The April plant loaned to City Hall by CGC member Pam Molesky is a Dracaena marginata.
Dracaena marginata is a popular indoor plant with long, slender green leaves edged with red. These plants are great for beginners because they’re drought tolerant and not at all fussy about their light conditions. Choose a pot with drainage that’s just a few inches larger than the root ball so the root system has room to grow. As for soil, buy or make a loamy, well-draining mix with a pH of 6-7.
Dracaena marginata is a slow-growing plant, so you’ll only need to repot every few years to keep this plant happy. If the soil gets compacted (hardened and pulling away from the edge of the pot) you might want to change it out for fresh soil.
Light: Dracaena marginata prefers bright, indirect light, but if you’re short on light in your home, no worries! This plant will also do just fine in lower light conditions, but it won’t grow as quickly or use water as efficiently. (So just be careful not to overwater.) Keep your plant out of direct sunlight though, as this can burn the leaves.
Water: These plants are quite drought-resistant and don’t require a lot of water, so wait until the top half of the soil is completely dry before watering. Then, water thoroughly with distilled water, until water starts to run out the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
Members of the Clermont Garden Club loan a plant for display at City Hall for the months of September – May.
