--- title: "My beloved corn plant that I’ve had for over 50 years… (Yes, over 50…" description: "My beloved corn plant that I’ve had for over 50 years… (Yes, over 50 years!), has sustained damage that is irreparable, and it’s my fault! I was under the…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/lv8CbRIaM0yiShLRiJfR1J" community: "Anything about plants" author: "Lynda" published: "2025-04-23T21:49:00.124047Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ogsS0GJIvWBzx7CvItnCsicGb0YTD2umkWf-CRAbvzU/Vf08CzW6QEKab701Tx_YEQ.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Anything about plants](https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg.md) # My beloved corn plant that I’ve had for over 50 years… (Yes, over 50… _Posted by Lynda on 2025-04-23_ My beloved corn plant that I’ve had for over 50 years… (Yes, over 50 years!), has sustained damage that is irreparable, and it’s my fault! I was under the impression that these plants like to dry out before being watered again, and I don’t water her until she is very dry, which was what I thought she needed. So I started re-investigating watering for this particular plant, and Planta says that Dracaenas are considered moderate drinkers. I am sick at heart, because I have let her get very dry before I have watered her. Now she is showing brown dry tips on her beautiful leaves. PLEASE TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT THIS PLANT’S WATER NEEDS ARE. TIA! ![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ogsS0GJIvWBzx7CvItnCsicGb0YTD2umkWf-CRAbvzU/Vf08CzW6QEKab701Tx_YEQ.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ogsS0GJIvWBzx7CvItnCsicGb0YTD2umkWf-CRAbvzU/jFzCaNSeTUOx8AfF7pof_A.webp?size=large) ![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/ogsS0GJIvWBzx7CvItnCsicGb0YTD2umkWf-CRAbvzU/foYiqPczTVCXQtqQ8_7frg.webp?size=large) ## 7 comments ### Kasey B. commented on 2025-04-23 I am NO expert on Dracaenas but I want to help because, 50 years! Have you replanted it recently or looked to see if roots are coming out the bottom. Or you could see if there’s any root rot happening. If there is root rot. I would cut off all the rotten squishy parts and reprop! I’m sorry! #### Kasey B. replied on 2025-04-23 But first and foremost, it still looks good! Just keep an eye! #### Lynda replied on 2025-04-25 Thanks so much! ### KJM commented on 2025-04-23 Keep it evenly moist during the growing season and reduce watering a little in the winter. They do not like cold or warm drafts. They like bright but indirect light and higher humidity than average. If you've kept it alive for 50 years you couldn't have been doing that bad. I have a striped dracena that I've had for quite a long time. It grew to about 6 ft and bloomed! I was quite surprised and it was very fragrant. When it became unmanageable I chopped it and propagated the tops to give to my kids and kept the base plant. It rejuvenated and grew back to about 6ish feet and I just recently chopped it back again. Haven't had it 50 years but still maybe 20. #### Lynda replied on 2025-04-27 Thanks, a ‘mil for your great reply! It’s pretty obvious you know a lot about these plants. Would you hazard a guess as to the percentage of soil moisture these “corn plants” like, since you mentioned these plants like to remain evenly moist during the summer? Before Planta, I would just water all of my plants once a week, including my dracaena, but now that I’m more task oriented, I’ve developed a pretty strict, and hopefully knowledgeable plan for each of my plants. Unfortunately, for some reason, I thought that my “corn plant” wanted to be dry, to the extent that I planted four ZzZzs around her base. Now I’m looking at leaves with brown tips, and it really upsets me to have caused such harm to my dear old friend. I have topped her several times, and in fact, one of the tops is growing in her pot and has added some nice fullness to her base. I guess I will have to spend some time trying to artfully cut those brown tips off. Oh well, we all live and learn, don’t we? Again, TXS for your help! ### Logan the planter commented on 2025-04-25 Is it a dracaenas or a corn plant if corn plant water every 3 days if dracaenas IDK hope it survives (because 50 years) ### KJM commented on 2025-04-27 A corn plant is Dracenea fragrans. --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_