A Dracaena That... Glows?

10 years ago

Okay, okay, the subject title may be a tad bit misleading. My dracaena doesn't "glow" per se, but from where I have it sitting, it sure does seem like it.
Usually, I never really cared much for dracaenas, or at least not enough to add them to my already large collection of different plants. Then one day, while browsing Wal-Mart's garden center, one in particular caught my eye. It was the only one they had like it, and it somehow managed to jump into my shopping cart and follow me home. (Surely, I can't possibly be the only one that this has happened to...)
Of course, it was mislabeled as Dracaena deremensis "Lemon Lime." Which is what I thought it was until further investigation revealed that it was a "Lemon Surprise" instead. A nice surprise, indeed.
Since then, I have had a "Janet Craig Compacta" (mislabeled as a "Janet Craig") follow me home as well. It's not included in the pic, but it also sits in the same location. They get bright morning sunlight from an East-facing window, and bright indirect sun throughout the rest of the day. Even after the Sun passes overhead, the sunlight bounces off of my neighbor's house and back into my windows. So all day long, my "Lemon Surprise" appears to "glow." Even now, as the Sun sets on the other side of my house.

Oh, by the way, I've lingered around here for a while now, and finally decided to join. This is my 1st post, and wanted to officially say hello to everyone. :)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

plantomaniac08
10 years ago
ToMMyBoY69,
Hi, welcome to the world of no return! Okay, not really. But you've been bitten by something we call "the love of plants" and there's no cure. I like your Dracaena and I'm not even a Dracaena person (I'm a picky plant person, is that even possible to be picky with plants?).

Nah, plants jump at me all the time. I have to put some back sometimes (I don't have a lot of room), but that's normal for them to jump at you, in your cart, etc. Plants sense it when there's a "plant person" nearby, they just can't help but want to come home with you. :)

Do you have any other plants besides this one that "glows" and your other Dracaena?

Do share if you do.

