Not sure what this plant is.

15 years ago

This plant was left when we bought our home. We both liked it so we planted it in a pot and placed it in the south kitchen window. Just this year it grew about an inch so far but last year it did not grow at all. We have never seen it flower. Not really sure if it is in the palm family or anything else about it.

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Comments (10)

mingtea
15 years ago
it looks like a type of dracaena. eventually it can get fairly tall, and if you have pets, don't let them chew on it.

-ming
calliope
15 years ago
mingtea, did you mean to say diffenbachia?
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weedwoman
15 years ago
I've had various cats chew on my Dracaenas over the years and it never hurt the cat. Truthfully, it never hurt the Dracaena much, either, it just looked ratty. Dieffenbachia would be a different story, but the plant in the picture isn't dieffenbachia. It looks like a Dracaena to me, too.

WW
mingtea
15 years ago
nah, i meant dracaena. i've never grown dracaenas (always enjoyed them at other peoples' homes), but the literature i've seen has always cautioned against dracaena and pets. of course, dieffenbachias are bad, too.
-ming
outsapper
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you all for your help. I was not really sure exactly what this might be but I have been leaning to dracaena for a while. Still pretty young and inexperienced when it comes to identification of plants so I figured what better place than here to ask for help. Now I just need to find out which species it is. Thanks again.
lylesgardens
15 years ago
this look slike a dracaena to me as well. In fact I used to have aplant jus tlike this one years ago. This particular variety actually does not get very big, maybe a foot or two at best. The south window is probably a so-so place for it. Most Dracaena (in my experience) prefer bright but dappled lighting. Some will get plant sunburn from too much light and lose leaves. Your brown tips could be either not enough humidity, over watering, or flouride in your water. ( Some Dracaena have a low flouride tolerance) You can fix the flouride problem by watering with distilled water.

Lyle
User
15 years ago
Draceana deremensis 'Janet Craig' is a very popular variety. Google images and see what you think.
outsapper
Original Author
15 years ago
I feel rather dim witted right now. I never thought about the water being the culprit in making the leaves brown. I had the same problem with my "lucky bamboo" and had to start letting my water sit out for a day or two before I watered it to get the chemicals to evaporate before watering it. Makes sense if they are in the same family. For some reason it seems to love the south window. It gets plenty of light in the morning but shaded in the evening. But sadly if it is going to get much taller I will have to move it. It is in a hanging pot I made for it. And I don't think I have to worry about over watering it, it is a very thirsty plant! But thanks for the watering idea, I never thought about it.
lylesgardens
15 years ago
Your welcome! Yes it will cause the same reaction to lucky bamboo since that is in the same family. Distilled water is the way to go. Same goes for "corn plants" and most other dracaena houseplants.

Lyle
calliope
15 years ago
I didn't mean to imply the plant was a diffenbachia, only that I thought she might have thought it was because of her warning. You do not want a diffenbachia in your house if you have cats. My cats have shredded dracaenas for years with no ill effects, thankfully.