With its glossy leaves packed in tight spirals up the stems, Dracaena reflexa (dra-SEE-nah ree-FLEKS-uh) is a houseplant with real personality. You may still see it sold under its old name, Pleomele.
The two names are the same plant. Dracaena reflexa is synonymous with and formerly known as Pleomele reflexa, and Pleomele is one of the older names folded into the genus Dracaena. It belongs to the asparagus family (Asparagaceae).
It is a tropical shrub or small tree native to Madagascar, Mauritius and nearby islands in the Indian Ocean. The popular variegated form’s common name, Song of India, is in apparent reference to that Indian Ocean home.
You will usually find it sold in a few forms:
- Dracaena reflexa: the plain species, with dark green leaves
- Song of India (Dracaena reflexa ‘Variegata’): leaves edged in yellow to lime green that age to creamy margins. See our full Song of India plant guide.
- Song of Jamaica: another D. reflexa cultivar, listed alongside ‘Song of India’ and ‘Malaysian Dracaena’.
One more surprise: the familiar Madagascar dragon tree is now listed as a narrow-leaved variety of this same species, Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia, previously known as Dracaena marginata. Nurseries and most growers still sell it as Dracaena marginata.
Some other popular Dracaena varieties include:
- Red Edged Dracaena: the Madagascar dragon tree
- Janet Craig Dracaena
- Janet Craig compacta
- Dracaena Warneckii
- Dracaena fragrans
- Mass Cane Plant: Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ (corn plant)
Dracaena Reflexa Care
Size and Growth
Indoors, this plant stays a manageable size. Houseplants typically grow to 3 to 6 feet tall, while plants in the wild may reach 18 feet or more. Outdoors in Florida, it reaches 8 to 15 feet tall with a spread of 6 to 10 feet, and specimens 15 to 20 feet tall are known in protected landscapes and inside buildings. Growth is slow.
The leaves are short and narrow, dark green and arranged in whorls around the stem. Lengths vary by source, from 2 to 4 inches up to 4 to 6 inches.
As the plant grows taller, the lower leaves die off over time and reveal the stems. That is normal. The stems may also need staking or other support as they grow taller with age.
Flowering and Fragrance
Don’t count on flowers indoors. Indoor plants infrequently flower and fruit. When they do, expect tiny white flowers in clusters that are not particularly showy, sometimes followed by orange-red berries. The flowers appear in summer.
Dracaena flowers in general are small and fragrant. The flower stalks are often bent downward (reflexed), which is where the name reflexa comes from. The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1786, according to the International Plant Names Index.
Light and Temperature
Bright, indirect light is the sweet spot. Protect the plant from direct sun, except for limited early morning sun. In too much shade, plants may grow spindly, and variegated forms like Song of India can lose their variegation.
Advice varies, though: best growth is also described as partial sun outdoors or direct light indoors. A bright window spot, shielded from strong direct sun, covers both.
This is a warm-room plant: keep it above 60°F. Interior dracaenas should be kept above 60°F at all times; they thrive between 60 and 75°F and need protection from frost. This species sets the bar a little higher: room temperatures should not dip lower than 65°F, and plants are sensitive to cold and should be protected from drafts.
Outdoors, hardiness depends on the source. UF/IFAS Extension lists USDA zones 10B through 11, and the Missouri Botanical Garden lists zones 11 to 12. In cooler areas, grow it as a houseplant.
Humidity matters too. The plant likes high humidity and consistent year-round temperatures. Set the pot on a bed of wet pebbles and mist the foliage to raise humidity. Brown leaves can come from low humidity or a buildup of salt in the soil.
Watering and Feeding
Let the top inch of soil dry, then water thoroughly. The top-inch rule applies to dracaenas in general. Another way to put it is keeping the soil uniformly moist but not wet; leaf tips and margins may brown if the soil gets too wet or too dry. In practice, that means checking the soil with your finger instead of watering on a schedule.
Soggy soil is the risk to watch. Root rot may occur if soils are poorly drained or overwatered, or if the soil stays overly moist.
Watch your water source, too. NC State Extension says dracaenas are sensitive to tap water containing salts, chlorine and fluoride, which can brown the leaf tips. Use distilled, rain or filtered water: filtered water or rainwater may help, and its dragon tree page recommends distilled or non-fluorinated water. More on that in our guide to brown leaf tips.
Go light on fertilizer. For the narrow-leaved variety, the plant has a low fertilizer requirement; use a controlled-release formula in spring, summer and fall. Follow the product label for how much to use.
Shop: Jack’s Classic 20-20-20 fertilizer
Soil and Transplanting
Use a well-drained potting mix: a loamy, peaty, well-drained potting soil, or a moist, well-drained mix with a slightly acidic pH. Pick a pot with drainage holes so water never sits around the roots.
An all-purpose houseplant potting mix works for most growers. If yours stays soggy, add some coarse sand to open it up.
Move the plant to a bigger pot when the roots fill the container. Gently lift it out and check: roots circling the bottom mean it’s time. Then repot it one size up, or plant it in the ground if you live in a frost-free area.
Grooming and Maintenance
Yellow lower leaves are part of how this plant grows, as the old leaves die off and expose the stems. Pull or snip them off once they yellow. If many leaves yellow at once, check the soil: yellowing leaves can be caused by overwatering.
