Origin

The Song of India plant (Dracaena reflexa) is a colorful addition to the Dracaena genus, known for its stripey green and yellow leaves and whorl-shaped growing pattern.

Its name refers to the fact that it is native to a number of different islands in the Indian Ocean, including Madagascar, Mozambique and Mauritius.

This type of Dracaena was first described by the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1786, and has been used as a houseplant for hundreds of years!

Care

Like other Dracaenas, Song of India is fairly tolerant of a bit of neglect every now and then. They like to be kept warm - don't let the temperature drop below 65 °F (18 °C) as cold temperatures can be fatal for this plant.

Place it somewhere with plenty of bright, indirect light. Too much direct, harsh sunlight can cause the leaves to become scorched, so you should protect it from full sun.

Additionally, if you notice the leaves starting to become brown and you know it's not due to sunburn, you may want to check on the humidity around your Song of India, as browning can be caused by dry air. It will appreciate being misted regularly, and you can further boost the humidity by placing it on a pebble tray.

Song of India prefers to have dry soil - it's definitely much easier to harm it by overwatering than underwatering. Allow the top layer of the soil to dry out in between waterings, and if you're ever unsure then it's better to hold off on watering.

Other

If your Song of India starts to drop its lower leaves, don't worry, this is totally normal! This plant will naturally shed its bottom leaves as it grows taller, just keep an eye out that it doesn't start to lose too many leaves.

Note that the best leaf color will come through when your Song of India gets plenty of light. If it starts to look a bit faded, try moving it to a brighter spot in your home.

In its natural environment, this plant can grow impressively tall - up to 18 feet (5.5 m)! Don't worry though, when grown as a houseplant their size is much more manageable. They won't exceed a height of around 6 feet (1.8 m), and they'll take many years to grow that tall.