Wendy Cutler from Vancouver, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0
About
A popular, slow-growing shrub, *Dracaena fragrans* is valued by hobbyists for its glossy, lanceolate foliage and highly fragrant flowers. It is widely cultivated globally, often used as a houseplant or hedge.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant is a slow growing shrub, usually multistemmed at the base, with mature specimens reaching 15 m or more. Leaves are glossy green, lanceolate, measuring 20–150 cm long and 2–12 cm wide. Flowers are produced in panicles up to 160 cm long, featuring a six-lobed corolla that is pink initially, opening white with a fine red or purple central line. The fruit is an orange-red berry 1–2 cm in diameter.
Distribution & habitat
Native to tropical Africa, ranging from Sudan south to Mozambique, west to Côte d'Ivoire, and southwest to Angola, typically growing in upland regions at 600–2,250 m altitude.
Cultivation notes
It is suited to frost-free climates and USDA Hardiness zones 10-11. It is popular as a houseplant due to its tolerance of various indoor conditions, including bright indirect light, bright shade, and deep shade. It is also known to be visited by generalist hummingbird species in the Neotropics.
History & etymology
The species name refers to its fragrant flowers, while the English name derives from a perceived resemblance of the stem to a corn stalk. Synonyms include *Aletris fragrans* L. and *Cordyline fragrans* (L.) Planch.
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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