How to Prune a Tall Dracaena
When my husband and I met, he had this tree growing in a pot in the living room. He said that one time he put it outside and it almost died. I have since married this man and took over the job of caring for the houseplants. The tree has been fertilized and it looks like a stalk of corn. The tree is now so tall that it is bending at the ceiling. I would like to know what kind of plant it is and if you recommend any kind of pruning. I attempted to figure it out on my own and I think it may be a Dracaena. Could you help me identify and may suggest what I can do to keep my tree from morphing into the hunchback of notre dame? thanks a bunch!!!
Hi,
The picture is pretty dark, but you are right. The plant is a Dracaena Janet Craig. The best time to prune Dracaena houseplants is in the spring and early summer, but you should be okay doing it now. Cut off a 10”-12” piece of cane (stem); remove any leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the cane. You can cut off as many of these 10″ sections as you want. New growth develops on the original plant directly below the cut in the stem. Dip the cut end of the cane into a small amount of Rooting Hormone that contains a Fungicide. You can plant the cutting directly back into the existing pot or start a new plant. If starting a new plant, use 3 cane cuttings to a 6″-8″ deep pot. Planting them in a small pot prevents root rot and encourages faster growth. Before you prune, decide how short you want the plant and what you want the plant to look like. You can read more about Dracaena Janet Craig in the Popular HousePlant section of the website.
https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/how-to-grow-a-dracaena-janet-craig-plant-care-guide
Here is a picture of a Dracaena Janet Craig that has been pruned well.
