Dracaena draco advice.

[Horus]

My Dragon tree,which Ive had in the ground for about 5 yrs now is doing great.At the start of Summer it thru up a flower spike,like overnight.

The spike is still there with heaps of green seeds attached .Note; this tree has not started to branch out,I thought this could be the start of that process,but now i dont.

Cause it looks crap,my compulsion is to prune it off,so I was wondering if a wise soul from this group could tell me what the proper course of action should be with a view to propagating the seed.

Thanks.

[strangebrew]

Well don't cut off the stalk, first let the seeds ripen, they turn an orange/red colour, then just squeeze out the seed and wash them. They shouldn't be to hard to propagate, they're succulents after-all.

The following link may help.

www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/DraDra.shtml

[strangebrew]

Actually, could you tell me how high your Draco is after 5 years? I love the old branched ones, they look amazing. There's a great specimen in an old homestead nearby.

[Horus]

Thanks for the advise,I will let it run it,s course.

I first admired the tree over Rookwood cemetery where they have a couple of very old specimens.

There are a few beauties in that park in the Newcastle CBD.

Mine was about 18 inches when i bought it and after 5 yrs nurturing in a sunny spot it is 6ft tall and the seed stem sticks up another 18 inches from that.It is still yet to branch out .

And still looks like a big Yucca.

It is the sort of plant you need to put in early in you life and if you are lucky,and never move house, you might see it fairly well established one day.

In a Central Coast nursury latley I seen some babies for sale for $25 each, I've got a 100 seeds so I'll have a go at propogating them.

Thanks again for your replies.

[strangebrew]

Wow, a foot a year's not bad going! :cool: I was always under the impression that they were slow growers (that's what the card that comes with them always says - one for the grandkid's), quicker than ponytails.

It always makes me laugh when I see nurseries flogging off sprouted grass-trees - you know, like a couple of blades of grass. How quick are they going to be reasonable plants?

I wonder what would happen if you cut the top off your Draco now? Would it branch quicker?

[Horus]

Yeah, back to my origional dilema.

I was wondering if cutting the seed spike off might promote the branching.

Cause the tree seems to have stalled since flowering,I mean more leaves are wilted and tatty than usual.

My little card that come with the plant says slow growing tree .It does also say it has bright orange berries and mine have been green for months so I will wait and see what nature does. Cheers Strangebrew!

[strangebrew]

No, cutting off the flower-stalk will do bugger all.

With pony-tails you can cut off the top to make them branch. Go on, be adventurous.

That dagginess is probably just part of it's cycle. But if the seeds really haven't ripened in months cut the flower-stalk off. There's always next year!

[ 26. April 2004, 16:55: Message edited by: strangebrew ]

[strangebrew]

DON'T DO ANYTHING COLHAWK!!

Just been doing a bit of searching. When it flower's it means it's going to branch, this should occur under the flower. You lucky bugger! :D

I don't know what you've been doing but keep doing it whatever it is. It should only be about 3 feet high if you believe what you read and only flower about once every 10 years.

Hope you haven't cut anything.

Apparently it's also possible to propagate from tips! One page mentions forcing them to branch but doesn't say how.

[Horus]

Thanks again for your enthusiastic advise Strangebrew.

Ok I'll sit back and watch the show.

The only explaination for the healthy development

is total TLC.I pop off the bottom fronds as soon as they wilt and......the odd dump of hydro chemicals does marvels around the whole garden.

Waste not want not.