Fw: Dracena draco
- Subject: Fw: Dracena draco
- From: G* B*
- Date: Sat, 05 May 2001 09:26:03 +0200
Nan - Heres a copy of what I wrote on this subject to a previous enquiry.
I think the advice to not water for a few weeks to try & seal the stumps is
well worth regarding.
-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn Breayley <valhalla@iafrica.com>
To: medit-plants <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Date: 16 December 2000 01:04
Subject: Re: Dracena draco
>This one grows in the Cape OK, though you don't see many specimens around.
>I tried one in my garden & perhaps if I relate my experience, you might
find
>something of value in it.
>
>Most of the specimens I've seen branch from about 3 - 4 m & I planted mine
>in the angle between two joining paths. The trunk bulked out first to quite
>an amazing diameter relative to the height, before it really started
putting
>on vertical growth. When it was at 1&1/2 m I threw a handful of snail
>pellets into the crown as it was a great hiding place for them. First
>mistake. The crowns seem to be the softest point & the rotting of the
>pellets caused the whole head to rot out. I thought I'd lost it, but it
>threw new shoots from behind & sealed off the rotting portion. I was
>actually quite pleased with this as higher stemmed ones look quite
>disproportionate & the most beautiful specimens - to my eye - have a lower
>initial branching. The trouble was now its too close to the path & the side
>branches are obstructing it. So - transplant it into the centre of the bed.
>Its now about 8 years old & 2m high. They do move quickly with regular
>feeding & watering. - A mistake also ? Would a slower grown plant be not so
>soft & more resistant to decay ? - I stripped off the leaves right back to
>the growing tips prior to the moving. Second mistake. Pulling those leaves
>off tears out pieces of the stalk underneath & they don't seal easily. If
>you ever work on them, cut the leaves above the base & the remainder will
>naturally die back to dry off & drop with a naturally sealed abscission
>layer. The roots on that thing & the grip it had on life I couldn't
believe.
>Even digging as wide as I could I ended up with about 6 huge branched side
>roots with no laterals. It sat for a while afterwards then each crown
slowly
>rotted off & died. A hard lesson as it was a lovely specimen.
>I'm frost free so I couldn't advise there. The crowns are obviously the
weak
>point so if you can protect those until their height is above ground frost
>damage level you might have a chance. Definitely go for as free a drainage
>as possible.
>Regards
>
>Glenn Breayley. Ragnarok & Valhalla Research.
>POBox 26158, Hout Bay, 7872, Capetown, South Africa
>Ph/Fax SA 021 7904253 E-mail valhalla@iafrica.com
>Wholesale nurseryman & Tillandsia specialist wholesale & retail grower.
>
>
