My friend asked me to identify this possible Dracaena that she has had for around 20 years or so. Does anyone know what it is? Thanks Ed
I was thinking Croton, myself. Tell me that's just a twig of what she's been growing for 20 years. ;-)
That really looks like a croton to me too; if that's really what it is, then it must be in less than ideal conditions. My old ones are much larger.
The new growth and leaf veination strongly point to a monocot. I can't ID it beyond that however. HTH Chris
Looks like a bamboo but it's not. Looks like it's got running rhizomes, just like bamboo. Does it bear fruits - i.e. red berries?
The lady is in sub tropical so maybe it is a tropical plant that dies down every winter?? The new growth certainly looks like Dracaena and not Croton. I'll ask about the berries... Ed
Here is a few more photos. Note that the stem looks very much like a Dracaena to me. What do you guys think?? Oh and the lady was seperating the plant annually, thats why it is not huge!! Ed
There are only three Dracaena species that grow like that: D. camerooniana, D. ovata and D. surculosa. They are rather similar vegetatively and are best distinguished by the form of the inflorescence. Too bad you don't have pix of it in flower. D. surculosa is the most widely grown of the three and has several spotted leafed cultivars.
Thanks Steve I think it is D surculosa cultivar like Florida Beauty or something. I think you have solved the mystery. Ed
