Dragon tree with slender canes and tufts of narrow red-edged green leaves in a terracotta pot

Dracaena Marginata Dragon Tree

Dracaena marginata
Categories:
Tropicals  ·  
Tropicals
Light
Partial shade
Water
Let the upper half of the potting mix dry before watering thoroughly; empty saucers afterward. Check more frequently during hot weather and reduce watering in winter.
Size
4-8 ft tall × 2-4 ft wide (container/patio); 10-15 ft only in a frost-protected microclimate
Habit
Upright tree – multi-trunk
Toxicity
Toxic — Pets
Description
A tropical, cane-forming plant with slender trunks topped by tufts of narrow, arching, red-edged leaves. Best grown indoors or in movable containers in Phoenix.
Bloom Time
Rarely blooms in landscape (grown for foliage)
Deciduous / Evergreen
Evergreen
Special Features
Architectural Form
Growth Rate
Slow to moderate
Growth Habit
Upright tree – multi-trunk
Mature Size
4-8 ft tall × 2-4 ft wide (container/patio); 10-15 ft only in a frost-protected microclimate
Flower Color
White to cream
Foliage Color
Green with red to purple margins
Landscape Use
Container / Patio, Indoor / Houseplant, Specimen / Accent
Garden Style
Container / Patio, Shade / Indoor, Tropical
Soil
Amended / Rich, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Pothos
Toxic — Pets
Toxic to pets (cats & dogs) if ingested (saponins)
Care Instructions

Light: Bright, indirect light indoors; filtered shade outdoors. Avoid direct Phoenix afternoon sun, which can scorch leaves.

Water: Let the upper half of the potting mix dry before watering thoroughly; empty saucers afterward. Check more frequently during hot weather and reduce watering in winter.

Soil: Loose, well-drained potting mix amended with perlite or pumice; use a container with drainage holes.

Mature size: Typically 4–8 feet tall and 2–4 feet wide in containers; can reach 15–20 feet tall outdoors in frost-free climates.

Bloom: Rarely flowers indoors; mature plants may bloom in spring under favorable warm conditions.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen.

Growth rate: Slow to moderate; slower in low light.