Janet Craig Dracaena – Dracaena deremensis

Common Name: Janet Craig Dracaena, Warneckii Dracaena, Marnecki Dracaena

Botanical Name: Dracaena deremensis, dra-SEE-na der-e-MEN-sis

Decorative Life: Years.

Availability: Year Round

Storage/transport duration varies greatly among species and cultivars. For example, this dracaena can only be stored/shipped for only a few days with little loss in quality whereas D. fragrans and D. surulosa can withstand up to 28 days of transport in the dark. Make sure that roots are adequate at time of harvest, namely, they are visible at the outside of the root ball and they look healthy.

• Member of the Agavaceae (agave family).
• Native to tropical Africa.
• Common relatives include yucca, tuberose, pony tail, flax and ti-plant.

• Leaves mostly narrow and long.
• Plant is classified as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined.
• Stems may lose lower leaves as they grow, creating a tufted appearance.

Chill sensitive, store above 55 degrees F. Does well if transported in 7 days or less at 50-60F.

• Dracaena: Greek for female dragon; the juice when thickened is supposed to resemble dragon’s blood.
• The agave family is important for fiber.
• The term “notching” is used to refer to a disorder where slits appear at the base of ‘Warneckii’ leaves. Another disorder called “netting” can occur which is the formation of new yellow leaves with transverse green veins. The precise causes of these disorders have not been documented.
• Will generally grow well in light levels bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort.
• If grown in Florida, plants should have been produced under 60-70% shade. Grown under lower light levels, plants are better adapted for the commonly encountered lower light levels when placed indoors.

Poole and Conover (1993) stored ‘Janet Craig’ and ‘Warneckii’ at 36-46F from 1-4 days and subsequently noted within a few days dead lower leaves and dark water-soaked areas, respectively. As summarized by Brown (1988) of the work by Wolverton et al. (numerous years), this is one of many foliage and flowering plant species that can remove air pollutants such as formaldehyde and/or benzene often found in cigarette smoke from interior environments.