Mysterious classroom plant

11 years ago

Greetings to all!
I wish to know what type of plant this is. My teacher picked it up from the streets, so it's like an abandoned child with unknown origins. To care for it properly, we would like to know what it's called.
It's an indoor plant.
It has a single slender but hard green stem with brown ridges. (In this photo there are three stems: one is of the shorter plant, the other is the taller version which is cut off from the image, and the third is a dead stem)
The taller version of this plant (3-4 feet)droops over and needs a stand for support.
The leaves are mainly clustered on top so it's top heavy
Smooth long green leaves with a sheen
No flowers

My teacher says that it's possibly a grass but it looks more like a palm to me.
Thank you for your time everyone!

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Comments (9)

Dzitmoidonc
11 years ago
Google Dracaena fragrans. I think that is your plant.
Zeng173330
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for your answer Dzitmoidonc. It does look like a Dracaena fragrans but also not quite at the same time. I think dracaena fragrans is suppose to be multi-stemmed at the base, which our plant doesn't seem to be. Well..it could be another variety.
Thank you so much though!
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The recommendations so far are probably the best plants for the job, but, if you're wanting other ideas: I see no problems: Chlorophytum comosum (spider plant) (educational bonus: can give kids offsets to take home) Dracaena sanderiana Dracaena sanderiana 'Lucky Bamboo' (educational bonus: visible root system if grown in water) Dracaena deremensis 'Warneckii' Dracaena deremensis 'Janet Craig' (especially the "compacta" variety) Dracaena fragrans (corn plant) Sansevieria trifasciata 'Futura' (snake plant) slight problems: Aechmea fasciata (urn plant) (would prefer bright light) Aglaonema spp. (is toxic if chewed) Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine) (would prefer bright light, cool temperatures) Aspidistra elatior (cast-iron plant) (goes dormant in winter) Beaucarnea recurvata (ponytail palm) (would prefer bright light) Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm) (humidity might be an issue) Chamaedorea metallica (small fishtail palm) (humidity and light might be issues) Davallia trichomanoides (rabbit's-foot fern) (they're a little fussy; also go dormant in winter) Dieffenbachia spp. (is toxic if chewed) Dracaena marginata (would prefer bright light) Epipremnum aureum (pothos) (is toxic if chewed) Ficus benjamina (ficus tree) (can be difficult) Ficus binnendijkii (long-leaf fig) (said to be difficult, though that's not been my experience) Ficus elastica (rubber plant) (can be difficult) Ficus lyrata (fiddle-leaf fig) (can be difficult) Monstera deliciosa (split-leaf philodendron) (is toxic if chewed) Philodendron spp. (is toxic if chewed) Spathiphyllum spp. (peace lily) (is toxic if chewed) Tillandsia ionantha (air plant) (would prefer bright light) Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant) (is toxic if chewed)
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Yup it is. Here is a link that might be useful: Ardisa
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Well, it's probably a 10 gallon, since that is the standard 'small fishtank'. Just to make sure, can you measure it and give the dimentions in inches? Or figure it out yourself, by doing length x width x height (all in inches), and then divide by 231. The answer you get is the number of gallons. Good choice on removing the cactus, as they are totally the wrong choice for a terrarium, especially one that is using potting soil and is probably in low light. Potting soil is fine, but it would be better if you could add some extra perlite to it to increase soil aeration. And it only needs to be 2-3" deep. I would vary the height to make it more interesting. For example, you could make the back higher than the front, or make it slope to one side. For plant suggestions, since this is a classroom terrarium that will probably not get a lot of maintenance, I'd stick to plants that stay naturally small, and will not need constant trimming to stay in check. A mini African Violet would be a good choice if it doesn't stay too moist. The glass cover should allow a little crack to let air in and excessive heat out. A mini fern like 'Fluffy Ruffles' would also be good (all other ferns will get WAY to big in a year or less). Selaginella kraussiana or uncinata (club moss) would make a good groundcover. I like the 'aurea' (golden) version of S. kraussiana better than the regular green, because it really helps brighten things up in the terrarium. Some ferns may naturally start to grow in the terrarium just from spores in the potting soil, and they can be left, as they will take a very long time to gain any real size, and depending on the species, may never grow large. You could also add a neat piece of driftwood or some nice rocks to the landscaping. An air plant (tillandsia) could be attached to the driftwood. Just make sure you pick one that enjoys more moisture (they appear more green, others appear more silver) and stays small. T. stricta or T. ionatha might be a good choice. Hmmmmmm. . . . fittonia is great for low light, but is a rampant grower, as is Ficus pumila. . . same deal with english ivy and wandering jew. . . You could plant the smallest Neanthe Bella palm that you can find. It will be good for a few years before it outgrows the tank. A small cryptanthus might be good, but they will revert to plain green if not given enough light, and will form a large, spreading clump if happy, so maybe not the best choice. DON'T plant an aluminium plant or polka-dot plant. They seem to be perfect terrarium plants because of their small leaves and slower growth habit, but they rot and drop their leaves easily in that much humidity. If you don't mind spending some more money, and you like Rob's Violets anyways, you could place an order with them. They carry many mini plants. Check the link below. Here is a link that might be useful: Rob's
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
listen to me... if that is your science teacher.. i fear for you.. lol ... seriously.. a grass??? .. you are joking right ...

