Song of India Dracaena

Song of India (Dracaena reflexa) is a tropical tree native to islands of the Indian ocean, including Mozambique, Madagascar, and Mauritius. This popular plant can be grown indoors, and thanks to its easy growth habits, it's a great choice for beginner plant parents (just keep in mind that it's toxic to pets like dogs and cats).1 It has alternating dark green and chartreuse stripes on narrow, lanceolate leaves with veins that run parallel along their length. These leaves are in a whorled arrangement, gradually dying off to reveal a stem with an interesting pattern.

This broadleaf evergreen will often grow 12 to 20 feet tall in the wild, but it can be an adaptable plant when grown indoors. It will suit your needs as either a tabletop or floor specimen. As a houseplant, Song of India will reach a maximum height of 3 to 6 feet. It's best to plant this species during the spring growing season, and plant parents can expect it to grow about 4 inches each year.

If you choose to grow Song of India, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful, slow-growing plant that is easy to grow and propagate from cuttings.

Light: Song of India requires bright, indirect sunlight for at least four hours per day. Your plant's foliage will become more vibrant in coloration with these conditions, but take note that too much sun is also harmful. It can cause leaf scorch, which will appear as browning of the leaf tips and margins.

Watering: Water your plant often enough to keep its soil moist, but not soaked, from spring through fall. Song of India requires less water in the winter. Never overwater this plant, as it's especially susceptible to root rot. One issue to be aware of is the genus’ sensitivity to fluoride: A good practice is to use bottled or purified water for your plants. A symptom of fluoride damage is yellow wilting on the leaf margins.