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I have three Mass Cane Dracaena Fragrans Massangeana plants in the same, fairly large, pot (with drainage) that I water once a week. It sits in a 71 degree temp room with a fair amount of indirect light.

I just realized today that the smallest of my 3 corn plants has a head that is completely dead. The bottom leaves started turning yellow a few days ago and now the head/steam has become mushy and has turned completely sideways due to the weight of the leaves. Any ideas?

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The smallest cane is dead and should be removed by twisting the stem until it comes out cleanly.

The way these plants are grown and, perhaps, a bit of overwatering is the cause.

There are large farms in Costa Rica where these plants grow as single stem trees up to forty or fifty feet tall. To harvest them they are cut down and chainsawed into lengths that will go into a shipping container to Florida. There they are cut again into the lengths you see and grown on.

So the cane in your plant that is dead has been shaded by the other canes who probably have a better root system. That combined with watering weekly for these plants when they are not well established is probably too much and root rot set in.

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  • What are the repercussions if I don't remove the stalk/stem, in hopes that it rebounds. I ask because I am hopeful it is not completely dead as the stalk is firm and there is another smaller head on it that appears healthy. I will move to watering every two weeks
    – S1r-Lanzelot
    Jul 11, 2019 at 12:38
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    It may survive and bud out new growth at the base. These plants seem to die from the top down. No harm in leaving it.
    – kevinskio ♦
    Jul 11, 2019 at 12:45

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