Propagating Dracaena Is Easier Than You Think—Here's How to Do It

Taking care of dracaena, Dracaena spp., a popular genus of tropical houseplants, includes occasional pruning and pruning provides an opportunity for propagation. Dracaena grow as canes or tall stems with bottom leaves that die back and drop off, leaving foliage to flourish at the top.

Some types take on a palm-like appearance while others look best pruned for a bushier look. Dracaena is toxic to cats and dogs.

Can You Propagate a Dracaena?

Several methods are used to propagate dracaena. Canes can be topped (cut back) on plants with a leggy, bare look, and rooted in soil or water. Experienced gardeners may want to try air layering, a process that’s a little trickier but gives good results.

Top Cutting

Top cutting is the easiest and most common method for propagating dracaena. The top 4 to 6 inches of a tall cane with leaves are removed and rooted in soil or water. Long canes also can be removed and cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces to root as stump cuttings. Collect a sharp, sterile knife or hand pruner, houseplant potting mix, moss or vermiculite, and pots with drainage holes, or a clear glass. 

1. Remove the top 4 to 6 inches of a tall cane, cutting just below a leaf node. 
2. Treat both cuts with hydrogen peroxide or other antiseptic to discourage disease and pests, if desired.
3. Remove or trim all but two or three sets of leaves at the top. 
4. Mix a handful of moss or vermiculite into houseplant potting mix and fill a 4- to 6-inch container. 
5. Make a deep, narrow hole in the center. 
6. Insert cutting into the hole and firm soil to keep it upright.
7. Place in a warm (70 to 80°F) location with bright indirect, light. 
8. Check for new root growth by gently tugging on the cutting. Resistance indicates roots are present. 

Stump Cuttings

Stump cuttings are lengths of a long cane cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces each with several nodes.

1. Remove the top 4 to 6 inches with foliage from a long cane and divide the remainder into 3- to 4-inch pieces each with several leaf nodes. 
2. Fill a pot or pots with houseplant potting soil. 
3. Lay the stem pieces (stumps) on their sides on top of the soil and cover lightly with potting mix.
4. Place in a warm (70 to 80°F ) location with bright indirect light and keep soil moist. 
5. New green growth above the soil line indicates roots have grown. 

Top Cuttings in Water

Dracaena propagates easily in water. All you need is your cutting tool and a clear glass of clean water.

1. Make your cuts according to the directions above severing the plant just below a leaf node or at the junction of a side stem and the main stump. 
2. Remove or trim lower leaves and place the cutting in a clear glass of clean water. 
3. Refresh the water every four to five days or when it gets cloudy. 
4. Keep the cutting in a spot with bright indirect light. 
5. Wait until several roots are present and at least an inch long before transplanting into soil.  

Air Layering

Air layering is an option that is not difficult to learn. You’ll be coaxing the mother plant into growing a new plant that already has roots. You'll need a small sharp knife or razor blade, sphagnum or ‘orchid’ moss, plastic wrap, and ties or clips. Here’s how to do it. 

1. Choose a spot on the main cane the distance from the top that equals the desired length for your new plant. 
2. Use a razor blade or small knife to make a wound about 1/2 inch wide around the circumference of the cane. Scrape away just the bark and avoid cutting too deep.
3. Dust the wound with rooting hormone. This is optional.
4. Wrap dampened moss around the wound. 
5. Cover the moss with plastic and secure it with ties or clips. 
6. Remove the plastic and mist the moss to keep it moist, as needed.
7. Replace wrappings until several roots are at least an inch long.
8. Cut the cane below the roots and transplant it into potting mix. 

How Long It Takes a Dracaena Propagation to Root

Stem cuttings in water generally root in as little as two weeks, but can take up to eight weeks. Top cuttings root in soil in four to ten weeks and air layering may take up to three months. The best way to propagate depends on the type of dracaena and the age of the plant. Consistently warm temperatures give faster results. Propagating in winter takes cuttings longer to root.

Dracaena Propagation Tips

• Dracaena propagates best in spring and summer when plants are actively growing.
• Dracena roots well on its own however you may choose to use rooting hormone. 
• For small cuttings, try covering pots with plastic to create a greenhouse effect. Remove plastic once roots form or you see new green growth on the cutting. 
• Stem cuttings rooted in water and by air layering are most vulnerable to transplant shock. Try to keep conditions identical to those of the mother plant and reuse the same potting medium whenever possible. 
• Several cuttings can be rooted together in a larger pot spaced evenly 3 to 4 inches apart.