Planto
Photo Synthesis
Original Author
10 years ago
HaHa! Thanks, Planto. :)
Bitten? Nah, I must've been genetically predisposed. I've grown various plants all throughout my life. Even as a kid, I was helping my grandmother with her's. She is the one from whom I inherited my green thumb.
As of right now, my bedroom resembles a rainforest. I love growing unique and unusual plants, and just about anything that catches my eye. I grow carnivorous plants, orchids, anthuriums, a huge money tree as tall as I am (which I bought on clearance for only $10), various palms, and I just finished mounting a beautiful staghorn fern. But that's just a rough list, I know there are plenty I haven't listed. But no matter how many I do have, there's always room for at least one more.
Related Discussions
Is my Dracaena fragrans doomed?
Q
Comments (1)
I think the images are shared here:
...See More
Glow in the dark Mushrooms No longer a secret to scientists
Q
Comments (2)
Just heard that 1 yesterday - the insects help to spread spores, I believe...
...See More
I left my dracaena marginata outside in freezing temps
Q
Comments (13)
Cutting back to "nubs" is essentially how this plant is handled for propagation as well as regenerating plants that grow too tall or too lanky. The top growth is likely to rot completely - just not at all frost tolerant - but the roots may have survived. And if they have, cutting back to a nub will allow the plant to reestablish itself. But it will take time. Don't feel alone :-) I too have left summer vacationing houseplants outside too late and have had them nipped by frost. And just a moderately light frost...not into the 20's!! They were all toast, including a huge Christmas cactus more than 30 years old I inherited from my mom :-( I still have to bring mine in for the winter - that is on today's to-do list!! Been meaning to do so for the last couple of weeks but the rains have hit and I've been busy with work stuff. It ls chilly here at night - in the 40's - but nowhere near frost temps.
...See More
Why Is My Dracaena Suddenly Growing Again?
Q
Comments (3)
Normally, a plant produces more energy (photosynthate - sugar/carbohydrates) than it needs to keep its systems orderly. Whenever it has a surplus of energy, the plant makes new cells in which the energy is stored - that is how the plant grows. If your plant is stalled (as far as growth is concerned), it is either making just enough energy to keep its systems orderly, or not enough. In the case of the later, not enough, it would be shedding parts - usually leaves, but entire branches are often shed by plants that branch. The 2 things that come to mind when growth conspicuously stalls are: root congestion (rootbound), poor root function due to soil compaction or an unfavorable amount of air and water in the soil - usually too much water, or root disease. 'Growth' is a measure of the plant's increase in dry mass. Often, a plant might have branches or stems that are extending, but the plant might not be technically 'growing' if it's shedding the same amount of dry mass it's producing by way of extension (stems/branches getting longer). That's why I didn't consider a deficiency of nutrients or light as the reason your plant stalled. Low light might stop growth, but it doesn't stop extension. Plants will continue to extend until they have depleted all their energy reserves, even in the dark; and, the plant has mechanisms in place that allow it to 'steal' nutrients from other plant parts to fuel new growth. We can eliminate root congestion as cause for the stall because we know the roots didn't suddenly become decongested, which pretty much leaves poor root health or function as the underlying issue; but, that's not to say there aren't compaction or root congestion issues ready to take over the position of 'primary limiting factor' after you resolve any root health/function issues. That's how plants work. Resolving the primary limiting factor issue makes something else the NEW primary limiting factor. Over-watering is the most logical suspect. The root system's finest roots do the lion's share of the plant's heavy lifting. Over-watering and the accompanying lack of oxygen kills the finest roots and limits the root's ability to function normally. The plant has chemical messengers that keep 'plant central' informed about the relationship between root and shoot volume. Root growth always precedes top growth, so, when roots die from poor conditions in the root zone, the plant's messengers tell it to focus energy allotments on the roots only, until the volume of healthy roots can provide water/nutrition for any increase in top volume. My best guess is, you over-water, which kills roots and stops top growth. Then, before enough air returns to the medium to allow normal root function, you water again. If something happened to extend the interval between waterings, you would expect to see at least extension growth. Taking a vacation or skipping a watering when you thought you watered would produce a positive result if you're over-watering. Also, the low humidity that occurs indoors with central heating operating can notably decrease the appropriate interval between waterings, which would also be a positive if you're over-watering. You can get your watering under control by using a 'tell' to 'tell' you when it's appropriate to water. More about using a 'tell' just below. See this for an outline you might find useful. Using a 'tell' Over-watering saps vitality and is one of the most common plant assassins, so learning to avoid it is worth the small effort. Plants make and store their own energy source – photosynthate - (sugar/glucose). Functioning roots need energy to drive their metabolic processes, and in order to get it, they use oxygen to burn (oxidize) their food. From this, we can see that terrestrial plants need air (oxygen) in the soil to drive root function. Many off-the-shelf soils hold too much water and not enough air to support good root health, which is a prerequisite to a healthy plant. Watering in small sips leads to a build-up of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil, which limits a plant's ability to absorb water – so watering in sips simply moves us to the other horn of a dilemma. It creates another problem that requires resolution. Better, would be to simply adopt a soil that drains well enough to allow watering to beyond the saturation point, so we're flushing the soil of accumulating dissolved solids whenever we water; this, w/o the plant being forced to pay a tax in the form of reduced vitality, due to prolong periods of soil saturation. Sometimes, though, that's not a course we can immediately steer, which makes controlling how often we water a very important factor. In many cases, we can judge whether or not a planting needs watering by hefting the pot. This is especially true if the pot is made from light material, like plastic, but doesn't work (as) well when the pot is made from heavier material, like clay, or when the size/weight of the pot precludes grabbing it with one hand to judge its weight and gauge the need for water. Fingers stuck an inch or two into the soil work ok for shallow pots, but not for deep pots. Deep pots might have 3 or more inches of soil that feels totally dry, while the lower several inches of the soil is 100% saturated. Obviously, the lack of oxygen in the root zone situation can wreak havoc with root health and cause the loss of a very notable measure of your plant's potential. Inexpensive watering meters don't even measure moisture levels, they measure electrical conductivity. Clean the tip and insert it into a cup of distilled water and witness the fact it reads 'DRY'. One of the most reliable methods of checking a planting's need for water is using a 'tell'. You can use a bamboo skewer in a pinch, but a wooden dowel rod of about 5/16” (75-85mm) would work better. They usually come 48” (120cm) long and can usually be cut in half and serve as a pair. Sharpen all 4 ends in a pencil sharpener and slightly blunt the tip so it's about the diameter of the head on a straight pin. Push the wooden tell deep into the soil. Don't worry, it won't harm the root system. If the plant is quite root-bound, you might need to try several places until you find one where you can push it all the way to the pot's bottom. Leave it a few seconds, then withdraw it and inspect the tip for moisture. For most plantings, withhold water until the tell comes out dry or nearly so. If you see signs of wilting, adjust the interval between waterings so drought stress isn't a recurring issue. Al
...See More
plantomaniac08
10 years ago
Okay, well in that case you already know the symptoms and won't be surprised lol. I'd love it if you could share a picture. I wish I could grow Orchids, but they're one a few plants I can't seem to grow. :/

You're right about there always being room for one more. I say I don't have enough room, but I'm sure something will convince me otherwise one day. ;)

