Dracaena Marginata Care: Growing The Red Edged Madagascar Dragon Tree

The Madagascar dragon tree, Dracaena marginata, is one of the most familiar foliage plants around. You’ll see it in homes, offices, hotels and malls, and it earns its spot on lists of durable indoor plants. Narrow green leaves edged in red sit in tufts on top of slender, often curving stems.

Some people mistake it for a palm, which is why you’ll still hear it called a “dracaena palm.” It isn’t a palm. It belongs to the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), the same family as the yucca plant, according to NC State Extension (its yucca page lists the same family).

A name note before we start: NC State Extension now lists the plant as Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia and says it was “previously known as” Dracaena marginata. Nurseries and most growers still use marginata, so that’s the name we use here.

Dracaena Marginata Quick Care Tips

• Botanical name: Dracaena marginata, now listed by NC State Extension as Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia
• Earlier names: Cordyline marginata, Pleomele marginata (NC State Extension)
• Common names: Dragon tree, Madagascar dragon tree, red-edge dracaena, red-marginated dracaena
• Pronunciation: dra-SEE-nah re-FLEX-ah var. an-gus-ti-FOH-lee-ah (NC State Extension)
• Family and origin: Asparagaceae; native to Madagascar and nearby islands, including Mauritius
• Growability: Easy, low-maintenance houseplant; slow growing
• Hardiness zones: USDA zones 10 to 12 (NC State Extension, Missouri Botanical Garden); UF/IFAS lists 10B to 11
• Size: About 6 feet as a houseplant unless pruned; 15 to 20 feet in the landscape or in the wild
• Flowering: Rarely blooms indoors; small, fragrant white flowers in spring
• Light: Bright, indirect light; tolerates low light
• Temperature: Normal room temperatures; keep above 60°F
• Humidity: Benefits from occasional misting when indoor humidity drops below 30 to 40%
• Soil: Well-draining, loamy, peaty potting mix without a lot of perlite
• Water: Water thoroughly when the soil surface is dry; use distilled or non-fluoridated water
• Fertilizer: Light feeder; spring through fall
• Pests and problems: Spider mites, mealybugs, scale and thrips; root rot from overwatering; fluoride damage
• Propagation: Tip cuttings, cane sections and air layering
• Safety: Toxic to people, cats and dogs if eaten; NC State Extension rates the poison severity as low

Names, Cultivars and Growing Forms

The dragon tree goes by several common names. NC State Extension lists dragon tree, Madagascar dragon tree, Malaysian dracaena, red-marginated dracaena and straight-marginated dracaena. UF/IFAS calls it red-edge (or red-edged) dracaena.

Don’t confuse it with the dragon’s blood tree. That name belongs to Dracaena draco, a separate species grown as a landscape plant. And don’t confuse it with the plant most people call the money tree today, Pachira aquatica.

There are several named cultivars. NC State Extension lists these:

• ‘Bicolor’: grayish-green leaves with pink or red edges
• ‘Colorama’: variegated pink leaves with white and green stripes, 5 to 6 feet tall
• ‘Magenta’: green leaves with magenta-red margins
• ‘Tarzan’: green, spiky, tough, wide and thick leaves
• ‘Tricolor’: variegated green leaves with white and pink edges

Growers also shape the plant into different forms. UF/IFAS research explains that young plants are single-stemmed but “can be induced to branch” and are sometimes trained to have bent or “character” stems.

Clemson Extension notes that the stems often have natural bends, and some growers train bends by setting the plant on its side for a while. That’s how you get bush forms, straight canes, staggered canes, tree forms and the twisty character plants you see in stores.

Growers can also plant several canes of different lengths in one pot to make a fuller plant. The Missouri Botanical Garden says you can place plants of different heights in the same container. Because it takes up so little floor space, a tall dragon tree is a handy way to fill a corner.

How Big Does a Dragon Tree Get?

