Dracaena pearsonii
| Light | Bright light to full sun; tolerates some shade but colours up best with strong light |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly; let the soil dry fully between waterings, keep nearly dry in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining, gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Warmth-loving; keep above about 10 °C, no frost |
| Propagation | Division of offsets; leaf cuttings (see Propagation — offsets, Propagation — cuttings) |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic if eaten (saponins); keep away from pets and children |
Dracaena pearsonii is a clumping, succulent snake plant native to southern Africa, widely grown and traded under the nursery name rhino grass. It forms dense clusters of stiff, upright, cylindrical leaves that often take on a reddish or coppery tint in strong light, giving established clumps a distinctive grassy, tinted appearance. Like the other snake plants it was long placed in the genus Sansevieria, but that group is now folded into Dracaena.
Description
Dracaena pearsonii grows as an offsetting fan of rigid, roughly cylindrical (terete) leaves that taper to a hard point. The leaves are channelled or grooved down one face and stand more or less upright, usually banded with faint darker crosswise markings on a grey-green base. Under bright light and lean, dry conditions the leaf tips and edges flush a warm red-brown, distinguishing it from greener, softer-growing relatives.
The plant spreads by short underground rhizomes, steadily building up a tight clump of many heads rather than a single large fan. Mature clumps can throw a slender flower spike of small, pale, tubular blooms, though the plant is grown almost entirely for its foliage and form.
Distribution and habitat
The species occurs in southern Africa, in seasonally dry woodland and rocky, well-drained ground where it endures long dry spells and strong sun. In habitat it grows in lean, gritty soils, often in the light shade of shrubs, and relies on its thick, water-storing leaves to carry it through drought.
Cultivation
Dracaena pearsonii is an easy, forgiving plant that asks mainly for warmth, sun and restraint with the watering can. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix and give it as much light as you can — bright light to full sun brings out the reddish tones and keeps growth compact, while too little light leaves the plant plain green and lax. Water thoroughly only once the soil has dried right through, and cut back sharply in winter, when a cool, nearly dry rest suits it best.
Overwatering — especially in a heavy mix or an oversized pot — is by far the most common cause of trouble. The plant is happy to be pot-bound and only needs repotting when the clump has crowded its container. See Watering for general technique.
Propagation
The simplest method is division: lift a crowded clump and separate rooted offsets, each with a few leaves, then pot them up and keep them on the dry side until they re-establish (see Propagation — offsets). Snake plants can also be grown from leaf cuttings — a leaf or leaf section is left to callus, then set upright in gritty mix until it roots (see Propagation — cuttings). Note that, as with many snake plants, cuttings taken from selected or variegated forms often revert to the plain type, so division is the better choice where you want to keep a particular clone true.
Common problems
- Rot — soft, browning or collapsing leaves almost always trace back to overwatering or a slow-draining mix, particularly over a cool winter.
- Loss of colour — in dim conditions the leaves stay plain green and grow soft and floppy instead of stiff and tinted; move the plant to brighter light.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the leaf grooves and bases) and the occasional spider mite are the usual offenders; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Dracaena — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings · Pests and diseases