you can google the latin name.. and add 'propagtion' after such..

and if i am not mistaken.. you could cut that entire trunk into 2 or 3 inches pieces.. let the wounds dry ... and lay them individually on potting media.. and most if not all will root ...

its been 30 years since i tried that.. so you insure my recollection is proper ...

by the end of the school year.. you could probably all walk out the door with a nice plant ...

really.. a grass.. i am mystified.. lol.. at least you could have gotten into the corn family.. lol .. which is probably a grass also ...

ken

ps: after whacking the main trunk.. at about 3 inches.. you leave momma there.. and she will probably put out a few new shoots.. and you will have the multi-stemmed plant others referred to ... if you chose to do that.. you might want to figure out if some fresh new potting media.. might not help this old tree .. in this old pot ... in other words.. REPOT IT ...
Zeng173330
Original Author
11 years ago
Ken, thank you. Your answer may have just completed the puzzle. Propagation never crossed my mind, but it is probably time...as you say and also time to repot it.
Its leaves have some burnt tips and that could mean there is too much fluoride in the soil...
Poor plant; one life of abuse only to come to another life of abuse. I feel ashamed. But that's why I'm grateful for these answers. Really, thank you.
And yes, Dracaena fragrans is a corn plant which makes it a grass (though it doesn't look like one). Evolution and selective breeding are huge forces.
theplantwizard
11 years ago
Don't let the common name of "Corn Plant" throw you off. Dracaena is not a grass at all. Grasses are in a different Family.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Ken, I am taken aback by your mean criticism of this teacher.

This plant is a Dracaena, commonly called 'corn plant' because it looks so much like a real corn plant. Corn IS in the large family of true grasses...Poaceae (Graminae). Mistaking a dracaena for a grass (any plant in the Poaceae family) would be a very easy error, especially for someone not familiar with houseplants.

What would you have said if this teacher claimed it to be an Asparagus? That's the family to which it belongs.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Ken, I am taken aback by your mean criticism of this teacher.

This plant is a Dracaena, commonly called 'corn plant' because it looks so much like a real corn plant. Corn IS in the large family of true grasses...Poaceae (Graminae). Mistaking a dracaena for a grass (any plant in the Poaceae family) would be a very easy error, especially for someone not familiar with houseplants.

What would you have said if this teacher claimed it to be an Asparagus? That's the family to which it belongs.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
Its leaves have some burnt tips and that could mean there is too much fluoride in the soil...

==>> no.. it means it has been abused.. as in not watered properly.. and that could be a function of the poor old media in a relatively small pot.. for a HUGE tree .. the media can NOT process enough water for that TREE in a pot ... besides.. didnt you imply this was found at the curb in the garbage???? .. how do we get to flouride from there???

do NOT jump to conclusions like that ...

RHIZ!!!!!!

it was a JOKE!!! ... crimminey ... i was worried the OP would be upset ... and he isnt.. but my 10 year GW friend nails me to the wall.. whats that all about???

where you been.. on vacation????

ken

PS: i live in a world where words mean things.. and i like to think that soil is mother earth .. and media is what goes in pots... 99% of the time.. soil does NOT function properly in pots .... now you can surely call it soil.. but when you start to learn about the engineered qualities of potting MEDIA... you should come to understand.. that the same word.. should not be used for two different things ...

Here is a link that might be useful: propagation hints
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
Dracaenas are sensitive to fluoride. For this reason, many owners of them use rain, distilled, or dehumidifier water for them.

Mysterious classroom plant

Comments (9)

Dzitmoidonc

Zeng173330
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Mysterious classroom plant

Comments (9)

Dzitmoidonc

Zeng173330Original Author

Related Discussions

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

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Zeng173330
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Zeng173330
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