How to care for Dragon Tree
Dracaena marginata · Asparagaceae
Slender grey canes topped with spiky fountains of narrow, red-edged leaves give this plant real sculptural presence. It is famously hard to kill by neglect — its enemies are the watering can and the fertilizer bottle, not forgetfulness. Water roughly every 10 days while it's growing (about every 18 in winter), give it a bright room away from the window, kept above 55°F (13°C) — dry air is fine for it.
Care at a glance
Allow the top half of the soil to dry between thorough waterings; filtered water helps prevent fluoride tip burn.
Medium to bright indirect light; it tolerates lower light with slower, thinner growth.
Light feeding — half-strength balanced fertilizer every six weeks in spring and summer.
Mistakes that kill this plant
- Loving it to death with weekly watering.
- Letting it stand in cold, wet soil through winter.
- Placing it where chewing pets can reach it — cats find it irresistible.
Seasonal tips
- Shedding lower leaves as the cane extends is normal aging, not a problem.
- Cut a too-tall cane anywhere in spring — it sprouts new heads below the cut.
- Water very sparingly in winter; a light pot is your cue.
Is it safe for pets?
We have Dragon Tree recorded as toxic to cats and dogs.
Full pet-safety details for cats & dogsCare for your Dragon Tree on autopilot
Ploomily turns this guide into a Living Schedule — watering tuned to your city’s climate, the season, the pot and the light, and feeding tuned to that same pot, drainage and light, following the growing season and pausing while the plant rests. The founding price in force today is shown in full before you confirm, and locked for as long as you stay subscribed — with 30 days to change your mind.
Build my Living ScheduleDragon Tree is featured in
More tree plants
Toxicity here is informational, not a safety guarantee. Those are our own records, compiled by following the ASPCA's published toxic and non-toxic plant lists and Pet Poison Helpline's plant poison list rather than copied from them — confirm anything that matters against the ASPCA's published lists, which this one is matched to, or with your vet. If your pet ingested this plant, contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.