The dragon tree is now available in well-stocked stores as a houseplant in many different subspecies. If you would like to green your interior with several specimens, you can relatively easily propagate them yourself using cuttings if the mother plants are large enough.
How to propagate a dragon tree?
To propagate a dragon tree, cut a 15 cm long cutting from the mother plant, allow it to dry for 24 hours and then insert it into moist sand or substrate. Root formation occurs within a few weeks.
Some plants tend to be lazy when flowering
The dragon tree is one of those plants that are not usually propagated by sowing seeds, even in commercial gardening with its often more professional conditions. This is not least due to the fact that the dragon tree itself only blooms very rarely and therefore does not meet the requirements for easy seed collection. How practical, then, that vegetative propagation by rooting cuttings in the dragon tree is relatively uncomplicated. This type of propagation also has the advantage that the young plants obtained in this way are not only true to the variety, but also already have a certain size and therefore a head start for further growth.
Use the pruning for propagation
Basically, most dragon trees should not be placed in a very sunny spot in the room. In particular, the dragon tree species with dark green leaves thrive much better in a partially shaded place. However, in locations that are too dark, the height growth can reach unattractive proportions if the plants really stretch towards the light. Make the best of this situation and use this stem growth to produce cuttings about 15 cm long. Don't worry about the mother plant: he althy dragon trees, with good care, always sprout quickly after such a radical pruning and form new shoots.
This is how dragon tree cuttings can be rooted
When propagating the dragon tree, you should first let the freshly cut cuttings dry for about 24 hours. These can then be placed in a glass of water or directly into a relatively moist substrate or moist sand. As a rule, enough roots form within a few weeks to be able to repot the young plants obtained in this way. Pay attention to special treatment when caring for the young plants in the beginning:
- spray regularly with a fine mist of water to ensure high humidity
- not too much sun
- do not injure the fine roots when transplanting
- Be careful of waterlogging at the roots
You shouldn't overdo it
Even if you've caught the dragon tree fever, you shouldn't overdo it with the propagation of cuttings. Allow a mother plant to rest for about two years before considering it for cuttings again. The new growth not only requires a lot of strength, but also always represents a certain risk of disease attack at the interfaces.
Tip
After taking the cuttings, you can rub the interfaces on the mother plant with a little carbon dust (€10.00 on Amazon) or seal them with artificial tree resin. In any case, you should let the interface dry for about a day.