Indoors, plan on about 6 feet. Missouri Botanical Garden says it typically grows to 6 feet or more over time unless pruned shorter, and NC State Extension says houseplants grow to 6 feet but can be pruned to a smaller size. Clemson Extension says dragon trees can reach 10 feet.

Outdoors in frost-free climates, it gets much bigger. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says it can grow to 15 feet, and NC State Extension says plants can reach 20 feet in their native habitat or as landscape plants in the tropics. UF/IFAS lists it as hardy outdoors in zones 10B to 11.

It grows slowly overall. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions adds that in good light it can grow up to 18 inches a year for its first few years. As new leaves appear at the top, the oldest leaves lower down turn yellow and fall off.

NC State Extension says lower leaves fall off with age, leaving diamond-shaped leaf scars on the stems. More on that here: Dracaena leaves turning yellow.

Dracaena Marginata Care

Light

Bright, indirect light works best. NC State Extension calls bright, indirect light ideal, and Missouri Botanical Garden says to place the plant in bright indirect light, protected from direct sun and drafts.

Dragon trees tolerate low light, which is why they are so popular in offices. There’s a trade-off, though. Missouri Botanical Garden says foliage loses its best color in too much shade. Clemson Extension says that when a plant grown in dim light moves to a brighter spot, its new leaves come in thicker and stronger and it grows faster.

Go easy on direct sun indoors. Clemson Extension says round dry patches and streaks on the leaves may be caused by too much sunlight.

UF/IFAS research describes sunburn as sunken, rust-colored areas, usually near the leaf tips, and recommends moving the plant out of that light and trimming the damaged areas. UF/IFAS research says dracaenas for interior use should be grown under shade, so move a new plant into brighter light gradually.

Watering

Let the plant dry out a little between drinks. Clemson Extension says to wait until the soil surface is dry to the touch, then water thoroughly, and to avoid cold water. NC State Extension says to let it dry between waterings, but not severely.

Missouri Botanical Garden is a little more generous: keep the soil uniformly moist during the growing season, then reduce watering from fall to late winter. Let extra water drain out of the pot, and never leave it sitting in a saucer full of water. For more detail, see how and when to water Dracaena plants.

Watch your water source, too. NC State Extension says this species is sensitive to fluoride, “like most other Dracaenas,” which discolors the leaves, and it recommends distilled or non-fluorinated water.

If you tend to forget about watering, a self-watering planter such as the Lechuza self-watering planter is one option. Let the potting mix dry out between refills rather than keeping it soggy.

Soil and Repotting

Use a well-draining potting mix. Missouri Botanical Garden recommends a loamy, peaty, well-drained potting soil, and Clemson Extension says you can use a standard commercial houseplant mix.

Skip the heavy perlite mixes. Clemson Extension says to avoid potting soils with a high percentage of perlite and to keep the soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5 to prevent fluoride injury. UF/IFAS research recommends leaching perlite before using it in production mixes.

Because dragon trees grow slowly, they don’t need repotting often. Move up to a slightly larger pot with drainage holes when the plant outgrows its container. UF/IFAS research advises not repotting or fertilizing for about four weeks after a new plant comes indoors, so it isn’t stressed further.

Temperature and Humidity

The dragon tree is comfortable where you are. Clemson Extension recommends normal house temperatures of 60 to 70°F during the day, with nights about 10°F cooler.

UF/IFAS research lists 70 to 80°F as most appropriate indoors and says to avoid drafts. Missouri Botanical Garden says the plant tolerates a wide range of indoor temperatures.

Cold is the real enemy. UF/IFAS research links slimy, dead spots on the leaves and mass leaf drop to chilling injury, and says plants should be kept above 60°F at all times.

It also says several hours at 32 to 37°F causes chlorotic (yellow) banding on the leaves. If your plant summers outdoors, bring it in before nights get chilly. More here: cold-tolerant houseplants.

