Hi, We have had this plant of over a decade, and now over the last month, the leaves turned a light color of green, and when I woke up with nothing the stalk is sagging and it feels rotten. What can we do? thanks David
Perhaps that cane has root rot from an overly moist soil. Whatever the case I suggest you propagate the growing tip while it still has some life left in it. However it may be too late since it has already started to turn yellow but it's worth a try. Remove the remaining portion of that stem from the cane. If the top of the cane is also rotting then keep cutting away portions of it until healthy wood is found. Disinfect your cutting tool before making a final cut. You may want to then seal the cut with some paraffin wax. UF > IFAS > MREC > Apopka - Dracaena Production Guide
It seemed to have sprouted out from bellow and now growing there. What is the name of this plant? And how do I make the cut on the limb, clippers, or saw? Thanks for the help, we are the furthest from green thumbs.
@Junglekeeper, wouldn't that indicate that it's not root rot, and in that case, what else could it be? I would be looking to save the good-looking part - cut off the tall stem at the base (clippers would be easiest, but any knife or scissors, or sure, a saw, whatever works) and remove the soil from the base where you cut and see if you can figure out how to keep the good part but still remove everything from the diseased part. If you were to try to save the top, I would put it in a different pot, cut off at least two inches from the bottom where the stem is firm, and remove any leaves that would be in the soil. I'm no expert either where it comes to disease. It looks like Dracaena fragrans, commonly called a corn plant, but nothing to do with corn.
Perhaps the plant gets too little light (sun)? That can cause legginess and the plant can collapse under its own weight. If the plant is away from windows, then it explains also, why the lowest leaves look much better than the top - they get more sunlight than upper leaves (because ceiling blocks any direct light reaching the top).
I tend to agree. Perhaps it's related to weakness from etiolation as @Sulev suggests. I think this plant is Dracaena fragrans 'Janet Craig'. Review information on cultivation and look for possible areas for improvement. Dracaena fragrans - Plant Finder
I've seen D. fragrans plants stuck in dark corners of offices with no windows or lights nearby, and they survive for years with no care. I can't imagine that a lack of light would cause the problems described here.
Human eye is very adaptable and therefore poor instrument for comparing darkness of "plant corners". Usually offices have better exposure to the sunlight than regular housing apartements. And very much depends on orientations towards the South. Although Dracaena is relatively tolerant to poor light conditions, it still needs certain level of light to develop normal strenght of the supporting tissue.
