Often known as dragon timber, Dracaena vegetation are common houseplants which can be pretty straightforward to take care of. Though Dracaena vegetation don’t endure from too many issues, they will often endure from pests and illnesses. On this article, I’ll look at 10 frequent Dracaena plant pests and illnesses and how you can take care of them.
Widespread Dracaena Pests & Ailments – Key Takeaways
Dracaena vegetation are susceptible to varied pests, together with aphids, spider mites, and scale bugs. Widespread illnesses that infect Dracaena vegetation embrace root rot and leaf spot illnesses. Remove pests utilizing horticultural oils and insecticidal cleaning soap. Sort out fungal illnesses utilizing natural copper fungicides.
10 Widespread Dracaena Pests and Ailments:
1) Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats are annoying pests that may plague nearly any houseplant, together with Dracaena vegetation. Fungus gnats are small black or brown flies that lay tons of of eggs in houseplant soil. The larvae burrow below the soil and eat roots, which may harm and even kill your vegetation.
Remove grownup gnats utilizing sticky traps to stop them from laying eggs. I additionally like to make use of bottle tops crammed with almond oil to kill grownup gnats. To do away with the larvae, substitute the primary inch or two of the soil with nice grit or sand.
2) Mealybugs
Mealybugs are small sap-sucking bugs with white, cotton-like our bodies. You possibly can spot mealybugs pretty simply on the leaves or stems of affected vegetation. Different signs of mealybug infestations embrace clumps of white eggs and black, sooty mould brought on by deposits of sugary honeydew. Mealybugs are extra prevalent in heat climates indoors or in greenhouses.
3) Scale Bugs
Scale bugs are frequent houseplant pests that feed on plant sap. Scale bugs can both have armored or soft-shelled our bodies. As they feed, scale bugs deposit honeydew, which may result in black, sooty mould. Different signs of scale insect infestations embrace deposits of eggs or giant clumps of scale bugs.
4) Spider Mites
Spider mites are one other frequent sap-sucking pest that continuously targets houseplants. As they feed, these arachnids depart behind brown or yellow spots on affected leaves. Spider mites additionally create seen webs over their eggs to guard them. Crops which can be affected by spider mite infestations usually have yellow leaves and stunted progress.
5) Thrips
Thrips are annoying pests with slender brown our bodies that feed on leaves, stems, and flowers. Though they will’t fly nicely, thrips are nonetheless a giant drawback for Dracaena vegetation. As they feed, thrips trigger leaf discoloration, with affected leaves turning boring inexperienced with silver-white patches. If thrips are attacking your plant, it may endure from severely stunted progress.
6) Aphids
Though Dracaena vegetation are often grown as houseplants, you possibly can develop them outside in USDA Zones 9 to 11. Nonetheless, this could depart your Dracaena vegetation on the mercy of aphids. These frequent pests are small black or inexperienced bugs that feed on plant sap.
Aphids are usually seen on the leaves or alongside the stems of infested vegetation. Different signs of aphid infestations embrace curling leaves, stunted progress, and deposits of honeydew or sooty, black mould.
7) Fungal Leaf Spot
Leaf spot is a typical fungal illness that may assault Dracaena vegetation indoors or outside. There are a number of leaf spot illnesses, with the most typical being fusarium leaf spot. Signs of leaf spot illness embrace reddish-brown spots with yellow edges. These spots often seem in direction of the bottom of younger leaves.
8) Root Rot
Nearly any houseplant can endure from root rot is one other frequent fungal illness. Root rot is often brought on by overwatering, which leaves the soil waterlogged. This could rot the roots, turning them brown, mushy, and smelly. Yellowing leaves are one other symptom of root rot.
In case your Dracaena plant is affected by root rot, take away it from its pot and examine the roots. Minimize off any rotting roots and repot the plant. Select a soil combine that gives good drainage. To keep away from root rot, solely water your Dracaena plant at any time when the highest 3 or 4 inches of soil really feel dry.
