Hi Plant and Flower People! I started my first job in the interior landscape industry in 1986. The main job in that industry is directly taking care of indoor, tropical plants. I have also done sales, installation, management, and warehouse/greenhouse work. That has been my full time employment for most of the years since 1986. In other words, my experience with indoor houseplants is hands on. I have cared for thousands of houseplants over the past 3+ decades.
Because I also have an interest in websites, build and design, I have taught myself some html, css and other related things. Since I have a website about indoor houseplant care, especially for beginners, I am curious as to what type of information is out on the internet about houseplant care.
I hate to find out that the Google search for “houseplant care” brings up as the top result a website that is giving out information that just is NOT accurate. In other words, made up or just plain false.
The “snippet” tells you that a houseplant is in “high light” if it gets any type of light for more than six hours a day. That is nonsense. The term high light (or medium or low light) is the intensity of the light, measured in foot candles or lumens, not the length of time the plant receives light. That would be called the day length or photoperiod. So the author is just making stuff up.
Be wary of following some of the information that you find on the internet. I know that most people assume that the top results in a search are the best information. Obviously not always true, the person running that site says he drinks beer and writes. That tells you a lot right there.
There are quite a few members of the Dracaena houseplant family and Dracaena Warneckii is among the most colorful and easy care. Dracaena Warneckii makes my list as one of the best house plants for its ease of care and colorful foliage.
One new interior landscape account that I serviced a number of years ago had a Dracaena Warneckii in an out of the way office. I missed this plant for over 3 months and, although it had a number of dried up lower leaves on it, it was still alive and growing! I don’t recommend this, just a point about houseplant perseverance, especially Dracaena Warneckii. Another reason Dracaena Warneckii is on my best houseplants list.
Produced in a variety of forms, Dracaena Warneckii is grown as a tip, bush, staggered, character and cane. Dracaena plants can be anywhere from one foot tall to twenty feet tall or more. It is unusual to find them at that height except in interior landscapes or in nature.
Dracaena Warneckii Houseplant
Light for Dracaena Warneckii Houseplant
Warneckii does best in a bright light situation. Most Dracaena will do quite well under artificial lighting alone or a combination of natural light and artificial light. Keep your Dracaena Warneckii in bright, filtered light if available. Direct afternoon sun is not recommended as it can burn the foliage. Bright light is preferred and some morning sun will help keep your Dracaena looking good.
Most dracaenas can be maintained in lower lighting with reduced watering and Warneckii is one house plant that will tolerate lower light levels. It is prone to root rot if over-watered in lower light.
For more information on proper watering of your Dracaena Warneckii houseplant, see below and check out the page on general indoor house plant watering practices.
Watering Dracaena Warneckii
Houseplants should be checked for watering needs once a week. They may not need water every week but it is best to check the soil and groom your plant on the same day each week. That way you are less likely to forget about your plant. In lower to medium light, water when potting soil has dried down at least 3/4 of the depth of the pot. In bright light, allow Dracaena Warneckii houseplant to dry at least 1/2 – 3/4 of the way down and then water thoroughly. Please see watering indoor plants and information on importance of light for your houseplants as these two things will most impact your plant’s health.
Dracaena Warneckii Care Tips
Despite my story about not watering a Dracaena Warneckii for three months, I do not recommend this as a common watering practice. Dracaena can be let to go almost all the way dry but you also risk damaging the foliage by leaving your plant too dry for extended periods of time. You may find bumpy, yellow spots or blotches on your Warneckii houseplant’s lower foliage when it has been allowed to dry too much.
A few notes about Warneckii. It is best placed in a low traffic location. The foliage of Dracaena Warneckii is much more easily damaged than other Dracaenas. Handle with care. Dracaena Warneckii is also prone to damage from excess soluble salts (fertilizers) and fluoride (often found in your water). This can cause yellow blotches, brown tips and leaf margins. This is often made worse by allowing plant to dry too much. Leach plant occasionally and replace soil with fresh media to help alleviate the problem. Dracaena Warneckii can also have root and stem rot problems if kept too wet in low light.
Remove lower leaves as they yellow and trim brown tips to the original leaf shape using sharp clean scissors. It is normal for a new plant to shed its old foliage when it is moved to a new and different environment, so expect new additions to your plant family. Warneckii will lose some of its inner and lower leaves as time goes by.
Trim the leaf edges as needed but once you have lost more than half of the leaf it is best to remove it entirely. This will help encourage new vibrant growth for a great looking plant. Given the proper care, it should acclimate and become a beautiful, trouble free plant.
As your Dracaena Warneckii plant grows taller and loses its lower leaves, you may want to cut the stem or stalk back before the plant becomes too tall. When you cut back the stem, your Dracaena Warneckii will produce new “heads” or shoots from the stem from the leaf nodes below your cut. Keep your Warneckii house plant’s foliage clean and initially keep an eye out for insect problems. Mites, mealybug, thrips and scale can sometimes be a problem but Warneckii is, for the most part, not prone to many insect problems. Mealybugs are the most likely problem. A good wash down with soapy water should be sufficient to control any pests. If you do notice insects, be sure to address immediately to prevent population growth.
Apply to top and lower leaf and stem surfaces being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your plant cleaning solution. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your house plants should be a regular part of your house plant care. Be extra careful cleaning Dracaena Warneckii as the leaves can be easily damaged.
Dracaena Warneckii Plant Care Question?
If you have a question about your Dracaena warneckii houseplant or other houseplants, you can send me an email and I will do my best to help you find an answer to your question or a solution to your problem. You can contact me here. Thanks for visiting!
