Not up on the nomenclature of this group but I am used to these being called Dracaena draco, you might find a lot more information using that name. Specimen shown is vastly larger than a bonsai, just one of the leaf rosettes will be broader than many or most bonsai creations - I don't see how such a plant could be used for that. Unless you could get a seedling to remain very much smaller parted than normal using bonsai methods. But to get an appearance anything like the mature example in the picture, with an umbrella shape from a severely dwarfed seedling with very much reduced leaves you would probably have to be quite a wizard. Otherwise these may spend many years growing without branching at all, that is how the tall trunk beneath the dome of branches is produced.

Maybe search "dragon tree bonsai", "draco bonsai" etc. to see if anything comes up.

Dragon tree and Dragon's Blood tree appear to be two distinct species, somewhat similar in appearance when mature and both extremely slow growing.

D. cinnabari is a much more rare plant, at least in cultivation, and is endangered in its native habitat. There are supposedly some examples growing in SoCal and discussions of growing it from seed (apparently not too tricky) appear on a few xeric/tropical plant boards although there seems to be considerable debate as to exactly which species is being grown, D. draco being much more common, the common names being easily confused and the confirmed ID's of the parent plant(s) still uncertain. Apparently there is one at the UCLA Botanic Garden and I'd think the Huntington Botanic Garden would be a likely location as well.

The umbrella-like appearance IS pretty cool but is a product of considerable time and I seriously doubt you would be able to create a similar effect in a bonsai'd form unless you had many (and we're talking decades) of years to devote to it. Even the much more readily obtainable D. draco looks pretty much like your standard variety houseplant dracaena, with a single, thinish trunk and a topknot of spikey foliage for a looong time.

Two different species, and getting the umbrella effect as a small container plant--I don't think that would happen. They branch after bloom, and must bloom to branch, and must be of a substantial size to bloom.

But yes, awesome plant. There's a stunning specimen of D. draco (the common species) in the neighborhood:

{{gwi:325537}}

Baby plants are often available here for a few bucks at Home Depot or Lowes.

This post was edited by hoovb on Fri, Oct 3, 14 at 19:33