9) Mushy Rot
Mushy rot is one other fungal illness that may have an effect on Dracaena vegetation. Sadly, there isn’t a remedy for smooth rot, so contaminated vegetation ought to be disposed of. Mushy rot is brought on by the Erwinia carotovorum fungus.
Signs embrace brown, mushy spots on the roots which have a foul odor. The decrease leaves of your Dracaena plant might also fall off.
10) Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is a typical illness that may have an effect on Dracaena vegetation, particularly these rising outside or in greenhouses. Signs of powdery mildew embrace patches of white mould on the leaves and curling foliage. Contaminated vegetation may also develop yellow leaves that fall off.
Pesticide and Insecticide Choices & Options
Horticultural Oils
Horticultural oils are a great way of eliminating pests akin to aphids and spider mites. Neem oil and mineral oil (Amazon hyperlinks) are two of probably the most generally used horticultural oils. These merchandise remove pests by basically dehydrating and suffocating the offending bugs.
Insecticidal Cleaning soap
Insecticidal cleaning soap is one other good way of eliminating Dracaena plant pests like thrips or scale bugs. These soaps are often accessible as sprays, like this one. In case you can’t get insecticidal cleaning soap, you should use a mixture of dish cleaning soap and water. Nonetheless, insecticidal cleaning soap is all the time simpler.
Copper Sprays
Copper sprays are natural fungicides that remove fungal illnesses with out the adversarial results of artificial merchandise. Apply copper spray fungicides as soon as each one or two weeks to remove illnesses like powdery mildew and fusarium leaf spot. Considered one of my favourite copper sprays is Bonide Captain Jack’s copper fungicide.
Artificial Fungicides
In case you don’t have some other choice, use artificial fungicides like this one to remove fungal illnesses. Nonetheless, these merchandise will be fairly highly effective, so use them sparingly.
Find out how to Use Pesticides and Pesticides for Dracaena Crops
Though pesticides and pesticides are efficient, you possibly can often sort out pests and illnesses with out resorting to those merchandise. Many sap-sucking pests like aphids will be dislodged both with a humid material or with a fast blast from a hose.
In case you do want to make use of pesticides or pesticides, select the fitting one for the actual drawback that you simply’re coping with. When making use of these merchandise to your Dracaena plant, all the time observe the directions on the label.
Nonetheless, the best strategy to shield your Dracaena plant from illnesses and pests is prevention. Offering your Dracaena plant with the fitting care helps it struggle off pests and illnesses.
Managing Pests and Ailments
Though pesticides and pesticides work, prevention is all the time one of the best ways to guard your Dracaena plant from pests and illnesses. Robust, wholesome Dracaena vegetation are much less prone to illnesses and might struggle off most pests.
Place your Dracaena plant someplace that will get loads of shiny, oblique daylight. The best place is roughly 3 ft away from an east or south-facing window. Keep medium to excessive humidity ranges and heat temperatures between 65 and 78ºF.
Water your Dracaena vegetation at any time when the highest 3 or 4 inches of rising medium feels dry. This helps keep away from overwatering, which may result in fungal illnesses like root rot. All the time use a free, well-draining soil combine that accommodates loads of vitamins.
Dracaena Plant Pests and Ailments – Wrapping Up
Though Dracaena vegetation aren’t liable to issues, they will nonetheless be affected by illnesses and pests. Widespread Dracaena plant pests embrace aphids, fungus gnats, and thrips. Widespread illnesses embrace leaf spot and root rot. Use horticultural oils or insecticidal cleaning soap to do away with pests. Deal with illnesses utilizing natural copper fungicides.
For extra, see our in-depth information to Dragon plant care at dwelling.
Edd is a budding content material author and gardener residing in the UK. He has a bachelor’s diploma in Artistic and Skilled Writing and has written for a number of gardening publications on-line. He’s captivated with nature and sustainability with a give attention to gardening and wildlife.
