DRACAENA MASSANGEANA

This hardy Dracaena is an unbranched, tree-like plant with sword-shaped arching leaves. Those dark-green leaves are 2 ft (60 cm) long and 4 in (10 cm) wide, and have a broad cream-to-yellow stripe down the middle. Strongly scented flowers are occasionally produced on a plant grown in its native habitat, but it rarely flowers indoors. As it grows, it will shed its lower leaves, leaving a bare stem with a cluster of leaves at its top. New plants may drop a few leaves. This is normal. It needs time to adjust after the shock of being moved to a new home. With your corn plant, care should be taken to keep it away from drafts and direct sun, which can scorch the leaves.

A Dracaena Massangeana, also called a dracaena corn plant, can tolerate low light but grows faster and produces larger leaves in medium to bright indirect light. The pale yellow center stripe in the leaves of a dracaena corn plant requires better light. Like all dracaenas, allow the top 50-75% of the soil to dry out before watering. This plant survives under-watering but quickly dies from over-watering. If your water contains fluoride or chlorine, allow it sit out over-night before using it so the chemicals can dissipate. High concentrations of fluoride damage the leaves of dracaenas and cause brown leaf tips. Never use water that has passed through a softener. It is too salty and causes leaf damage. Use a loose, fast-draining, well-aerated soil. A dracaena can even be grown in lava rock mixed with soil.