Love your Dragon Tree and wish you had a few more to go around? You’re in luck! Not only are these plants super easy to care for, but they’re also incredibly simple to propagate. Whether you want to fill your home with greenery or give a plant as a gift, here is everything you need to know to get started.
Ways to Propagate
Technically, there are three ways to grow a new Dragon Tree:
- Using stem cuttings
- From a flower
- From seeds
Since Dragon Trees rarely bloom indoors and starting from seed requires sourcing specific seeds, we’re going to focus on propagation via cuttings. It’s the easiest method, and you can do it any time of year!
Taking Your Cuttings
To get cuttings, you’ll need to prune your plant. Most Dragon Tree owners find that a trim every two years or so helps keep the plant looking its best and prevents it from getting too leggy. This is the perfect time to harvest your cuttings! While you can take a cutting whenever you like, remember that pruning is a bit of a “surgery” for the plant. It’s best to do this in the spring so the mother plant and the new cuttings can take advantage of the warmer weather and active growing season.
Make sure to use a sharp, clean knife or pruning shears to avoid crushing the stem. Make a clean, horizontal cut at your desired height. For the best results, your cuttings should be between 6 and 12 inches long. Pro tip: Mark which end is the top and which is the bottom! If you plant them upside down, they won’t grow. To help the mother plant heal, you can seal the cut on the main trunk with a little candle wax or charcoal dust to keep pests and fungi away.
Rooting Your Cuttings
Now for the exciting part: getting those roots to grow! You have two main options here.
Rooting in Water
Find a glass or jar and fill it with lukewarm water. Place your cutting in (right side up!) and find a bright, warm spot in your home. Just make sure it’s not sitting in direct, scorching sunlight. After about a month, you should see the first roots appearing. Once they look established, you can plant the cutting upright in a pot with good soil. From there, the roots will start doing their job of soaking up water and nutrients.
Rooting in Soil
You can also root your cuttings directly in a seed-starting mix. The soil should be moist but low in nutrients. For success, try to keep the soil temperature around 77°F (25°C) and maintain high humidity. You can create a mini-greenhouse effect by covering the pot with a clear plastic bag or a humidity dome. Just be sure to “air it out” every day or so to prevent mold. After about a month, roots should be formed, and your young Dragon Tree will be ready for a larger pot with standard potting soil.
The Bottom Line: Anyone Can Do It!
Propagating a Dragon Tree isn’t rocket science—it just takes a little bit of courage to make that first cut. Follow these tips, and before you know it, you’ll have a whole family of beautiful plants to enjoy. Happy planting!
