Dracaena Deremensis Care Guide

Wilson The Dracaena Deremensis Warneckii

Also known as the corn plant. The corn plant is native to parts of West and East Africa.

LIGHTING 

Wilson is happy in all types of lighting. He is a particularly popular houseplant due to his tolerance of low light conditions. All plants need some natural light to live but Wilson will survive in a room with just one small window. Pair Wilson with another low light tolerant plant like Zoe (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) Sammy  (Sansevieria) and Foxy (Dieffenbachia) 

WATERING 

Wilson doesn’t need regular watering to thrive and can go a few weeks at a time without a drink. How often he will need water depends on how much light he receives. Always check the first few inches of soil and only water when they are bone dry. This may only be once every 2 weeks in the summer months. It’s best to keep Wilson on the drier side to avoid overwatering. Check out Wilson’s brother DRAKE THE DRACAENA GOLDEN COAST who is another species of corn plant.

HUMIDITY 

Wilson does not need a lot of humidity to survive. Mist his leaves weekly and then wipe with a dry cloth to remove any dust from his leaves. This will help him breathe a little easier.

TEMPERATURE 

Wilson is adaptable to his surroundings and can cope with temperatures between 15ºC-30ºC. Keep the room warmer than 12ºC and Wilson will be happy.

FERTILISER 

Wilson is a slower grower and will not need regular fertilising. Use a diluted fertiliser once or twice over the growth season(March-September). If placed in a dark part of the home, fertilising is not advised.

REPOTTING 

Wilson can spend many years in his original pot. He will only need repotting when his roots start sticking out of the drainage holes.

 

TROUBLESHOOTING 

Soft bottom trunk/yellow leaves/ brown leaves - These are signs of overwatering. Wilson prefers to be on the drier side and he may need to be repotted into fresh dry potting soil. Yellow leaves are also a sign of too much direct sunlight.

Drooping leaves - The drooping leaves are a sign that Wilson is not receiving enough light. He will tolerate most lighting conditions but needs to be placed in a room with one window. 

Browning crispy tips - This could be a bad reaction to tap water. Use filtered or rain water moving forward.

Browning tips - The browning tips for the most part is normal. Sometimes it can be a sign of under watering so it’s worth checking that the soil hasn’t completely dried out.

 

OUR TOP 3 CARE TIPS 

Top tip 1: He absorbs a lot of light through his leaves. Give his leaves a weekly clean to remove any dust. 

Top tip 2: Keep Wilson away from any pets or young children as he can be toxic if ingested. 

Top tip 3: If constant yellow spots or brown tips appear you should ‘leach’ his soil by running water through the soil to flush out any salt or mineral build up. Wait until the soil dries out and fertilise him. This can be done twice a year. 

wilson drake justin fortifying-houseplant-fertiliser peat-free-soil