Janet Craig Dracaena
Dracaena fragrans 'Janet Craig'
A popular evergreen houseplant with dark green, glossy, sword-shaped leaves that grow in a rosette pattern. Its leaves are wider and more leathery than many other Dracaena varieties, often with wavy edges.
- Light
- Low to bright indirect light; avoid direct sunlight which can scorch the leaves. Ideally 4-6 hours of indirect light per day.
- Water
- Moderate to low; water every 2-3 weeks, allowing the soil to dry out significantly between waterings. Sensitive to fluoride, which can cause brown leaf tips.
- Growth
- Perennial evergreen; upright, cane-like growth; can reach 10-15 feet indoors if not pruned, but typically stays 3-6 feet.
Care instructions
Thrives in low to medium indirect light; water only when the top half of the soil is dry; use well-draining potting mix and feed monthly during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength.
Growing details
Sunlight
Low to bright indirect light; avoid direct sunlight which can scorch the leaves. Ideally 4-6 hours of indirect light per day.
Watering
Moderate to low; water every 2-3 weeks, allowing the soil to dry out significantly between waterings. Sensitive to fluoride, which can cause brown leaf tips.
Soil
Well-draining, peaty potting mix with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
Hardiness zone
USDA zones 10-12; not frost-tolerant.
Growth habit
Perennial evergreen; upright, cane-like growth; can reach 10-15 feet indoors if not pruned, but typically stays 3-6 feet.
Bloom season
Rarely flowers indoors; if it does, it produces clusters of small, highly fragrant, white-to-creamy flowers typically in late spring.
Propagation
Easily propagated by top cuttings or stem sections (canes) placed in water or directly into moist soil.
Common pests & issues
Leaf tip burn from fluoride or salt buildup; mealybugs, spider mites, and scale; root rot if overwatered.
Similar species
Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' (Corn Plant), which has a yellow stripe down the leaf center; Dracaena deremensis 'Lisa', which has narrower, even darker leaves and a more vertical habit.
Interesting facts
The 'Janet Craig' cultivar was named after the daughter of a prominent Philadelphian nurseryman, Robert Craig, in the 1930s.