really need help what to do ? Watered last on June 17th . Thanks !
Hi Runa – Dracaenas are very easy to over water. Because the soil can take some time to dry out, the damage can be done fast. It could also be transplant adjustment or a reaction to salts in the water (before you bought it). I doubt it’s dry air because you haven’t had it that long. Nell
I have a beautiful draecina. Marginata tall, arching and reaching about 6’ tall. It’s been in the same window for years and doing fine. But lately it’s been dropping 3 and 4 leaves a day, which is unusual for this plant. Yellowing and spotted leaves. I think that I’m watering correctly and fertilizing maybe once a month. I have been using a product from a good local nursery. I don’t want to lose i it. Am I doing something wrong?
Hi Diann – Sounds like it could be leaf spot from overwatering. Yellow leaves are also due to being too dry. I vary my plant’s watering schedule according to the temps & light levels of the season. Nell
Hi Nell, I have a dracaena that i’m pretty sure is a Marginata. I’ve kept it in my room by the window for years, taking care not to over-water it, but I’m just now looking at how you’re really supposed to care for them. I hate to say this, but I have never repotted it in the ~8 years I’ve had it. My room is very cold, probably ~59° in winter, and quite dry; I’m kind of freaking out after reading about how they prefer warmer, humid temps! The plant is still alive and well but it’s kind of curving and leaning over and may be getting too tall (The tallest of the 3 stems is around 5 feet). The tips of some of the leaves on the tallest stem are browning as well. I really don’t know anything about raising houseplants but any advice would be appreciated because I want to adjust my environment to help my plant! I also am wondering if there’s any way to prevent it from curving or make it relatively straight again besides pruning it? Thanks in advance!
Hi Henry – The growers train the trunks to curve. If they’re curving in a home environment, it usually due to the fact they’re reaching for the light. The only way I know of to straighten it out is by cutting it back or air layering it. I live in a very dry environment now (Tucson Arizona) & my marginata has lots of brown tips. It’s a reaction to the dry air. I’ve done quite a few posts on marginatas & other houseplants which you can check out here: https://www.joyusgarden.com/category/houseplants/ Nell
Hi! So I have the same plant. It’s very tall. The only problem I have is that I really don’t water it to often but the leaves look great. Until I actually do water the plant. At first I thought maybe it needs vitamins. So in the next watering I added Miracle grow and still the leaves turned yellow.
So I’m confused I don’t water it and it’s great. Then I do eventually water it and it start to turn yellow. ????… HELP
Laura – I water my marginata about once a month in winter & every 2 weeks in summer. I now live in Tucson so mine dries out faster. Depending on the size, the soil mix & your conditions, they’re easy to over water. Nell
Hello Nell, I’m very curious on how to “train” those branches to curve the way yours does. What tools are needed to make the marginata look the way yours does? Also, I’m creating my own soil for this plant 2 parts coco coir, 1 part drainage materials ex pumice, 1 part worm castings, and a little bit of charcoal. Do you think this soil mix will be ok for the marginata?
Thank you Phil. I didn’t train that plant – the growers did. It’s called a “Candelabra Marginata”. The mix you’re creating sounds fine. Just go easy on the worm compost as it’s strong. Nell
Hello again Nell, Thank you for the quick reply. Sorry, one more question, does propagation cause variegation in a Marginata? For example if you have a Colorama will the stem revert back to a Bicolor if its propagated?
Just want to say no Colorama’s are not variegated.
You mentioned spraying with a solution of water and detergent for spider mites
And alcohol for bugs. What’s the ratio of ingredients for mixing.
This is my favorite plant and I don’t find that they are that easy to grow.
I would love to purchase your houseplant book. I have many different indoor plants. What book do you recommended. Thank you
Hi Judy – About a teaspoon of soap (no-toxic) to a cup of water. Same for the alcohol. The is the only plant book I’ve written: https://rb.gy/b2yf8w Nell
When is the best time of year to repot my plant. And what kind of soil do you recommend
Thank you
Judy – I always repot in spring or summer. This will help: https://www.joyusgarden.com/transplanting-my-dracaena-marginata/ I always add in some pumice to up the ante on the drainage factor. Nell
Where is your pot from? I love it!
Hi – I got it at Tuesday Morning years ago. I think Wayfair carries a similar set. Nell
Hi Nell, love your blog & youtube channel! I have a small Dracaena Marginata that I bought a couple of weeks ago and I was just wondering if it could benefit from some misting with water as an indoor plant?
Thanks!
Thank you Charlie! Dracaena marginatas are native to Madagascar, an island in the tropics. If your home is dry, it would appreciate a misting once or twice a week. Nell
Hi, My dracaena has been with me for many years – over 20! But it has gotten SO big, over 9 feet tall so you mostly see the cane. Is there a way to trim and reduce the size?
Thanks
Yes, Nancy. You can simply prune it to the desired height or air layer it. A post on air layering here: https://www.joyusgarden.com/rubber-tree-plant/ Nell