How to Save a Dying Dracaena Plant

The beauty of a dracaena plant, like all other plants, lies in how healthy the plant is. If the plant is dying, it loses its natural appearance and beauty. Also, a healthy dracaena plant enables you to propagate the plant when needed. After all, only the healthy can reproduce. Maybe you are looking at your dracaena plant and wondering whether it is healthy or dying. Let’s clarify that!

How Does a Healthy Dracaena Plant Look?

Dracaena is a family under which a large variety of plants fall. Therefore, describing how plants should appear is impossible because they come in various colors and shapes. However, you can tell if your plant is healthy when the leaves appear succulent and glossy.

Some varieties have variegated leaves with yellow stripes on some parts, while others have solid green leaves of different shapes. Whatever the color of the leaves, a glossy, succulent appearance will show you that the plant is healthy. Although they taper downwards, they don’t droop. They have a smooth, natural semicircular shape from the stem heading outwards while the tip eventually points downwards.

An unhealthy dracaena plant mostly shows on the leaves, as we shall see shortly. However, the stem can also show that the plant is not healthy. Some varieties of dracaena can grow up to seven feet. Their stem has an even thickness from bottom to top and should also be firm. A softening stem shows that the plant is unhealthy.

They also typically have a brownish-grey appearance and many nodes where the leaves have grown. The roots of the dracaena plant are healthy and succulent, with an even tone of color.

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Why Does Your Dracaena Plant Die?

There are several reasons why a dracaena plant may die, including:

1. Overwatering: Dracaena plants are susceptible to root rot caused by overwatering. It’s essential to let the soil dry out between watering sessions.
2. Lack of light: Dracaena plants need bright, indirect light to thrive. They can become weak and disease-resistant if they don’t receive enough light.
3. Pests: Dracaena plants are prone to pests like spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects. Regularly inspecting the plant’s leaves and stems can help detect the presence of pests early.
4. Temperature: Dracaena plants are tropical plants and prefer a warm climate. If the temperature is below 60°F, the plant can become stressed and eventually die.

You can prevent your dracaena plant from dying and enjoy its beauty for years by properly caring for your dracaena plant.

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How To Properly A Dracaena

It is essential to understand what a dracaena plant needs clearly. The following are the ideal conditions for dracaena.

• Temperature: The plant doesn’t do very well in freezing temperatures. The temperature should be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Watering a Dracaena directly from the tap is usually too cold.
• Humidity: The range should be 40-50%. Too much of it causes problems, and so does too little. However, it is necessary to mist it occasionally when humidity is low.
• Soil: The soil where you plant the dracaena should be well-draining because waterlogging can cause your soil to die.
• Light: Dracaena doesn’t do well under direct sunlight; you should always ensure the light it encounters is indirect.
• Water: Tap water can be hazardous because it often contains fluoride and chlorine. These two chemicals are poisonous to dracaena.
• Fertilizer: Only mild fertilizers should be applied to your Dracaena plants. You should never apply superphosphate fertilizers that contain fluoride. The fertilizer should be water-soluble and applied during summer and spring.

What To Do When You Notice Some Dangerous Signs …

Below are some common signs of an endangered Dracaena that you should know to save your plant from dying.

Sign #1: Yellowing/Browning, Droopy Leaves

The leaves of your dracaena will assume an unnatural yellow color. Some varieties of dracaena, such as Dracaena fragrans, have the color yellow as part of their variegation, but the color does not appear on the whole leaf or as patches on it. When you see a leaf with an unnatural yellowing appearance, it may indicate that your plant is sick.

Remember, in our discussion on the appearance of a healthy dracaena plant. We said the leaf naturally curves from the stem, and the tip eventually points to the ground. The drooping indicates a problem.

Solution: This appearance shows that either the plant is dehydrated or suffering from root rot. If the plant is dehydrated, you should water it more regularly. If it’s root rot, you should read this guide.

Make sure to follow Succulent City on Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram for more informative & interesting content about succulents & cacti 🙂 Happy planting, and live the moment, my friend!

Sign #2: Underwatered/ Overwatered

The best way to know how to water your dracaena is by checking your soil’s moisture from the top. You don’t need to water the plant if moisture is still two inches into the soil. On the other hand, if you find the top two inches of the soil dry, it is time to water your plant.

Solution: You can rapidly water your dehydrated dracaena by getting it directly to the roots. You can achieve this in the following steps.

1. Take your dracaena plant in a well-draining, semi-pervious pot.
2. Fill a tab with distilled, rain, or filtered water until it reaches half the pot.
3. Let the plant remain in the water for about 30 minutes. The water will go directly to the roots and revive the plant fast.

For overwatered dracaena, here is the appropriate guide.

Sign #3: Scorch Marks On The Leaves

Scorch marks are brownish. They usually indicate that the plant is exposed to too direct sunlight. If you find your plant’s leaves growing inwards, it may also indicate that the sunlight is too much as the plant is trying to protect the upper side of the leaves from exposure.

Solution: The best solution is to move the plant from direct sunlight. You can put a sheer curtain between the sunrays and the plants if it is impossible to dracaena without compromising its need for light. The leaves will get back their natural texture this way.

Read more: Succulent Leaves Changing Color? Find Out What Each Color Means.

Sign #4: Brown Leaf Tips

There can be many causes, including direct sunlight and low humidity.

Solution: You deal with the problem of direct sunlight as above, but you handle low humidity by spraying the plant. It might also help move the plant if recently installed appliances, such as dehumidifiers, have changed its environment.

Sign #5: Uneven, Soft Stem

If you find uneven thickness on parts of the stem, it may indicate that the plant is unhealthy. Also, if the stem is getting soft on the lower part, it indicates that your plant suffers from root rot. Root rot is often caused by too much water in the roots. There are two ways you can deal with it.

Solution: You can allow the soil to drain and water at appropriate times if the problem is not too severe and the roots will grow again. Repot the plant if the pot you are currently using isn’t draining well. There may be instances when the root is too far gone to repair. In this case, you can cut off the rotten part of the stem and re-root the plant by placing it in water or soil like you would when propagating dracaena.

Saving a dying dracaena is easier than propagating a new one. Also, if you have been parenting a plant for a long time, it may get you emotionally to see it die, and saving it would give you a much-needed boost.

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Before You Go …

More helpful guides on caring for your Dracaena plants:

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