Hey there, I have a 10-year-old dracaena plant that I noticed today has one branch that looks very soft and wrinkled. Upon closer inspection, I could see the main trunk has little bumps all over the bark. Almost as if something was underneath, after cutting back a piece of bark I could see these little round pods, either fungus or eggs or I don't know. I could not find anything online that looked anything like this so I'm hoping someone may know what this may be and how to deal with it. Thanks Ryan
It does have the appearance of scale. However as it is underneath the bark I wonder if it is mold. Perhaps the plant had been over-watered, causing the roots and to rot and the rot has worked its way up the stem. That would explain why the plant is wilting.
Thank you for your reply! I only water the tree once ever month or so though. Do you think that still could cause root rot?
I suppose it's possible. If the soil contains a large amount of peat and is compacted, it will stay wet for a long period after watering. That together with a plant that is being grown in low light will acerbate the problem. Would it be possible for you to ease the plant out of the container to check the condition of the roots? Both stems in the fifth photo (IMG_1692.jpg) appear to be shrivelling. It's just a matter of time before they both show the same symptoms.
The pot is huge so I’ll be able to dig down beside the root system to expose them later once I’m home and take a look. If it is fungus caused by excessive moisture content in the soil, will I be able to remediate the issue, stop it’s spread and cure damage done?
I've not experienced anything like this before but this is what I think. The damage is likely to be fatal since it's under the bark: If it's fungal then it's likely throughout much of the stem; if it's from scale it would be nearly impossible to treat since you cannot get access to them without further damaging the bark and (I believe) systemic pesticides are no longer available to the home grower in Canada. If this were my plant and it held special meaning for me I would try to propagate what's left. I hope other readers will jump in with their opinion.
Very much on board with what Junglekeeper writes. Only difference being that I'm sure it is fungal. But that everything is dying? Yeah. Is it possible to save any part of it? Not the soil or the roots or the main stem or most of the offshoots. I would try the radical approach of cutting off the leafy tops above the wrinkled stems, cut off most of the leaves, and then bag everything else up and discard immediately. Cut the canes you are saving into 8-10 inch segments. Let the cut pieces dry out for a day or more. Then you can try with new soil and pot to root those pieces. It's been years since I spent time in Edmonton, but for Calgary I think you've done well to keep this going for ten years.
I was in Edmonton for the past 12 years and had just moved to Calgary in July. Would that have played a part? Also, should I be worried about any of my plants near this tree? To get this straight, I'm ONLY keeping cane tops above the wrinkles, and stripping all leaves? Thank you for your reply! This tree was my baby, it's quite devastating to see this happen now :(
Edmonton or Calgary would be too cold and too dark for this tropical plant. That's what I meant by that. Of course you have it indoors, but you wouldn't be able to make use of a lot of sunlight as I can down here. So well done for that. You were kind of reaching the limits in height for that part of your home though. So something would have had to be done either by raising the ceiling or lowering the plant height. Yes, I would get rid of everything but the cane above wrinkles, no leaves, or just half leaves at the very top. And yes, I'd be concerned about fungal contamination for adjacent plants.
Here's some information on propagation: UF > IFAS > MREC > Apopka - Dracaena Production Guide. Note the following comment: Do the two stems differ greatly in condition? If so, perhaps you can use the one stem that is in relatively poorer shape to make stem sections while the other can be propagated with some leaves intact.
Upon reflection I wonder which type of stem section, hardwood or softwood, the quote is referring to.
I've found that it is very easy to propagate a Dracaena cane by just cutting off the top portion, removing about half of the leaves (the bottom half), applying rooting hormone to the cut portion of the cane, and inserting it into the pot where it is intended to grow. By only using the top portion of each cane, you will minimize the possibility of picking up some of the fungus that appears to be damaging the lower parts of the plant. It would also be prudent to plant the two? canes in separate pots, in case one of them is contaminated. It might take a couple of months for the propagated canes to start growing again.
That UF link from Apopka is because Apopka FL is a key area for propagation of all sorts of plants. Greenhouses and nurseries are everywhere there. Of course UF would be most interested in what is useful for commercial growers. Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' has a substantial cane when mature. It will sprout with several nodes breaking open sometimes too close together for healthy growth. The nursery canes come in as bare brown and firm cane stock, with the upper end dipped in wax. The article says it's to reduce water loss. It is secondarily effective at inhibiting a lot of bud break at the easily damaged top. Buds just a cm down have a better chance of not being knocked off, subsequently opening a wound and avenue for infection. For Ryan, since it would be green canes that he will pot almost straightaway, I don't think the waxing would give him any benefit. You would want several new growth areas on each cane so you could select one or three to continue to full growth. (Odd number typically is more pleasing to our eyes.) For the leafy top, potting as vitog says is perfect.
Sorry for the late reply, I was out of town for work. Upon investigating a little more this evening I have a theory... which assuming I'm correct, then this is all my fault. I don't believe the roots are rotten from what I can tell. however, this tree was repotted last winter and my guess is I didn't pack the soil properly before repotting. So for the past year as it was watered and the soil settled under its weight, the trunk was pulled down and soil would wash over so I wouldn't notice it sinking. As I dug around the trunk I could see dark soft bark on the lower portion I can also see the outer bark on the trunk starting to flake in upper areas. That being said, If the roots are in fact not rotten, and it's just a mold affecting the bark. Can the tree be saved? or is propagation still my only chance at keeping a part of this plant alive?
Mold under the bark indicates the stem is in a state of decay as is evident from wilting top growth. I believe the best course of action is to propagate the relatively healthy top portion of the tree. If the roots appear to be in good shape you could attempt to cut away the decaying portion of the stem above in the hope of finding healthy wood. What remains can then be replanted at an appropriate depth.
Yeah after propagating the top I pulled the trunk up and by the looks of it the entire base directly below the trunk rotted away or was eaten. I couldn't really tell if the white around the roots is webbing or mold, the more poked at it the more the wind blew it around so I just took pictures and left alone.