Pruning keeps a tall, leggy plant in shape. As houseplants, the narrow-leaved variety can be pruned to a smaller size, and pruned stems will usually grow two or more branches. Cutting back extra growth gives you a bushier plant.
How To Propagate Dracaena Reflexa
Stem cuttings are the way to go. The plant may be propagated by stem cuttings, and dracaenas in general can be propagated by stem cuttings or rhizome division.
- In spring, cut a stem tip a few inches long.
- Dip the base in rooting powder and set it in a pot of moist, sterile potting mix.
- Plant two or three cuttings together for a fuller look.
- Keep the new cuttings out of direct sun while they root.
- Once they are established, move the young plants into brighter light.
Dracaena Reflexa Pest and Disease Problems
Spider mites, scale and mealybugs are the pests to watch for. Mealybugs are one of the most common houseplant pests, and the University of California Statewide IPM Program names dracaena among the houseplants that often have mealybug problems.
For mealybugs on a houseplant, hand pick or prune them out, and remove the whole plant if the infestation is serious. For small infestations, a 70% or less solution of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol in water can be dabbed onto the mealybugs with a cotton swab. Test the solution on a small part of the plant 1 to 2 days beforehand to make sure it does not burn the leaves. Insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and neem oil applied directly to immature mealybugs can reduce numbers.
More on: Controlling Mealybugs on Dracaena
Spider mites like hot, dusty conditions. Damage is usually most severe in hot, dusty conditions and on water-stressed plants. If you find them, spray or mist the undersides of the leaves with water, and use an insecticidal soap or oil if an insecticide is needed. Don’t spray when plants are water-stressed or if it is very hot.
Leaf spot is the disease to know. A Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services plant pathology circular describes a leaf spot of Dracaena and Pleomele caused by the fungus Fusarium moniliforme. Spores washed down into the leaf whorl infect the tender young leaves, which show tiny yellow specks that grow into reddish-brown spots with a yellow halo. Fungal leaf spot will result if leaves get wet when you water, so water the soil, not the leaves.
Is Dracaena Reflexa Toxic to Pets?
Yes. The ASPCA lists dracaena as toxic to dogs and cats, with saponins as the toxic principle. The signs it lists are vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, and dilated pupils in cats. Some dracaena species have also been reported as toxic to humans.
Keep the plant where pets and small children can’t reach it. If you think your pet has eaten some, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or your local veterinarian.
Suggested Uses for Dracaena Reflexa
Indoors, it makes a striking floor plant or accent for a bright room. The Song of India form is commonly grown indoors in homes, offices, shopping malls and hotels.
Outdoors in frost-free areas, it suits specimen, border and accent use, and despite its irregular growth habit it is probably best suited to a formal landscape. Drought tolerance is high, but keep the plant away from direct coastal exposure because it is sensitive to salt spray.
Does It Clean the Air?
Dracaenas often show up on clean-air plant lists. That idea traces to a 1989 NASA study that tested several dracaenas, including ‘Janet Craig’, ‘Warneckii’, corn plant (massangeana) and marginata, in sealed chambers. Dracaena reflexa was not on that list.
The bigger point: Iowa State University Extension says houseplants have little effect on air quality in a home or office, because homes have a constant turnover of air, unlike the study’s small sealed chambers. A 2020 review of 12 chamber studies in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology found that matching ordinary building air exchange would take 10 to 1,000 plants per square meter of floor space. Grow this one for its looks.
Conclusion
Dracaena reflexa, or Pleomele, rewards a little attention with years of glossy, spiraling foliage. Give it bright, indirect light, let the top inch of soil dry before watering, keep it above 60°F and out of drafts, and keep it away from curious pets.
Do you grow a Song of India or a plain green reflexa? Tell us how yours is doing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dracaena reflexa the same as Pleomele?
Yes, they are the same plant. Dracaena reflexa is synonymous with and formerly known as Pleomele reflexa, and Pleomele is one of the older names now folded into the genus Dracaena. You will still see Pleomele on plant tags, and the variegated form goes by the common name Song of India.
How tall does Dracaena reflexa get indoors?
Indoors, expect about 3 to 6 feet. Houseplants typically grow 3 to 6 feet tall, while plants in the wild may reach 18 feet or more. In frost-free landscapes, expect 8 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. It grows slowly, and the stems may need staking as they get taller.
Why are my Dracaena reflexa’s leaf tips turning brown?
Several things can brown the tips. Leaf tips and margins may brown if the soil becomes too wet or too dry. Dracaenas are also sensitive to salts, chlorine and fluoride in tap water, and low humidity or salt buildup in the soil can brown leaves. Use distilled, rain or filtered water. More in our guide to brown leaf tips.
Is Dracaena reflexa toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. Dracaena is toxic to dogs and cats because of saponins. Signs include vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, and dilated pupils in cats. Keep the plant out of reach and call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center or your veterinarian if a pet chews it.
How do you propagate Dracaena reflexa?
Use stem cuttings. The plant may be propagated by stem cuttings, and dracaenas in general can be propagated by stem cuttings or rhizome division. The steps in the propagation section above walk through taking and rooting a stem tip cutting.