Question
QUESTION: Hello - I live in the Hollywood Hills in CA and just recieved the LARGEST
Draceana that I've ever seen. I don't know it's history, but it must be 40 or so
years old, since the stump is almost a foot WIDE.  Anyway, it needs some TLC
and I need to put it outside, as it is about 17 feet tall or so.  Any suggestions as
of light, watering, in the ground, in a pot???  Any help would be appreciated. By
the way, most of the leaves are dying or close to it.  Thanks
ANSWER: Prentice,

Is this the draceana known as Dragon Tree or Draceana marginata?  I assume it is in a pot now. I would try to find out as much as possible about it's care in the last couple of years. If it is healthy treat it the same as it has been getting. If it is not healthy treat it the opposite. If you can get no history then plant it in the ground in a semi shady location in very sandy soil. Water it regularly and after a month give it a dose of fertilizer. If you have more questions feel free to write again.  Good luck.

Darlene

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Darlene:  Thank you for getting back to me.  It will be impossible for me
to find out the history.  It is in a 30 inch nusury pot. I do know that it was an
indoor plant as I saw the pot that this was inserted in.  It has lost most of it's
leave on most of it's branches.  When you say that it should be put in a semi
shady location, do you mean more shade than sun or more sun than shade.  
Also do you know how tall it will get?  I don't want to block my view.  I only
know this plant here in CALI as a "corn plant", so if you know the actual
name, that would be great to know too.  Thanks for all your help!   Prentice

Answer
Prentice,

Dracaena fragrans `Massangeana' is the latin name and now that I know the exact variety I can tell you it would be much better to keep it indoors. In or out it needs to be in a location with bright light but NO direct sun. It also needs to be out of the wind. It needs to be watered with water that has no flouride. Thhis plant hates flouride, it causes brown spots in the leavs. It also needs to gte very dry between waterings. It cannot stand to sit in a swamp so no water should be left in the drain tray. It can be drastically pruned. You can prune the top off in 3 foot sections, remove the lower leaves and dip the stalk in rooting hormone and insert it in a fresh pot of soil and treat it the same as the parent. Then you can cut off additional 3 foot sections of stalk, making sure you keep track of which end was toward the soil, dip that in rooting hormone and insert it in a fresh pot of soil. You can put 3-4 pieces in 1 12 inch pot. They should root with in a month. This is the best time of year to try to root cuttings. You can use this method to reduce the size of the plant down to as short as 3 foot tall and the old trunk will grow a new top. Just be very careful not to use water with flouride and do not water it until it is very dry. You can kill it fastest by overwatering. If you water has flouride you can let it sit in an open bucket for 48 hours before using it and the flouride will dissipate.

You might find the following websites interesting:
http://www.evergrowing.com/tips/cornplant.htm

http://www.botanical-online.com/flordacaenafragansangles.htm

If you have more questions feel free to write again. Good luck.

Darlene