Complete Care Guide: Dracaena Jade Jewel
Complete Care Guide: Dracaena Jade Jewel
In this article, you'll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
This is a relatively new cultivar to hit the horticultural scene, but it's a stunner! It's usually sold as a very small juvenile plant, just a whorl of gorgeous white-and-jade striped leaves, but like any other Dracaena fragrans, the lower leaves will eventually fall off to reveal a thin trunk. Because it's actually a type of tree, it's recommended to occasionally prune it as it grows, to encourage branching.
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Common Name(s) |
Dracaena Jade Jewel, Jade Corn Plant, Jade Jewel |
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Botanical Name |
Dracaena fragrans 'Jade Jewel' |
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Botanical Family |
Asparagaceae, the Asparagus family (yes, really) |
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Mature Size |
Very very large -- this is a tree! |
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Lighting |
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Watering |
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Humidity |
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Soil Mix |
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Flowers |
Extremely rare indoors, not showy |
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Hardiness |
Tropical - keep above 10C/50F |
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Native Region |
Tropical Africa (wild type) |
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Toxicity |
Mildly toxic to pets and people! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
Draceana Jade Jewel is a whorl of long, straplike leaves, a rich deep jade colour with a central stripe of white, itself with a central stripe of a lighter, creamier green. This is a cultivar of the common "corn plant" -- the same species, just a different variety.
Remember as it grows that this is also called a dragon tree!
Lighting
Dracaena Jade Jewel does well in most lighting situations, though it's happiest with medium-bright light! That will make sure that you bring out the nice white stripes that really make it pop. If you need to fill a low-light space in your home, though, it'll survive!
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Here's where Dracaenas like the Jade Jewel are a bit of an enigma -- they're close relatives of the common Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata), which need to dry out all the way between waterings... but the Dracaena Jade Jewel, while it can dry out pretty much all the way between waterings, actually prefers to be kept somewhat moist! You can let it dry out a bit between waterings, but don't let it dry out all the way.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Bonus: because they exist in a range of habitats in the wild, Dracaena Jade Jewel doesn't really care too much about humidity -- it prefers higher, as do most leafy plants, but they're perfectly content in average household humidity as well.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
This is a pretty unassuming plant as far as soil goes -- remember that it's truly terrestrial, though, so chunkiness isn't as needed as it is for some others! Well-draining soil is a plus, as always, but it needs some moisture retention as well.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don't know why you're adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
This is a cultivar of the common corn plant, Dracaena fragrans! There are many different cultivars, including 'Massageana', 'Lemon Lime', and more.
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks and keep it moist, and you'll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
There really aren't very many common issues with Dracaena Jade Jewel -- the most common is browning of the leaves from pests or watering issues!
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn't known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest, though!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dracaena Jade Jewel easy to find?
While ultimately the answer to this question is always that it depends on your area, Jade Jewels will likely not be super easy to find outside of specialty garden centres. You're far more likely to find its cousin, the Lemon Lime!
Why are my leaves yellowing?
If the leaves of your Dracaena Jade Jewel are yellowing uniformly, that's almost always a symptom of overwatering! Repot immediately into fresh, dry soil, and then leave a bit more time between waterings moving forward.