Dracaena compact - An evergreen shrub plant of the species Dracaena Fragrans of the genus Dracaena. In home gardening is more common than their relatives.
Motherland plants - tropical South African territories and Canary Islands.
Description
Exotic dracaena compact looks like a palm tree. It has an elongated stem and a saturated green color of elongated leaves, forming peculiar bundles. The leaves surprise with an attractive glossy sheen.
With indoor growing the plant can stretch up to two meters high. In a natural environment grows up to 6 meters in height.
Home care
Dracaena compact is a stable tree capable of growing indoors. it one of the most unpretentious species kind of dracaena.
Features care after purchase
When purchasing a new place of permanent residence, the dracaena takes time to get used to. You need to carefully care for the plant. Very important point is spraying water.
If the purchased plant is in a container for transportation, then it is transplanted into a pot.
Lighting
Dracaena compact does not like bright sunny color direct focus. Better fit diffused sunlight.
The best option will be placed in a meter from the window sill. But in a low-lit room dracaena is also growing well.
Temperature
Like other dragon, this flower needs a moderate temperature. In the summer of a compact feels well at a temperature 20-27 degrees Celsius In winter, the temperature should not fall below 14 degrees.
Plant can not supercool and allow drafts.
Air humidity
For dracaena compact need spraying regularly warm water.
Should remember that in the winter due to the presence of central heating, the air is dry and many living organisms lack moisture. Therefore, it is impossible to do without spraying.
In the summer hot season it is necessary to increase the number of daily spraying procedures so that the plant does not start to wither.
Warm water shower - an incredibly useful procedure that will help dracaena easier to move dry air and get rid of the dust settled on the sheet plates. After a shower, it is necessary to carefully remove water from the sinuses of the leaves in order to prevent rotting.
Leaves need periodically wipe with a cloth moistened with warm water. This will save them from dust and prevent pest invasion.
In the warmer months, the dracaena will benefit from the exposure to the balcony with fresh summer air.
Watering
For watering use at least 10 hours of settled water or water passed through the filter. Water should be at room temperature.
Stale water should not be in the pan, otherwise the plant will deteriorate.
Watering is recommended moderately. The plant should not be left in dry soil. The soil should be slightly wet, but not swampy. This means that the next time you need to water the dracaena when the topsoil dries.
Bloom
When flowering appear small white flowersgathering in inflorescences and having a pleasant aroma.
In domesticated specimens, flowering occurs rarely.
Fertilizers (dressing)
Soil compact dragonflower in spring and summer months. Every two weeks, you need to make universal fertilizer for dracen or complex fertilizers, such as "Ideal", "Rainbow" and others.
Liquid fertilizers with a high content of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, which are added to water during pouring, will bring benefit.
Transfer
Adult plants are to be transplanted 1 time in 2 years, and young - annually.
As a soil base Universal soil for dracenas, a compound of leaf and sod soil, sand and peat are used. If dracaena is large in size, then it is recommended to plant it in a floor pot and add coarse sand.
Other transfer rules:
- transplantation is desirable to start in the spring, when the flower begins to grow more actively;
- the next pot should be wider than the previous one by 3-4 centimeters in diameter;
- The best dishes - pots made of natural materials for good air exchange;
- good drainage should be laid on the bottom;
- after transplanting the soil is required to periodically loosen.
Growing up
Growing from seed is possible in green leaf species dracenas. The seeds purchased in the store are sown in the early spring in a sandy-peat mixture and placed in a warm, bright place.
Sprouts appear in 35-40 days. Strong plants when reaching 5-6 centimeters planted in separate pots.
Breeding
For breeding this plant cuttings are cut, and pieces from its trunk are also used.
Propagation by cuttings is the most used method. Cuttings are cut from the top or sides. Lower obsolete leaves are removed.
Next, the stem is divided into pieces of 7-9 centimeters, and the cut sections are processed with a root. The cuttings are planted in a mixture of peat and sand. Capacity with cuttings put in a lighted place with a temperature above 25 degrees Celsius. When the first leaves appear, the flowers are transplanted into separate pots.
A photo
Dracaena compact: photo decorative "palm".
Diseases and pests
Dracaena compact can get sick in the absence of proper care. Possible problems:
- dry spots that appear when exposed to direct sunlight;
- twisted leaves after exposure to low temperature;
- brown spots due to insufficient watering;
- dry tips of leaf sheets from dry air or insufficient feeding;
- root rot due to long-term wet conditions of the soil;
- the death of a plant in a situation of severe hypothermia or watering too often.
Sometimes the dragon season is attacked. such pests as spider mite, scale and mealybug. A regular inspection of the leaves and stem will help prevent infection by harmful insects. The treatment of the diseased flower is carried out in two stages: the washing of the plant with soapy water and the treatment with insecticidal preparations.
This ornamental plant will benefit in every home, since perfectly cleans the air. All that is required is attentive care and good content.
Even an aspiring grower can handle the cultivation of a particularly unpretentious dracaena compact.