Planto
sjbaby
10 years ago
actually i just bought one that looks just like that, i killed the last one. i am going to try again, any advice?
MrBlubs
10 years ago
Weird. I was just at Wal-Mart a few days ago and saw the exact same type of plant! Though it didn't go home with me.... neither did the lipstick and red polka dot plant..... Kind of regret it.
Oh and Welcome to the forums!
sjbaby
10 years ago
wal-mart is where i bought mine, i am really hoping to keep it healthy.
sjbaby
10 years ago
to many jump in my cart lol
Photo Synthesis
Original Author
10 years ago
I'm no Dracaena expert, but I can tell you what works for me. I leave my water sitting out, giving chlorine plenty of time to dissipate. Actually, I just fill the spare container up immediately after I water them, and just let it sit out until the next time I use it. One other thing I do is I fill the container up with only hot tap water. My reasoning for that being the fact that hot water doesn't hold on to dissolved gasses very well. Much like how a warm soda loses its "fizz" much faster than a colder one. This may not have any real affect, but so far it's worked great for me. And of course the hot water has had more than plenty of time to cool down to room temperature before I use it again.
I already collect and store more than plenty of rainwater for my carnivorous plants, and I would've used it as a "plan b" just in case the 1st option didn't work. But so far, it has worked just fine. My Dracaenas are doing great and growing new leaves. I worried a while back because my "Lemon Surprise" had one leaf whose tip started to turn brown. But it was just the oldest/lowest leaf on the plant dying back, and no others. *whew!* Other than that, neither plant has lost any leaves. All of the leaf tips are perfectly healthy, aside from the minor damage incurred before I bought them.
When I repotted them, I used some Miracle Grow soil. I used the "Cactus, Palm, & Citrus" variety, because it holds water pretty well, while still being fast-draining. I mixed in some extra perlite, because I had some of it sitting around, too.
I've read that others let their plants dry out some before watering, but I keep both of mine pretty well watered, but not soggy. As you can see in the pic, it's planted in a self-watering pot, which I used for all of my plants (except for my orchids). They may be self-watering pots, but I never leave any water in them. Well, at least when my plants are indoors. I find that the design works great for catching any excess runoff after I've watered them and place them back in their locations. Before I used these pots, I always had problems with water leaking onto tables, etc. But not anymore.
I also give them very bright, but indirect light. Which is kind of why I joked about how my "Lemon Surprise" was glowing. I always try to give my plants the maximum amount of light that they can handle. Just because plants are "shade-tolerant," it doesn't mean that that is what they prefer.

This post was edited by ToMMyBoY69 on Thu, Feb 27, 14 at 2:43
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
10 years ago
Welcome to GW, Tommy! I love to look at plants while backlit too, they DO glow.

I would encourage you to investigate your water situation a little further. If your water isn't chlorinated with a volatile (can evaporate) type, letting water sit can't help remove it. It is good for the water to adjust to room temp though, no matter what kind. Fluoride and lime are not volatile. Dracaenas are known to be sensitive to fluoride, and lime can alter water/soil PH.

After watching an episode about water heaters on 'this old house,' I would never give water from the heater to plants, pets, or people, any living thing. I don't remember the details about the chemicals, but it's GROSS in there! Hardly anybody is changing the anode rod annually, I'd never heard of that until that episode.

A search of 'more chemicals in hot water,' and 'drinking water from water heater' brought up tons of stuff to read.

Here's some Tradescantia leaves glowing this morning.
Photo Synthesis
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, purple!
Yeah, when it comes to using it as drinking water, I wouldnt. But I was trying it out on these two plants, just to see if it would work, and so far I haven't encountered any problems. I know that everyone's conditions aren't the same. Even after all this time, I still monitor these two Dracaenas very closely. I still need to look deeper into what's in my tap water, because it never hurts to at least know what I'm dealing with. Luckily, I don't have hard water. Tho, there are trace minerals dissolved within it. Which is pretty much unavoidable with any tap water source.

I know that Fluoride isn't as easy to get rid of either. Which is why I had (and still have) a "plan b," my rainwater reserves. Even if I don't encounter any problems with using my tap water, once it warms up enough to move the majority of my plants back outside, I always use collected rainwater to water my plants. That's one of the benefits of living in Tornado Alley during Tornado Season. We always get more than our fair share of heavy thunderstorms, HaHa.
christine1950
10 years ago
Just had to chime in and say how much I love the picture of James, I'm a fan also.
Christine
stewartsjon
10 years ago
We order them in the UK from Holland as "Dracaena Surprise". They make nice specimens too.

A Dracaena That... Glows?

Comments (12)

plantomaniac08

Photo Synthesis
Original Author

Related Discussions

plantomaniac08

sjbaby

MrBlubs

sjbaby

sjbaby

Photo Synthesis
Original Author

Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL

Photo Synthesis
Original Author

christine1950

stewartsjon

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

A Dracaena That... Glows?

Comments (12)

Photo SynthesisOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Photo SynthesisOriginal Author

Photo SynthesisOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Photo Synthesis
Original Author

Photo Synthesis
Original Author

Photo Synthesis
Original Author