On 7/22/2007 11:11 AM, David E. Ross wrote:
On 7/22/2007 3:13 AM, JD wrote:
Hi all. I've had a dracaena tree in my apartment for a couple years
and it's been very happy. It sits near a big window and a sliding door
and isn't in direct light. I usually water it once a week or so, and
I've had no problems. I went away for a few days this past week and
when I got back, it was totally dried up! The leaves were thinner and
they were all drooping. Now there have been times where I've waited
almost two weeks to water it and this has never happened! The only
thing I added to my bedroom (where the tree is) is a little fan to
circulate the air around the room - and it isn't directly pointing at
the tree. I watered it a lot yesterday and even sprayed the leaves,
but it doesn't seem to be responding all that well. What could have
happened to my tree? Is there anything I can do to revive it? I don't
want to give up quite yet.

Thanks so much for your advice... please help me save my tree!

JD


It might come back.

My son had three large dracaena together in one pot in his condo. When
he put the condo up for sale, he had the inside painted. The painters
put the plants outside on the west balcony, in the hot summer sun. As
my son had already moved to his bride's condo, the dracaena was ignored
for over a week.

My son then gave the "dead" dracaena to me. I cut them back and
repotted two of them. (I thought three in one pot was too crowded.)
The pot sits on the hearth in my living room. Each stalk now has two
large shoots. (Yes, I move the pot off the hearth if I use the
fireplace.)


By the way, dracaena is sensitive to over-watering. Be sure the pot is
not standing in water.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/