Once a strange plant for us - dracaena - has already settled in many lovers of indoor flowers. It looks stylish and decorates any room from residential to office. But often there is a situation where the dracaena's leaves dry and we do not know what to do about it.
Although this houseplant is unpretentious, but some of its species, such as Dracaena Marginata, are fastidious and often dry leaf tips, giving him an unpresentable appearance. The owner is forced to constantly prune the dried part and as a result, from the lush palm remains a bare trunk.
In order for the plant to be healthy, it is necessary to observe certain rules for its cultivation and then the dried tips that spoil the whole view of the dracaena will not be on your flower.
What if the dracaena dry and turn yellow leaves?
There are several reasons for the drying of the tips of the leaves, which need to be identified and eliminated, otherwise the plant will dry and lose its decorative appearance. Here are the most frequent:
- Dry air. Since dracaena is a resident of the tropics, where the natural humidity is close to 70%, she also grows well in a dwelling when this need is satisfied. Otherwise, the tip of the leaf turns yellow and then dries. To increase the humidity, it is necessary to spray the plant with warm water from the sprayer daily, or even better to buy an air humidifier, which will benefit not only the plants, but also the people in the room. If there is no such possibility, then it is necessary to install a container with water for evaporation directly near the pot with dracaena. It is noticed that in winter, when the heating is turned on, the plant is more prone to such trouble as the drying of the leaves.
- The life span of a dracaena leaf. If the dracaena dry and fall off the lower leaves, then most likely it's the end of their life. As a rule, this leaf develops from one and a half to two years, after which it dies off. But this applies only to those leaves that make up the lower row - they are the oldest in the plant, and the young appear in the center, gradually moving to the sides.
- Overflow. Dracaena is not bad to tolerate a moderate drought, but the excess moisture in the soil for her is disastrous. It will be enough to water it once a week with water at room temperature. If you do this more often, not allowing to dry up the ground, then it is possible to crumble and decay the roots, which is expressed in the form of drying leaf tips. Another of the overflow indicators is the soft trunk of the plant. To save the Dracaena from death, it is necessary to completely replace the soil, that is, transplanted into fresh soil and observe the irrigation regime.
- Drought. The state, diametrically opposite to the overflow, is the desiccation of the earth, that is, very rare watering. And although, dracaena is considered drought-resistant. But this does not mean that it, like succulents, can go without water for a long time. In addition to drying the leaves, the loss of the turgor is observed - the leaves become soft and sluggish.
- Too bright light. Dracaena does not like to be in the sun - she prefers places in the back of the room away from the windows. If you put it on the windowsill, the top leaves lose their emerald color, become faded and dry out.
- Draft and cold. The plant feels well when the temperature in the room is not lower than 18 ° С.
And if it's colder, then the leaves turn yellow, dry up and dracaena does not build up the young greenery, stopping its growth. Even a small draft from the slightly opened window can cause the displeasure of the green beauty. What can we say about the passages where the wind always walks. The best place for dracaena will be a quiet secluded corner, where the movement of air is minimal. - Pests and viruses. Even if you take good care of the dracaena, and the leaves still dry, the cause may be in a viral disease, or settled microscopic pests. It will be necessary to change the land and buy a tool in the store to fight insects and plant diseases.