Madagascar Dragon Tree – Multi-Trunk
Dracaena marginata (= Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia)
Madagascar Dragon Tree – Multi-Trunk
Dracaena marginata (= Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia)
How are the heights measured?
All tree, and nothin' but the tree! We measure from the top of the soil to the top of the tree; the height of the container or the root system is never included in our measurements.
What is a gallon container?
Nursery containers come in a variety of different sizes, and old-school nursery slang has stuck. While the industry-standard terminology is to call the sizes "Gallon Containers", that doesn't exactly translate to the traditional liquid "gallon" size we think of. You'll find we carry young 1-gallons, up to more mature 7-gallons ranging anywhere from 6 inches to 6ft.
How does the delivery process work?
All of our orders ship via FedEx Ground! Once your order is placed online, our magic elves get right to work picking, staging, boxing and shipping your trees. Orders typically ship out within 2 business days. You will receive email notifications along the way on the progress of your order, as well as tracking information to track your plants all the way to their new home!
Why are some states excluded from shipping?
The short & sweet answer is: "United States Department of Agriculture Restrictions." Every state has their own unique USDA restrictions on which plants they allow to come into their state. While we wish we could serve everyone, it's for the safety of native species and helps prevent the spread of invasive disease & pests. We've gotta protect good ole' Mother Nature, after all.
About Me
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The Madagascar Dragon Tree is a striking and appealing upright indoor tree with not one, but three trunks, each one topped with leaves at different levels, creating a much fuller and graceful look than any single trunk form can do. This tree has upright woody stems, with several shoots on the top of each one. The leaves are one or two feet long, but narrow, only an inch or two across. They are rich-green, glossy and taper to a long, thin point. Young leaves grow upwards, but as they mature they curve over and bend down, so each stem is topped with a fountain of foliage. This plant is an ideal choice with any type of interior decorating, and it will grow well in a bright or moderately-lit spot out of direct sunlight.
- Striking triple-trunked indoor tree
- Slender cascading rich-green foliage
- Easily grown in bright light
- Drought-resistant and problem free
- Excellent choice for all kinds of décor
Always plant your Madagascar Dragon Tree in a pot with drainage holes, and always water until water flows from those holes. Do not leave it standing in a saucer of water. Allow the soil to become almost dry before watering again – the upper half of the pot should be completely dry. It is better to let the pot dry a little too much than to overwater your plant. Fertilize lightly in spring and summer, and wash the foliage regularly to control pests. It is drought-resistant, and it will survive extended periods without water, so if you are always busy, and forget to water your houseplants, this is the perfect choice for you.
- Plant Hardiness Zones 9-11
- Mature Width 2-3
- Mature Height 3-5
- Sun Needs Full Sun, Partial Sun
The Madagascar Dragon Tree is a striking and easily-grown houseplant or outdoor tree in mild areas. It is very popular – and rightly so, because this is one of the easiest houseplants to grow, yet it is beautiful and dramatic in form. Single plants form a tall stem with leaves on top, which is not the most attractive way to grow it. At the Tree Center, we always want our customers to have the best, so we have sourced some superb specimens with not one, not two, but three trunks in the pot. Each one has been grown to a different height, making a much fuller and more attractive plant, showing off the foliage at three levels, and creating a much more dramatic tree.
Growing Madagascar Dragon Trees
The Madagascar Dragon Tree is a tropical plant coming from the islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, and other nearby islands in the Indian Ocean. There is can grow into a tall tree of 15 to 18 feet, with many stems and a large trunk. Outdoors in frost-free areas it will also grow large, but it is more usually grown as a houseplant. Indoors it will grow slowly to several feet tall, with a main stem and several smaller stems growing from the top.
Each stem is topped with a spiral of long leaves, rich green, 12 to 24 inches long, and 1 to 3 inches across, tapering to a long, thin point. These cover the upper part of the stem, arching up when young, and hanging down as they mature. Older leaves gradually yellow as the stem grows, so that only the upper section is leafy. This gives the plant a ‘tree-like’ look, even when young. The 3-trunk plants have three sturdy stems, each topped with a crown of long leaves.
Planting and Initial Care
Place your Madagascar Dragon Tree in a bright to medium-light location, out of direct sunlight. Direct sun can burn the foliage, and dark corners of rooms will reduce the growth and cause leaves to yellow and fall. Use a well-drained potting soil – a cactus mix is suitable for this plant. Always water well, so that water escapes through the drainage holes of the pot. Drainage holes are essential, so never plant this tree into a pot with no holes. If you use a larger, decorative outer pot that has no drainage, do not leave the plant standing in water. A few inches of gravel in the bottom of the decorative pot will usually keep your plant’s pot standing high and dry.
Drainage and Watering
If you do not allow drainage, salts from the water will build up in the soil, burning the tips of the leaves. Once you have watered well, leave your plant without water until the top half of the soil is completely dry, and even until all the soil is almost dry. Then water well again. Use half-strength foliage houseplant fertilizer in spring and summer once a month – do not over-fertilize, as this is a naturally slow-growing plant, and excess fertilizer will just accumulate in the soil and cause foliage burn.
Planting Outdoors
If you live in zone 10, you can plant your 3-trunk Madagascar Dragon Tree outdoors in a sunny or partially shaded location in well-drained soil. It will grow into a tree 6 to 10 feet tall, with multiple upright branching stems developing over time. The main trunks will become thick and tree-like. This is a good choice too for planters and pots, as it is drought resistant and grows well outdoors with minimal care.
Care and Maintenance
This plant is usually called Dracaena marginata, but more correctly it is today considered a variety of Dracaena reflexa, the Song of India, a plant with much broader leaves. Plants with the long, narrow leaves of the Madagascar Dragon Tree are called ‘variety angustifolia’. Whatever the correct name, this is the ideal houseplant for carefree indoor gardening, since it always does better with a little neglect, rather than being constantly watered. Just place it in a bright spot, and water only when the soil is dry. If you go away for long periods, this is the perfect plant for you, which will always be there to greet you – healthy and well – when you come home. Dust the foliage, or spray with water till it runs off, from time to time. Keeping the foliage clean not only improves the look of the plant, it reduces the possibility of pests developing on your plants.
