Plant Bio

Dracaena reflexa, commonly called Pleomele or Song of India, is a species of Dracaena which is a tropical tree native to Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands of the Indian Ocean. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant and houseplant, valued for its richly coloured, evergreen leaves and thick, irregular stems. Indoors, as a houseplant, you can keep this variety much smaller, and, in fact, they generally only grow to about three feet (one meter) tall in containers. Song of India plants are described as variegated because the leaves are multicolored, with bright green centers and yellow margins. The colors fade to lighter green and cream as individual leaves age. The leaves are lance-shaped and grow spirally around branches, up to one foot long.

Notoriously difficult to kill, dracaena will look best and be healthiest if you provide it with the right conditions and minimal care. These plants need indirect light and warm temperatures. They prefer humidity, so you can set the container on top of a dish of rocks in water, or you can mist your plant regularly. Make sure the pot drains well, and keep the soil moist but not wet. Provide a balanced fertilizer once or twice a year. As with all dracaena varieties, the pretty leaves of Song of India will turn yellow as they age. As the bottom leaves on the plant turn yellow, simply trim them off to keep the plant looking neat and tidy. You can also trim and shape as needed, and you may find that the plant needs staking for support as it grows taller.