Dry winter air can brown the leaf tips. Clemson Extension says dry tips and edges usually come from too little humidity, and plants benefit from occasional misting when indoor humidity drops below 30 to 40%.

Missouri Botanical Garden suggests setting the pot on a bed of wet pebbles. A humidifier is another option. Learn more about your home’s microclimate and why houseplant leaves develop brown tips.

Fertilizer

The dragon tree is a light feeder. NC State Extension says it has a low fertilizer requirement and suggests a controlled-release fertilizer in spring, summer and fall.

Clemson Extension suggests a liquid foliage plant fertilizer once a month in spring and summer, or time-release pellets. Follow the product label for the amount, and don’t fertilize houseplants more than they need.

Too much fertilizer shows up in the leaves. Clemson Extension says leaf tips and margins may burn or turn yellow if the plant is fertilized too heavily, and it warns against fertilizers containing superphosphate, which often has high levels of fluorine. Details: Dracaena fertilizer: using liquid or granular fertilizers.

Pruning and Cleaning

If a stem gets too tall or bare, cut it off at the height you want. Clemson Extension says new leaves will soon appear, and cutting back the stems forces the plant to branch.

NC State Extension says pruned stems usually grow 2 or more branches. UF/IFAS Extension agrees that once a stem is cut, new shoots develop below the cut and make a bushier plant.

The leaves collect dust over time. Wipe them now and then with a damp cloth to keep the plant looking fresh.

Propagating Dracaena Marginata

Commercial growers start most dragon trees from cuttings. UF/IFAS research lists rooting tip cuttings, air layering and cane cuttings as the main propagation methods for Dracaena.

At home, you have a few options:

• Tip cuttings: Missouri Botanical Garden says tall plants may be trimmed by removing the crown and rooting it. Pot the top in fresh, well-draining mix.
• Cane sections: UF/IFAS Extension says two- to four-inch-long cane sections can be laid horizontally in potting mix, and new shoots will emerge from nodes along the stem.
• Air layering: UF/IFAS Extension lists air layering as another method, and UF/IFAS research says it is mainly used on large specimens.

Pruning and propagating go together nicely: the stump you cut back branches out, and the top becomes a new plant.

Dracaena Marginata Pests and Problems

Pests

Dragon trees are tough, but a few sap-feeding pests do show up. Missouri Botanical Garden says to watch for spider mites, mealybugs and scale. NC State Extension lists mites, thrips and chewing insects, and UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says mealybugs and scale occasionally attack the plant. Read more about how to defend houseplants against bugs.

For mealybugs on a houseplant, UC IPM (the University of California Statewide IPM Program) says to hand pick them or prune them out, and for small infestations to dab them with a cotton swab dipped in a solution of 70% or less isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol in water.

Test it on a small part of the plant a day or two beforehand to make sure it doesn’t cause leaf burn. UC IPM adds that insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and neem oil applied directly to immature mealybugs can reduce their numbers. Details: getting rid of mealybugs on Dracaena.

For spider mites, UC IPM suggests a water spray or mist on the undersides of the leaves, and insecticidal soap or oil if a treatment is needed.

Leaf Drop, Brown Tips and Root Rot

Disease is rarely a problem indoors. Clemson Extension says too much or too little water, plus insects and mites, cause most dracaena problems, and that root rot usually comes from a soil mix that doesn’t drain quickly or from watering too often. Missouri Botanical Garden adds that leaves may brown if the soil is too moist or too dry.

If your dragon tree suddenly drops a lot of leaves, Clemson Extension points to these possible causes:

• Changes in temperature
• Drafts
• Too much water
• Poor drainage, such as a pot sitting in a saucer of water
• Heavy insect infestations

Also check for fluoride damage. Clemson Extension says dracaena is very sensitive to fluoride, with symptoms that include yellowing of the leaf tips or margins and dead, scorched areas.

