Dragon TreeDracaena draco

£5.95£8.95

Origin Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira, Morocco
Type Shrub
Soil Any
Watering

Watering Frequency Minimal
Sunlight

Suitable for Bonsai

No

Min. Temperature

5 °C

H1c Temperate

The Dragon Tree is a sub-tropical plant that is native to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Madeira and Morocco. It is not a true tree; it is in fact a type of asparagus! (You can’t eat it though). It is considered endangered in the wild.

It is a slow growing plant that can reach a height of well over 12 metres (40 feet). It is also long-lived; the oldest known specimen is about 300 years old.

The Dragon Tree has a single stem with a branching crown and aerial roots that grow down the stem and into the soil. It looks a bit like a mushroom.

The leaves are blue green in colour and 60 cm long (23 inches) by 5 cm wide (2 inches). They are pointed at the ends.

The flowers are greenish white and grow from the crown on stalks. The fruits are orange-red berries.

The stem, branches and leaves contain the bright-red resin Dragon’s Blood, which has a number of commercial uses. It is used to make varnish, incense and dyes, and also for its medicinal properties. Dragon’s Blood is also used in ritual magick.

Fun Fact

  • The Dragon Tree is the national symbol of Tenerife. The native Guanches people used to have a sacred Dragon Tree that was 21 metres tall (70 feet) and supposedly 6,000 years old, but it was destroyed by a storm in 1868

Safety Precautions

  • We advise against using this plant for medicinal purposes
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