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Dracaena dorado is a member of Dracaena genus, a family of tropical plants native to the African continent. It is a very popular house plant as well as one of the easiest indoor plants to care for.
This dracaena plant, also known as dragon tree, or dragon blood tree can be recognized by its glossy, sword-shaped foliage. The dark green leaves of these dracaena plants retain their color year-round, making the plant very visually appealing. Furthermore, dracaena dorado is surprisingly sturdy, allowing even novice gardeners to care for it successfully. In this guide, we will focus on the general outline, as well as some tips that will help you take care of your plants, as well as prevent or resolve any issues that might occur in growing many healthy dracaenas.
Dracaena Dorado Care Guide
Light and Location
All plants need light to perform photosynthesis. That is a fact. However, not all types and intensities of light are suitable for all plants: in fact, too little or too much of it can prove detrimental to their growth.
Luckily, dracaena deremensis dorado is less demanding than most other plants in this regard. In fact, as long as the plant isn’t placed under direct sunlight, which can damage its leaves by scorching them and causing them to turn yellow.
To avoid this, bright indirect sunlight and partial shade are the best, though filtered light will do for outdoor plants.
These houseplants can be grown in low light conditions, in fact, they tolerate low light conditions quite well as long as not left in them for too long, as prolonged low light can slow down the tree-like plant’s metabolism and cause its beautiful leaves to lose color.
In truth, the lighting needs of dracaena dorado are quite similar to that of other dracaena varieties such as dracaena marginata or dracaena fragrans.
Watering your dracaena plant
Proper care of dracaena dorado plant includes watering it regularly. Thankfully this houseplant is relatively easy to satisfy in this aspect as well, requiring much less water than most other indoor plants. Water it only when two thirds of the soil in the pot is dry.
In fact, it is easier to over water the plant than to not water it enough. That being said, tap water is not the best choice when it comes to dracaena dorado, as the plant is quite susceptible to fluoride toxicity. This condition manifests in the plant foliage turning brown on its tips and sometimes even drying.
Excess watering can also cause root rot, not just in young plants but in older dracaenas as well.
Temperature conditions
While relatively frost-hardy, dracaena dorado thrives at room temperature. This makes these houseplants perfect residents of both private homes and office space, providing indoor decor and adding a little extra interest to the area they are placed in.
Still, the dracaena should not be left in sub-zero temperatures, as it is still a tropical plant, and too much cold will eventually cause it to die. This also means that the outdoor plants should be brought inside during cold drafts.
Feeding your Dracaena: keep it dark green
Plants of the dracaena genus, including dracaena dorado aren’t heavy feeders and as such do not require much fertilizer.
Still, providing this houseplant with enough nutrients is essential to allowing its unimpeded growth as well as maintaining the signature color of its dark green leaves.
The plant only requires in spring and summer seasons, while no food is necessary in the fall or during wintertime. When feeding your dracaena dorado plant you should take care not to use too much fertilizer, certain substances that can be found in houseplant food can burn the roots of the plant if too concentrated.
Repoting your plants
While dracaena dorado is a fairly slow growing plant, it might still need repotting once every few years. This should be done in early spring, as this gives the plant the most time possible create more growth and recover from being uprooted.
The new pot should be slightly bigger than the previous one, as it will allow the root system to grow unimpeeded. The right choice of soil is also a great help when it comes to repotting these plants.
The soil should not be too dense, as it needs to exchange air freely, and slightly acidic.
The pot also needs proper drainage, with at least one draining hole at the bottom. Not providing a dracaena with good water drainage can cause a variety of issues, from yellowed-out or brown leaves to root rotting.
To keep your dracaena green after repoting, you should make sure to follow these guidelines.
Humidity
Most dracaena, including dracaena dorado, prefer moderate to slightly humid conditions. One of the best ways to care for your dracaena in terms of humidity is foliage misting. This is done by spraying the leaves with water and letting them absorb it.
Propagation
Dracaena can propagate through seed or by stem cuttings. Propagation by seed is rare in these plants, but propagation by stem cuttings can be done in a home environment
. The easiest way to make dracaea cutting is to just cut off the crown of the old plant. If done correctly the plant will continue growing from its new top, while the cutting can be placed in nutrient filled water until it starts to root.
Afterwards, the cutting should be placed in a nursery pot. Always make sure that you use clean tools when making the cuttings, as failure to do so can induce pathogens into the new plant, killing it off.
The pot with the new plant should be placed somewhere warm, near a source of filtered or indirect light.
Common pests
Dracaena Dorado can be affected by a number of pests, all of which can be dealt with even by inexperienced gardeners.
Mealybugs and soft scale
Most common pests affecting dracaena dorado, these bugs can usually be dealt with by simply washing them off the plant with water. If left unchecked, they will feed on the plant, slowing down its growth
Spider mites
These small insects, almost invisible to the naked eye attack the plants in large numbers. White webbing is a sure sign of their presence. Insecticide treatment might be needed in case of large-scale infestations.
Fungus infections
Over watering your dracaena can cause fungi to grow on its root, infecting it with rot. The best way to treat this is to simply provide proper drainage to the pot in which the plant is kept.
Decoration tips
The vibrant green color of dracaena dorado makes it an ideal plant to be put in a home or office encirorment, espcially if combined with other plants with shorter leaves and contrasting colors. This striped type dracaena offers a simple way to add interest to any space it is placed in, such as upper surfaces of an office or a balcony.
Frequently asked questions
How big does a Dracaena dorado get?
Indoor Dracaena dorado plants usually grow between 4 and 5 feet in size.
Is Dracaena dorado a good indoor plant?
Yes. In fact, Dracaena dorado (and other members of the genus) have powerful air-purifying properties
Do Dracaenas like the full sun?
No. A dracaena dorado should be put in filtered or indirect sunlight, as excess light can burn its foliage.
How do you prune a dracaena Dorado?
Using scissors or garden shears, make sure to clean them beforehand to prevent spreading any plant diseases that might be affecting the plant.
