Origin

The Corn Plant, orDracaena fragrans, is so-named because its leaves are said to resemble corn stalks, and the 'fragrans' part comes from the fact that, in the wild, this plant can produce strongly scented flowers (although it's very unlikely to produce flowers when kept as a house plant).

They're from tropical East Africa, and first became popular in Europe in the 1800s. They took a little longer to catch on in the US, but were common houseplants there too by the 1900s.

It's quite common to see them being used as office plants, as they're quite easy care and make impressive focal points, especially as they can grow quite large (around 6ft or 1.8 m).

Care

Like most plants from the Dracaena family, Corn Plants are easy to care for and can tolerate quite a bit of neglect before they start to look unhappy.

They don't need too much water and can be allowed to dry out between waterings.

However, note that Corn Plants are very sensitive to fluoride and can get spots from it, so if possible water it with filtered water and / or rainwater.

They're pretty chill when it comes to lighting conditions too, and can adapt to a number of different light levels. Ideally, you should keep yours in part sun, part shade, but it should be just fine in lower light conditions also. If you place yours in too much direct sunlight, its leaves can become scorched, leading to some unsightly brown markings.

Browning of the leaf tips / edges can also be a consequence of overly dry air, so you may want to try boosting the humidity by misting. Make sure your plant is also kept away from AC units, as this can quickly dry it out. Another easy way to boost humidity is to group plants together so they can 'share the air', so to speak!

Other

These plants grow gradually, producing a thick, trunk-like cane (or stem) and long narrow leaves, earning them the nickname 'False Palm' due to their resemblance to palm trees.

They come in a few different varieties which show different leaf colors (mostly combinations of green, yellow or white) and patterning / color positioning.

It is said that as long ago as 10,000 BC, native tribes used Corn Plants as a way to mark sacred sites, and they were thought to symbolise good fortune.

As well as being a lovely decorative plant that can suit a number of different home decor styles, Corn Plants also work as air purifiers. So, not only do they look good in your home, but they also help to cleanse the air of toxins.