Not only do dracaena plants have unique and beautiful foliage, but they are also known for their ease of care. So what makes these fantastical plants so alluring? Why should you put them at the top of your shopping list?
Even the most forgetful gardener will struggle to kill one of these plants! In addition to its high drought tolerance, dracaena varieties are a great plant to add to your home and yard.
When it comes to plants that grow both indoors and out, there are dracaena varieties that meet the bill. Take a look at these four best dracaena varieties that thrive inside or out!
Lucky Bamboo
Image credits: Lakhsmie via Shutterstock
Looking to bring luck to your home? Why not add the dracaena sanderiana!
Commonly known as lucky bamboo, Chinese water bamboo, or friendship bamboo, the dracaena sanderiana is a beautiful dracaena variety. Though it has the same stalky characteristics of bamboo, it is not bamboo at all.
Displaying long green stems that stand tall in a container, the lucky bamboo plant adds aesthetic and height to any space. It thrives indoors with indirect light and grows in soil or water. It is also able to live outdoors in the warmer months, as long as it has partial shade.
To care for your lucky bamboo, the key is to not allow it to get too much sunlight. Too much sun, outdoors or indoors, scorches the leaves. Further encourage your plant’s growth by keeping it away from cold drafts.
Pro Tip: As with many dracaena varieties, always avoid overwatering your plant! Accomplish this by giving it the right amount of water and creating a watering schedule.
Dragon Tree
Image credits: Pew Nguyen via Pexels
The dragon tree, or dracaena draco, is an evergreen tree with sword-like leaves that grow near the top of the plant. In ideal growing conditions, it is known to even produce small white flowers!
Out in the wild, the dragon tree grows up to 45 feet! But don’t worry if you don’t live in its ideal climate or have the space for a tree that size. The dragon tree as a houseplant only reaches about four feet.
The dragon tree flourishes best in a hardiness zone of 10 to 12, however it will survive without complaint almost anywhere. If your plant receives thorough watering, plenty of indirect light, and increased humidity, it will grow happily indoors or outside!
Pro Tip: To increase the humidity in your home over the winter months, consider using a pebble tray!
Corn Plant
Image credits: Mid Tran Designer via Shutterstock
Though it is called a corn plant, the dracaena fragrans is only named so for the stalk’s resemblance to corn. But that is where the resemblance stops.
The dracaena fragrans is a variety that is easy to grow and reaches up to five feet. To boost the success of your corn plant, keep it in a container with well-draining organic potting soil.
When growing it outdoors, situate your plant somewhere with partial shade for the duration of the growing season. The corn plant flourishes outdoors in temperatures around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but always bring it inside before the temps dip below 50!
Once you bring your plant indoors, allow your dracaena fragrans to live in a place with partial light. And as with most dracaena varieties, direct light indoors or out will scorch the leaves.
Snake Plant
Image credits: House Mix Digital via Shutterstock
One of the most commonly known dracaena varieties is the much-loved dracaena trifasciata! The dracaena trifasciata, or snake plant, is easy to care for by even the most beginner gardener.
A snake plant survives in almost any indoor conditions, preferring indirect light. The plant is also able to prosper outdoors in the warmer months. However, to give your snake plant the best chance outdoors, ensure the temperature is always above 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
To further encourage health and growth year-round, allow your snake plant to remain in a pot. This pot must contain well-draining soil that includes a peat, perlite, or sand mixture for best results.
When caring for a snake plant, either indoors or outdoors, it is important to remember to never overwater it. Overwatering a snake plant, or any dracaena variety, is a common issue that leads to root rot. If root rot is not identified early and fixed, the plant will die.
Note: Be aware that dracaena varieties are toxic to pets if ingested. Always place your dracaena plants in a place where pets cannot access them. If your pet ingests any dracaena varieties, call your local emergency veterinarian immediately.
Inside or Outside, Let Your Dragons Grow!
The next time you want a plant to add to your garden and home, select a dracaena variety!
Dracaena plants come in different sizes and are easy to care for! Some are even happy to grow indoors and out. Find the one that appeals to you, keep it in a pot, and enjoy it year-round!
What dracaena variety is one you would like to have? Share your favorite dracaena plants in the comment below!