Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Madagascar
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Broadleaf evergreen
-
Number of Varieties
403
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical areas
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 21, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Olive, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Red, Olive, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Olive, Gray Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water occasionally
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Headache, Healing, Sore Eyes
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Air freshner, Showy Purposes
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
DRACAENA marginata
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Madagascar Dragon Tree
River Birch
In Hindi
Dracaena marginata
River Birch
In German
Dracaena marginata
Fluss Birch
In French
Dracaena marginata
Birch river
In Spanish
Dracaena marginata
river Birch
In Greek
Dracaena marginata
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
marginata do Dracaena
river Birch
In Polish
Dracena marginata
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Dracaena marginata
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Liliales
Fagales
Family
Agavaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Dracaena
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