UF/IFAS research notes that damaged leaf tips and margins will not recover, so the fix is to prevent new damage with low-fluoride water and fertilizer and a soil pH near 6.5. Just like a lawn can burn from fertilizer, so can a dracaena, so keep feeding light.

Is Dracaena Marginata Toxic to Cats and Dogs?

Yes. The ASPCA lists dracaena, including the dragon tree, as toxic to dogs and cats. It names saponins as the toxic principle, with vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, loss of appetite, drooling and dilated pupils in cats.

NC State Extension rates the poison severity as low. It lists dilated pupils, abdominal pain, increased heart rate and drooling in cats, and vomiting, depression, loss of appetite, drooling, incoordination and weakness in both cats and dogs.

For people, it lists mouth and stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and says the sap can irritate skin. Keep the plant out of reach of pets and children.

Does the Dragon Tree Clean the Air?

The dragon tree was one of the plants in the 1989 NASA study of houseplants and indoor air. In that work, Dracaena marginata removed some formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene from small, sealed test chambers over 24 hours. Read more about the NASA clean air study plants.

A sealed chamber is not a living room, though. A 2020 review of 12 chamber studies in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found it would take 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter of floor space to match the air exchange a typical building already gets from outdoor air. Enjoy your dragon tree for its looks and easy care, not as an air cleaner.

Dracaena Marginata Cultivars

Dracaena ‘Tarzan’

‘Tarzan’ was discovered in 1998 in Homestead, Florida, as a naturally occurring mutation of Dracaena marginata, according to its plant patent (US Plant Patent 15,065, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2004 and now listed as expired). The patent was assigned to Sunshine Tropical Foliage.

The patent describes ‘Tarzan’ as upright, with slender stems and linear, fleshy, glossy dark green leaves with dark purple margins. Compared with its parent and other marginata selections, it grew more slowly, had more leaves and was denser and bushier, and had longer and broader leaves.

The patent also calls it durable, with “excellent keeping quality,” and says it maintains good leaf substance “indefinitely under interior conditions.” It reports more resistance to spider mites, mealybugs and scale than its parent, though not immunity, and no added resistance to diseases. Care is the same as for any dragon tree.

Dracaena ‘Magenta’

‘Magenta’ gets its name from the magenta-red margins on its green leaves, which NC State Extension describes as giving it a palm-tree-like look. Care is the same as for the species.

Dracaena ‘Tricolor’

‘Tricolor’ adds a cream or ivory stripe to the green leaf along with the red margin. Clemson Extension describes cream and red stripes on narrow green leaves, and UF/IFAS Extension describes ivory stripes through the central green area with red margins.

Give the variegated cultivars your brightest indirect light. UF/IFAS research notes that the red tones in marginata cultivars increase with higher light, and Missouri Botanical Garden says the foliage loses its best color in too much shade.

Dracaena ‘Colorama’

UF/IFAS Extension describes ‘Colorama’ as similar to ‘Tricolor’ but with red and ivory stripes in the center of the leaf. NC State Extension describes variegated pink leaves with white and green stripes and lists it at 5 to 6 feet tall. Like ‘Tricolor,’ it colors up best in bright, indirect light.

Other Dracaena Species Grown Indoors

• Dracaena arborea
• Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ (mass cane, corn plant)
• Dracaena sanderiana, “lucky bamboo”
• Dracaena fragrans ‘Warneckii’, white-striped leaves
• Dracaena fragrans ‘Janet Craig’, all green
• Dracaena reflexa
• Dracaena surculosa

Read our guide to the types of Dracaena for more.

With its slim stems, red-edged leaves and many shapes, the dragon tree fits almost any indoor spot, and you can find one at nearly any nursery or garden center.

Give it bright, indirect light, let it dry a little between waterings, watch the fluoride and the cold, and it will keep going for years. Do you have a dragon tree in a bush, cane or twisty character form? Tell us how yours is doing.