Product Description:
Due to its stylish appearance suiting modern apartments Dracaena Compacta is one of the most well loved houseplants. According to many popular views it is also a plant that is quite easy to grow.
Compacta as the name suggests is a compact version of Dracaena fragrans. It has a thick green stem and superb, dense clumps of short, dark green leaves. This is one variety of Dracaena whose leaves are not variegated; instead you get a wonderful rich and deep glossy green leaf, with deep veining, similar to the Aspidistra.
Light:
Dracaena Compacta prefers indirect sunlight, but it will do well in dim light. If there is a lack of proper sunlight, this plant will grow very slowly. Dracaena Compacta can resist bright indirect sunlight in outdoor locations.
Water:
Ensure to provide a moderate level of watering to Dracaena Compacta. You need to allow of the soil to be dry before watering the plant. You should wait around 2-3 weeks for the soil to become dehydrated if you have placed it in low light.
Soil:
I prefer using a well-potting mixture, which would help to drain extra water in the soil. The soil must contain organic matter around 50% or even above.
Temperature:
Humidity:
A moderate level of humidity of about 20%-40% is required for Dracaena Compacta growth. This tropical plant will do well in essential household humidity as well as small offices. I would suggest keeping 25% humidity for this plant.
Fertilizer:
Dracaena Compacta, as compared to other family members, is not a heavy feeder. You can feed it twice a year or even at the beginning of the spring and summer. Controlled release fertilizers can be used after diluting them at half strength.
Repotting:
Dracaena Compacta needs to be repotted every two years because it is a slow-growing variety. Transfer it to the new location in early spring or early summer. Whenever you are about to repot, make sure to take a pot 1-2 inches larger than the former one. The ideal pot that I would refer would be a terra cotta pot, which allows for maximum drainage and air circulation.
Propagation
Tip Cutting
- Take a cutting which consists of 2-3 nodes just below the leaf-line so that new leaves can sprout.
- Dip the cutting in a jar filled with warm water and place in a semi-shade spot.
- Wait and check the roots? growth. During the summer, the growth is fast, while in winters, the roots will grow slowly.
- Soil propagation is similar to the above steps as we would cut a node about 1 inch and then place it in a pot with moist potting soil.
- Do not worry about trimming the tips from the original plant because it will soon develop new leaves from the broken tips.
Pruning:
In the fall season, regularly prune Dracaena Compacta to keep the fresh and neat shape. This plant tends to grow new leaves from the pruned areas; hence you’ll have a bushy plant.
Prune dead branches or visible yellow leaves in spring for better flowering and more growth.
