Corn plant

Dracaena fragrans

Toxic to pets☀ Low–bright indirectEasy care

Check in 8 days· Jul 21

Estimated check date; water when the top 2 in. are dry.

Every 10 daysLast watered: 2026-07-11

This is a soil-check date, not an automatic watering date.

Overview

Summary, origin & habitat: A slow-growing evergreen shrub from tropical Africa, widely used as a houseplant and commercial interiorscape plant. The tall cane and arching foliage resemble a corn stalk.
Interesting facts: Sensitive to fluoride and accumulated salts. Filtered, distilled or rainwater may reduce chronic brown leaf tips.
Name story: Dracaena comes from Greek drakaina, “female dragon.” Fragrans refers to the sweetly fragrant flowers. “Corn plant” describes the cane and leaf arrangement.
History & legends: A long-established interiorscape plant with many named cultivars. The broader Dracaena name has old associations with “dragon” plants, although the famous red dragon’s-blood resin comes from other species.

Light: Bright to moderate filtered light; tolerates lower light. Direct hot sun can burn leaves.
Temperature: Best at 70–80°F (21–27°C); keep above 50°F (10°C).
Watering: Estimated check date; water when the top 2 in. are dry.
Fertilizing: Monthly at ½ strength in spring–summer. Little or none in winter; flush the pot periodically to limit salt buildup.
Toughness: High
Difficulty: Easy
Maintenance: Low
Maintenance notes: Tolerates ordinary indoor conditions. Brown tips may come from low humidity, fluoride or fertilizer salts.

Mature height: Commonly 4–6 ft indoors; compact cultivars 3–6 ft
Mature spread: About 2–3 ft indoors
Leaf colors: Green; many cultivars have lime, yellow, white or gray-green longitudinal stripes.
Leaf type / form: Long, strap-like to linear-lanceolate leaves arranged around a cane-like woody stem.
Best planting / repotting time: Year-round indoors; best repotted or cane-pruned in spring.
Bloom time: Rare and irregular indoors, usually only on mature plants.
Flower color: Creamy white clusters; strongly fragrant, especially at night.

Toxic if eaten?: Yes (pets)
Who is affected: Cats and dogs
Possible effects: Saponins may cause vomiting, drooling, appetite loss and lethargy; cats may develop dilated pupils.

Pruning: Cut a cane to the desired height in spring; new shoots usually form below the cut. Remove brown leaf tips by following the natural leaf shape.
Propagation: Stem or cane cuttings, including top cuttings and short cane sections.
Repotting: Repot when roots emerge from drainage holes or the plant lifts from the pot, usually every 2–3 years in spring.

Adaptation strategy: Shade-tolerant leaves function under a tropical forest canopy, while the cane stores reserves and allows the plant to resprout after pruning. Slow growth helps it persist in stable indoor environments.
Ecological application: Useful as an indoor floor plant and, in frost-free climates, as a screen, hedge or filler. Fragrant outdoor flowers may attract night-active pollinators.