Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
sans2014

Dracaena fragans dying

Sans2014
9 years ago

Hi All,
I rescued this plant from Kmart about 2 weeks ago. The plant just keeps going down hill. It was totally dry when I bought it. I am keeping it moist. I flooded it in the sink when I brought it home allowing all the excess to drain away 20 minuets later. It is not in the best of light but that should not be the problem. I am figuring that the root system is compromised by drought, or was underdeveloped by the grower prior to shipping. I am leery of trying to de-pot it so see the roots. I am opting for the "it will come around now that it is being cared for". Aynyone
have any advise? Thanks
Fred

Comments (44)

  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    another view

  • tlbean2004
    9 years ago

    I think those are pretty drought tolerant.
    Could it have gotten frost damage from being in cold weather?

  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The Only cold I have exposed it to is from the store to the car and car to home. Can't say what happened to it prior.

    I've only had this for 2 weeks and expected after the watering, as stated at the begining of this thread, that it would have started to perk up. It has not perked up but rather continued to get worse.

  • tropicbreezent
    9 years ago

    While on holidays I got a couple of cuttings of these and they travelled around for a while in luggage. At home I potted them up and slowly the tops started to rot away. Eventually after about 4 - 5 weeks I pulled them out ready to compost them but they had new roots and were growing new shoots below the soil. It's now about 6 - 7 weeks since I first potted them up. One still has the new buds underground, the other has 2 buds on part of the cutting above ground. So I wouldn't give up on yours after only 2 weeks.

  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the encouraging words tropicbreezent. I think that even if this plant defoilates, I will wait till late spring to do anything with it. Several years ago I had a parlor palm that lost all its fronds (spider mites and other issues). The trunk remained firm and was green at the top. I watered it very carefully and just waited all summer long. Lo and behold it put out new fronds after months of just that green top of the trunk. Some plants are very tough others die way too easily. Fred
    Oh, I still have that palm

  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    my D. fragans has been pushing out new growth for several weeks. It should recover if I don't over water it. I'll update the photo when it starts looking more lush, right now it is still trying
    to get back to more than 2 leafs! But I am pleased it is finally making progress.


  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    8 years ago

    Yay, TY for the update!

    Whenever it's practical for you, repotting your plant (into something besides potting soil) could help alleviate the concerns about killing it with water. More info about that in these:
    http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1490818/good-growing-practices-an-overview-for
    http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1497307/ukeeping-u-them-looking-good


    Sans2014 thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Tiffany, what do you recommend: "pine bark, perlight and a small amount of potting soil"?
    or is there some better recipe?


  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Here is what my back from the brink D. fragans looks like now!

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    8 years ago

    That looks great! So cool to see a good update like this! Like all Dracaenas, this plant is sensitive to additives in tap water. Are you able to catch rain for it this summer? (Or use distilled?)

    If you're looking for soil "recipes," I recommend the ones by Al (Tapla.) Do you need help finding one of those discussions?


    Sans2014 thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    and on June 7th


  • pelargonium_gw
    8 years ago

    Good to see it's doing well! These guys are tough, they can literally come back from the dead, as long as the stem isn't rotted. :)


    Sans2014 thanked pelargonium_gw
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I was worried about it, a week after I got it home it really went south on me.
    It was in trouble when I bought it, so much so that the checkout lady reduced
    the price for me on the spot. I thought that as soon as it got some TLC it would
    stabilize and perk up. Nooooo, it went down to 2 leaves! So I am very happy that the plant is now finally rebounding.


  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    It looked great in June! How is she now?

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    About like it did in June. It reached a plateau and has not gone anywhere else.

  • laticauda
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    How big is its pot?

    I had a rooted agloanema that got stunted because I left it in the 3 inch pot too long!

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    6 inch plastic pot, same one it was in when I purchased it.

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    Do you have a bigger pot? Maybe now isn't the best time to go up a size...winter coming and all that.

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I think the pot size is still OK, spring will be a different story. I did not fertilize it much this summer and maybe I should have put it outside after all, but to late now!

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    Lol, it can still get a few days/weeks of some nice shade outside lol.

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Well, the forecast for next Friday is 63 and 41. But we are above average here for this time of year and the weatherman said that will continue through next month. But next week will be in the 60's and progressively colder.

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    Thank you for reminding me why I don't live further north. All the cold.

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    What is that swirly deremensis back there? That is a Dracaena, right and not....like......a Sans masquerading as a Dracaena?

  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I think it is "White Jewel" (note the S. Whitney in the background too)

  • bielo83
    8 years ago

    Yeah that or a Jade Jewel. Absolutely beautiful plants =)

    Sans2014 thanked bielo83
  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    So, is that a Sans or Drac?

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Dracaena deremensis "White Jewel" (bielo83 says Dracaena fragans Jade Jewel) note: Tiffany has pointed out that fragans is now called Deremensis ( if memory serves that is, LOL)

  • bielo83
    8 years ago
    I thought deremensis was a Janet craig
    Sans2014 thanked bielo83
  • laticauda
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Whoa whoa.

    Fragrans is the corn plant that's masquerading as a yucca.

    Deremensis is where "Janet Craig" and "warnecki[1]" come from.....are they the same species? Really?


    [1] Which I have and LOVE and that is why I needed to know what kind that one was in your picture up there.

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • bielo83
    8 years ago
    They're like cousins haha
    Sans2014 thanked bielo83
  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    So, they are all D. fragrans now, then?

  • laticauda
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Maybe they are cultivated to be slower growers, so they can't as readily be made into the cane types you see labeled as "corn plant." Most especially the compacta!

    does anyone have a picture of their really old warnecki, Janet Craig, or Janet Craig compacta?

  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Tiffany did I get that backwards? Is it that Deremensis is now Fragans instead of the other way around???? (if so, sorry to have miss quoted you!)

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    8 years ago

    I'm not in the realm of people who decide such things but 'they' say D. fragrans is the accepted, deremensis is synonym of that (same species, and its' many cultivars.)

    My JCC isn't really old, had for about 5 yrs, in the middle of this pic. Note the new steps DH built yesterday. So excited! We're going to have a front porch in this lifetime!

    Sans2014 thanked Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    Okay, I see its trunk below the foliage.

    That's awesome about stairs! My husband has been particularly productive lately too.

    Has anyone ever been so excited about a new toilet being installed?

  • laticauda
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Oh! Are there any plants that go dormant that could just live under your front porch for the winter? The extra protection and heat make a big difference! I guess I mostly mean succulents that can kind of handle that sort of treatment lol.

    most of your stuff looks rather tender.

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    RIP Mr. Corn Plant.


  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    My corn plant is still alive! I discovered the reason it had plateaued was it had meally bugs attacking the roots. I bare rooted it and sprayed the roots with insecticidal soap put it in a clean pot with clean dirt. We will see what happens. Ting Tar Tid!

  • laticauda
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Hahaha, I had a feeling you just couldn't throw it away like you said you did lol.

    you dug it out of the garbage can, didn't you?

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    What's that triple "t" phrase you said, Fred?

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda
  • Sans2014
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Norwegian for things take time!

  • laticauda
    8 years ago

    Hahaha

    Sans2014 thanked laticauda