How to Grow and Care for a Dragon Plant

This plant is a must-have for beginners.

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If you love low-maintenance houseplants such as a peace lily or snake plant, it’s time to invest in a dragon tree. Also known as a dragon plant (Dracaena marginata), it has narrow, strappy leaves with red edges atop slender, upright stems. With its funky profusion of leaves, it provides a striking accent in any room. Even better? It tolerates most light levels.

Native to Madagascar, the dragon plant is a small tree or shrub with tiny fragrant white flowers in spring and yellowish berries in the fall. It can grow outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 11 (find your hardiness zone here). But in the rest of the country, it makes for a hardy and forgiving houseplant that’s ideal for new plant parents.

One thing to know is that dragon trees grow slowly compared to other fast-growers such as most types of philodendrons. If you want a floor plant of this variety, make sure to purchase a larger specimen because that’s the size you’ll have for many years. Indoors, dragon tree plants can eventually reach up to six feet tall after a decade or more.

Dragon trees have been popular for decades because they are one of the easiest houseplants to grow. Given the right conditions, they can live for 10 to 15 years or more in your home.

Dragon trees prefer bright, indirect light. However, they are incredibly tolerant of low and medium light levels. The foliage attains its best coloring and faster growth in bright light, but it will do fine in darker rooms, too. Dragon trees will do fine in normal household temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Any well-draining potting mix will suit a dragon plant just fine. But make sure the pot has holes in the bottom so excess water can drain out.

The dragon tree is a tough plant. Because it is drought-tolerant, it’s forgiving if you’re forgetful about watering. Give it a drink only when the top few inches feel dry. Like most houseplants, it doesn’t like to stay wet.

If you like, you can use any general-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer at half-strength every month during the growing season or, in the spring, you can use a slow-release granular type, which lasts for a few months.

Propagating a dragon tree is super simple. Just cut off the top of your plant and place it in a glass of water in a brightly lit spot. As soon as the roots are about an inch long, you can plant it in a pot.

Make sure you only propagate dragon trees that are not under patent. Named varieties of plants typically are patented and cannot legally be propagated.

If your dragon tree outgrows its pot (i.e., it becomes top-heavy or needs to be watered more often than previously), it may be time to repot it. Size up to a pot that’s two to three inches larger in diameter and fill the container with fresh potting soil. Tip the plant on its side and gently ease it out of its old pot. Place it in the new pot, keeping the root ball as intact as possible. Fill in with soil, tamp down lightly, and water well.

Dragon plants are susceptible to most of the common houseplant pests such as aphids, mealybugs, and thrips. If you spot any of them, treat the plant as soon as possible with neem oil or insecticidal soap.

Dragon trees also tend to drop leaves occasionally, which is a normal part of their growth pattern. However, if the leaves are yellow and the soil feels wet on top, you may be overwatering; cut back and let the potting medium dry out.

Yellow or crispy leaves may indicate the plant is getting too much direct sunlight. In this case, move it farther away from the window.

If the plant becomes too leggy or drops too many of its leaves, you can snip off the top of the stem to force branching and a fuller appearance. You really can’t go wrong with this technique; anywhere you snip will cause it to push new growth at that spot or sometimes at the base of the plant.

Unfortunately, according to the ASPCA, dragon tree plants are toxic to pets because they contain saponins. When ingested, they cause vomiting (occasionally with blood), depression, hypersalivation, and dilated pupils in cats. Call your vet ASAP if you suspect your pet has nibbled on this plant, even if you’re not entirely sure. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

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