Do corn plants flower? They do, though not often indoors. And when a Dracaena fragrans finally sends up a flower stalk, the first thing you may notice isn’t the flowers. It’s the smell.
That scent is the whole story behind the plant’s name. Let’s look at where the name came from, what the flowers are like, whether a bloom means trouble, and how to keep a corn plant healthy afterward.
How Dracaena Fragrans Got Its Name
Both halves of the botanical name have a meaning. Missouri Botanical Garden says the genus name comes from the Greek word drakaina, a female dragon, and that the species name, fragrans, refers to the fragrant flowers.
NC State Extension puts it the same way: the species epithet refers to the sweetly fragrant flowers. Missouri Botanical Garden even lists “fragrant dracaena” as a common name.
The everyday name is simpler. NC State says it is called a corn plant because the tall, unbranched stem with its broad, strap-like leaves looks like a stalk of corn.
You may also see older names on plant tags. NC State lists Dracaena deremensis and Dracaena massangeana as names the plant was previously known by.
Popular cultivars such as ‘Massangeana’ (mass cane), ‘Janet Craig’, ‘Lemon Lime’ and ‘Warneckii’ all belong to Dracaena fragrans, and the New York Botanical Garden notes that ‘Janet Craig’, ‘Warneckii’ and ‘Lemon Lime’ are often labeled Dracaena deremensis.
So if your Janet Craig dracaena blooms, it’s the same species doing the same thing. The red-edge Dracaena marginata is a different species, but it can bloom too. I’ve seen red-edge marginata flower a few times, and the all-green ‘Janet Craig’ as well, but nothing like Dracaena fragrans.
What Corn Plant Flowers Look Like and Smell Like
Corn plant flowers are uncommon on houseplants. NC State says the plant rarely blooms or fruits indoors, and Missouri Botanical Garden says flowers and berries rarely appear on indoor plants.
UF/IFAS Extension describes the extremely fragrant flowers as occasionally produced. The University of Arkansas extension is a little more upbeat: it names the corn plant as one of the few houseplants it frequently sees in bloom.
When they do show up, NC State describes flower clusters (panicles) 6 to 60 inches long. The buds start out pink and open white, with a fine red or purple line down the center of each lobe. Missouri Botanical Garden describes the flowers as tiny and white-yellow, held in round heads, and says they may be followed by red berries.
Then there’s the sweet fragrance. NC State says the flowers are highly fragrant at night, and UF/IFAS says they open during the night.
The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service calls the scent quite sweet, says it can be a bit cloying in a very small space, and notes it tends to be more intense at night. I’ve had a blooming corn plant in an office where the scent got so strong in the evening that we had to open the office doors.
One practical heads-up: in a question to the Arkansas extension, the owner of a large corn plant in a lobby described the flower petals dropping to the floor and things getting quite sticky. A towel or tray under the plant while it flowers can save some cleanup.
Will the Plant Die After It Flowers?
No. A flower stalk is good news. The University of Arkansas Extension says a blooming corn plant means you have really good growing conditions, and adds that once these plants begin to bloom, they often do so every year.
So enjoy it. Keep caring for the plant the same way you did before it bloomed.
Can I Cut Off the Flower Stalk?
Yes, and it’s really your call. Corn plants grow for their leaves, so flowers are a bonus. If the fragrance is too strong in a small room or an office, or the dropping petals are making a mess, cut the stalk off near where it emerges from the leaves using clean, sharp pruners. If you love the scent, leave it and remove the stalk once the flowers fade.
Corn Plant Care in Brief
This page is about the flowers and the name. For full care, see our corn plant care guide. The short version, so a blooming plant keeps doing well:
- Light: Bright to moderate filtered light. NC State Extension says direct sun can burn the foliage, and too little light can make the leaves narrow.
- Water: Let the top inch of soil dry, the rule NC State Extension gives for dracaenas, then water thoroughly, and water less in winter. Use a pot with drainage holes; UF/IFAS warns that overwatering can cause root rot that kills the plant.
- Water quality: Use distilled, rain or filtered water. NC State says corn plants are sensitive to fluorides and built-up salts and suggests non-fluoridated water and a monthly flush. Missouri Botanical Garden links brown tips to dry soil, low humidity and water additives such as chlorine, and says filtered water or rain water may help. UF/IFAS adds boron to the list and says damaged leaves will not recover, so judge your fixes by the new leaves.
- Humidity: A humidifier (NC State) or a bed of wet pebbles under the pot (Missouri Botanical Garden) helps against brown tips, especially in winter.
- Temperature: Keep it above 60°F, as UF/IFAS advises for dracaenas. NC State Extension’s tolerance for the corn plant is lower: it says to keep it above 50°F if possible, and that corn plants thrive at 70 to 80°F.
- Feeding: The New York Botanical Garden suggests fertilizer at half strength from spring to fall, without over-fertilizing.
Is the Corn Plant Toxic to Pets?
Yes. NC State Extension rates its poison severity as low but says it is toxic if ingested by cats, dogs and people, with symptoms such as mouth and stomach irritation, vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, drooling and difficulty breathing. It adds that the sap may cause skin irritation.
The ASPCA lists corn plant as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, names saponins as the toxic principle, and lists vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation and dilated pupils (in cats). Keep it out of reach of pets and kids, and call your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control if you think your pet has eaten some.
How about you? Has your corn plant ever bloomed? Tell us how strong the scent was.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do corn plants flower indoors?
Yes, but not often. NC State Extension says Dracaena fragrans rarely blooms as a houseplant, and Missouri Botanical Garden says flowers and berries rarely appear on indoor plants, though the University of Arkansas extension counts it among the few houseplants it frequently sees in bloom. When it does flower, NC State describes clusters (panicles) 6 to 60 inches long, with flowers that start out pink, open white and are highly fragrant at night.
What do corn plant flowers smell like?
Sweet and strong, especially after dark. NC State Extension says the flowers are highly fragrant at night. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service calls the scent quite sweet, says it can be a bit cloying in a very small space, and notes it tends to be more intense at night. Those fragrant flowers are what the species name, fragrans, refers to.
Will my corn plant die after it flowers?
No. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service says a blooming corn plant means you have some really good growing conditions for it. It adds that once corn plants begin to bloom, they often do so every year. Keep caring for the plant the same way you did before it bloomed: bright filtered light, let the top inch of soil dry before watering, and water less in winter.
Why are the leaf tips on my corn plant turning brown?
Water quality and dry air are common causes. NC State Extension says corn plants are sensitive to fluorides and built-up salts and suggests non-fluoridated water and a monthly flush. Missouri Botanical Garden links brown tips to dry soil, low humidity and water additives such as chlorine. UF/IFAS Extension adds boron to the list and says damaged leaves will not recover, so watch the new growth.
Is the corn plant toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists corn plant as toxic to dogs, cats and horses because of saponins, with signs such as vomiting, depression, anorexia, hypersalivation and dilated pupils in cats. NC State Extension rates the poison severity as low but says the plant is toxic if ingested by cats, dogs and people. Keep it out of reach and call your veterinarian if a pet eats it.