To all, I am trying to find out what this plant is. Also, since it is touching the ceiling, can I cut in half and replant the cut off portion. If possible, how do I do that? Scott
http://www.denverplants.com/foliage/html/DrJanetCraig.htm Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig' I believe. HTH CHris
I think the leaves are to close to one another on the trunk for it to be a Dracaena Deremensis. There is no trunk actually that shows, just leaf.
Well, since we can agree that it is at least Dracaena, you can absolutely cut it off at whatever point you wish, let the cut piece dry, then stick it in some soil to root it. And might it be D. reflexa?
Its Dracaena fragrans. Dracaena deremensis is now considered to be a synonym. Dracaena reflexa is very different with much smaller leaves and slender stems. Bos, J.J.; Graven, P.; Hetterscheid, W. L. A. & Van der Wege, J.J. (1992) WILD AND CULTIVATED DRACAENA FRAGRANS. Edinb. Journ. Bot. 49 (3): 311-331, 3 figs, 1 pl.
OK, There are no yellow stripes on the leaves so I am still wondering what it is. Perhaps someone could give me a link to an actual picture.
I have to agree with Chris. I don't tink it is D fragrans as the leaves are to skinny and the growth pattern seems different. Ed
First of all it is me Scott with the original question. I am the one who said I don't think it is a D Fragrans. I am also the one that says the leaves have no yellow strip. I still am looking for what it is and how to cut it smaller and replant the cut off portion. Any thoughts?
Refer to what I said above - it doesn't matter what type of Drac it is, cutting and propagation is exactly the same. To repeat myself - cut it off wherever you want to, let the cut piece dry, then plant it again. Most people cut the cane into 6-inch pieces for starts, but you can choose your length. It will re-root and send up new leaves from an offshoot of the cane; the base of the original plant will send up a new ofshoot as well.
You don't think its Dracaena fragrans? Get back when you know for sure. Do a Google search or better yet get a copy of the article I cite. There are 22 named cultivars of Dracaena fragrans listed in the article I cite. The one it agrees with is Dracaena fragrans 'Janet Craig', if you want to be particular. Chris got the cultivar name right but used a now obsolete species epithet. Lorax hits the nail right on the head. Regardless of which cultivar it is, the method of propagation is exactly the same.
If I cut the plant in half, say a 6' length out of 12', what do you mean let it dry? Just the cut end dry? Also, are you suggesting that I can take that same 6' piece and chop it up to make as many of these (trees) as I want?
What I mean by "let dry" is to leave it in the air for 2-3 days, so that both ends dry off. (the bottom of the plant, which stays in its original dirt, as well as the chunk you cut off.) And yes, I am absolutely suggesting that you can take that 6 foot piece and get about least 12 trees out of it (eventually) - 6 inches is about as short as I'd cut a single bit of cane, in order to ensure a vigorous sproutling. If this is what you choose to do, then do all the cutting at once and do the drying all at once, then do the potting up all at once as well. To be safe, I dip the trailing ends of the cut cane in rooting hormone, but that's not at all a necessary step. Cuttings will also make roots in plain water. I have a little 6 inch cane of variegated Drac in a vase on my mantle, and it's doing great.
Tropicos? That's botanical not horticultural. That particular journal is not available there. Not everything is available on the internet. You will need to go to a university library and photocopy it yourself or at least make arrangements with the librarian to have a copy made for you. Sometimes you need to get away from the computer and actually go to the library and look for yourself. That's why they call it research. You won't need to go all the way to Edinburgh to find it. Most major universities carry it. Do a search of you area university library holdings to see who has it.
