- Dracaena marginata
Taxobox
name = "Dracaena marginata"
image_width = 240px
regnum =Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =Liliopsida
ordo =Asparagales
familia =Ruscaceae
genus = "Dracaena"
species = "D. marginata"
binomial = "Dracaena marginata"
binomial_authority = Lam."Dracaena marginata" (Madagascar Dragon Tree or Red Edged Dracaena) is a
flowering plant in the familyRuscaceae , native toMadagascar . It is a slow-growingshrub or smalltree , eventually reaching heights of 2-5 m. The leaves are linear, 30-90 cm long and 2-7 cm broad, tapering to an acuminate point.Cultivation and uses
It is a popular
houseplant that needs little attention, with severalcultivar s available with the leaves variegated with red or pale yellow. It requires a minimum temperature of 15 °C (59 °F), and is more tolerant than most plants of dry soil and irregular watering, though liable to root decay in permanently wet soil. Because it requires minimal care it is very popular in offices where the constant heat and light suits their growing requirements.It has been widely confused with other species of "Dracaena", and many or most of the plants in cultivation under this name may actually be "D. cincta" or "D. concinna" (Huxley 1992).
It is one of the plants used in the
NASA Clean Air Study and has shown to help removeformaldehyde .cite web|url=http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/ssctrs.ssc.nasa.gov/foliage_air/foliage_air.pdf|title=Foliage Plants for Removing Indoor Air Pollutants from Energy-efficient Homes|author=B. C. Wolverton, Rebecca C. McDonald, and E. A. Watkins, Jr|accessdate=2007-05-03]"D. marginata" is very susceptible to fluoride toxicity. It usually cannot tolerate direct sunlight even though the plants enjoy high light situations the best. However, almost any light level will do.Fact|date=April 2008
References
*Huxley, A. (1992). "New RHS Dictionary of Gardening" 2: 96-97. Macmillan.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
