Popular houseplants and garden ornamental , tropic dracaena can gain from the periodic illumination trim to the foliation to improve appearances , or more thorough pruning to resize overgrown flora .

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Various types feature lucullan and shiny canopies or stands of strappy leaf . And many have Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree - alike stems similar to palms .

A close up horizontal image of a dragon tree aka Dracaena with red and green variegated foliage growing indoors pictured on a dark background.

Photo by Lorna Kring.

You ’re in all likelihood intimate already withseveralDracaenaspeciesthat commonly ornament our homes and M , such as the uniquely curledlucky bamboo ( D. sanderiana ) , the stately , panoptic - leafcorn plant ( D. fragrans ) , the dramatic , bi- or tricolored flying dragon tree ( D. marginata ) , and the grandiloquent , palm - like garden spikes ( D. indivisa ) .

aboriginal to tropical neighborhood , these cold-blooded - attendant but sturdy works are intrepid only in USDA Zones 10 to 12 , and are typically farm as houseplant .

In a cosy , protect home environment , many can strain up to 10 animal foot tall and eventually outgrow their location . Out in the garden , some may grow up to 20 feet .

A close up vertical image of the foliage and stem of a Dracaena plant pictured on a green background. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

gratefully , dracaena responds well to pruning , and it ’s easy to defend a manageable size or tidy up the foliage .

So whether your dragon tree diagram or spike flora call for just a light trim or major morphologic reshaping , join us for a look at how to cut dracaena in the abode and garden !

Here ’s everything we ’ll cover up ahead to keep your plants looking their practiced :

A vertical image of a large Dracaena plant with three stems growing outdoors in the garden with the ocean in the background.

What You’ll Learn

When to Prune

The process of prune dracaena can range from a light edge to remove deadened or dying foliation to a full decapitation to trim back the size of it of large specimens .

For either action , the idealistic clip to prune is when the plants are in their alive produce season through spring and summertime .

And it ’s in effect to do any cutting earlier rather than later , to get the benefit of a full uprise season to follow .

A close up horizontal image of hands from the bottom of the frame using scissors to snip off dry brown edges of Dracaena foliage.

When potential , annul pruning in autumn and wintertime when growth slows and plant life are abeyant .

Remove and Trim Leaves

To tidy plants and cleanse away brownish , sensationalistic , or dying farewell , you’re able to take away them flawlessly from the stem by hand .

First , cut or buck the foliage to contract its length by half . Then tear the leafage lengthwise from the crosscut down to the stem , finish with a immobile tug to remove each section cleanly from the stalk .

Leaves can also be remove close to the stem with sportsmanlike , sharp scissors or garden shear . This ordinarily leaves a inadequate tab on the trunk which can easily be strip down off if go out to dry for a few weeks first .

A close up vertical image of a large snake plant growing in a pot indoors.

To bump off chocolate-brown or dead tips , rein in in unruly growth , or make a more uniform appearance , cut the leaf tip to form a symmetrical bow , set forth at the top then prompt down the back , front , and sides .

employ clean , sharp scissors to trim the tips at an slant . Go easy and prune modestly to nullify the “ oh no ! ” haircut looking at , removing tip in pocket-size , one- or two - inch sections only .

Step back a few feet between snub to accurately assess the overall material body , then re - trim as needed for the most pleasing aesthetical .

A close up horizontal image of a Dracaena marginata plant with a very long stem.

For acaulescent varieties such assnake plant ( D. trifasciata ) , remove stagnant or damage leaf at the stem or thin them with clean , sharp scissors .

Grasp the leaf top with one hand to bind it taut then cut horizontally across the bottom at the soil line .

To reduce their tiptop , trim leaf top at the desired summit , cutting at an angle to hold a rude form .

A close up horizontal image of a Dracaena fragrans growing in a small pot set on a wooden chair surrounded by other houseplants.

When thinning or reduction , work from the external border and step by step move in , remembering to step back a couple of times to assess the shape as you go .

Stem Pruning

Stem pruning is n’t an yearly event with dracaena , but a few situations warrant activeness .

When ripe specimens outgrow their surroundings or become gangling , a careful topping can restore tall or gangly plants to a manageable size of it .

And over time , some species and cultivars can develop excessive dip , bends , or twists in the stems .

A close up vertical image of a Dracaena plant growing outdoors in the garden that has been pruned to take the tops off.

Cutting the stems back not only reduce their size , but it also kick upstairs upright emergence . And plants often furcate just below the cut for a fantastic , full headland of foliation .

To create a compact , bushy shape , cut the stem broken , leaving a quarter of the stem ’s overall duration in post .

For specimen with a tall profile , make your cut at any desired tiptop , remove between one - fourth and three - quarter of the total stem turn length .

habituate white , sharp garden snips to cut stems at a 45 - level slant – cutting on an angle helps subjugate the available area that hemipteran , junk , and pathogen can bring on , limiting the chances of infection or infestation .

Watch for buds of novel growth to egress below the cut in a few week .

To remove straggly side root , cut them as close to the base as possible . If needed , use a clean boxcutter to trim away plant textile right up to the bow to prevent regrowth .

But do n’t throw away the root you remove . They ’re well propagated to make new plants – and you could read all about it in ourguide to propagating dracaena houseplant .

Outdoor Care

out-of-door specimen can be trim and pruned in the same style as indoor plant .

you could use clean , sharp scissors or shears to trim tips , rive away dead leaves from the prow , and prune stems to manage growth and size .

However , for enceinte specimens , you may need to employ a blank , acuate saw to swerve through thick trunk .

Should your out-of-door specimen digest moth-eaten damage with a canopy collapse , swerve stem back close to the ground in other spring .

But do n’t bump off the works yet . Even if the topside is gone , luck are good that the roots have last .

determine for new growth to emerge around the base as the growing time of year progresses .

I ’ve lost the tops of my 15- to 20 - foot spike plant ( D. indivisa ) three clock time in 25 year , and they always produce back !

If no new ontogeny appear by midsummer , plants are most in all likelihood dead and can be dug out .

A Touch of the Tropics

Easy to farm and cultivate , graceful dracaenas bring an alluring mite of the tropics to homes and gardens – and they react well to a clear trim or a voiceless prune .

Remember to cut down the foliagelightlyfor a tidy or uniform shape – or discerp the top off with a stem pruning for a totally Modern look !

For the best issue , prune during the growing season to quickly establish new increase and lush leafage .

Andfor more dracaena know - how , be sure to read these articles next .

Photos by Lorna Kring © require the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .

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Lorna Kring