Dracaena Fragrans Grafting?

Question

Our office Dracaena Fragrans (called Wilson) is not healthy looking. The stalk of the plant is beige, woody and completely dried out. Once it was cut (before my time) a new stalk developed. This is also turning beige at the bottom.

Is there a way of transplanting the healthy portion and growing roots on the appendage of the original dead woody stalk? (perhaps something like a Dieffenbachia plant, which you can graft to grow new roots)

Answer 1

Yes, in good light the Mass Cane, or Dracaena massangea as it is also called propagates readily without grafting.

If the stem has died you take a sharp knife or sequiteur and cut off the healthy portion. All of the methods below have worked for me:

• if the stem is over six inches you can plunge it into a soil less mix and provide light and water
• stems also root readily in water in a jar. When the roots are three inches long or so move to a soil less mix
• placing the stem in a rooting medium such as moist perlite or vermiculite and moving to a soil less mix

Rooting in water in bright diffuse light is very practical and foolproof as long as the cutting is in good shape.