Several years ago I purchased a plant that looked like a tree trunk . Leaves sprouted out from the sides and the top had a wax covering that needed to be scraped off. The leaves are dark green and long with a pointed end. However the leaves started to turn black and eventually dropped off. It no longer produces leaves and is just a dried looking trunk. Before I toss it, does anyone know what it is and if it can be revived?
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Welcome to the site! For identification questions, it's helpful if you can attach a picture -- if you don't have enough reputation yet, you can post the picture elsewhere on the web and leave a link in a comment -- someone will edit your post to include the photo.– bstpierreSep 26, 2012 at 19:26
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1 Answer
Sounds like an ex Dracaena of some kind, sometimes called Ti tree. If you take an old cane from a mature Dracaena, and plant it in compost, leaves sprout at the top once roots form. Yours, though, sounds as if it was grafted, if it had a wax covering at the top. A photo of it whilst it still had leaves, even blackened leaves, may have helped with proper ID.
To tell whether it's completely dead or not, scrape away a bit of the bark with your fingernail in a few places - if it's brown and dry beneath, it's like the proverbial dodo, but if it's moist and greenish, then there's hope.
