Show me your

[bubba]

These Dr. Seusian looking shrubs to nearly trees are not as plentiful here as they seem to be in Mediteranean Climates but here is one I spied:

Please post yours. It is great to see these weird shrubs. Sorry to see mine is blurry.

[Breadfruit Bill]

Blurry Bubba, that is one fine lookin' spider plant. (I call em that cause they are always full of spiders) And that's a compliment coming from me, I am not a fan of the Draco's...

BTW, using a camera is a lot like shooting a gun, squeeze the trigger, don't pull it.

[sur4z]

Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando, Fl

[LJG]

Here is one of mine Bubba. I love these trees!

[BS Man about Palms]

Len, if you didn't have it buried in snow it would live longer...

[aussiearoids]

Rare tropical D.cantleyi , looks like its diseased , a common ploy to protect foliage.

The next one is a hybrid created in Cairns , parentage could have surculosa in it .

[aussiearoids]

Drac. thalioides is very vigorous here , needs some shade though .

This is a recent introduction , has very thin canes that ramble and root easily , heard it called Draceana 'Green Jade'

[aussiearoids]

More of the 'Green Jade' it can get to 2m .

[Eric in Orlando]

Heres another of the one here at Leu Gardens, it is Dracaena arborea, a D. draco look-alike that is better suited to more humid and wet climates. It tends not to branch much unless forced.

[Eric in Orlando]

Heres a young D. draco growing well here

[bubba]

Here are a few more:

And:

And:

[LJG]

Bubba, those are Beaucarnea recurvata.

[LJG]

Here is an old Draco just outside the Hotel Del. This house was built in the 20's so I assume these trees were planted then. I would bet these trees are plants off the Hotel Del's plant that was planted in the 1890's. You can see this one branched very late in life and that it is very tall. My wife is 5'2" even while holding a Starbucks and Coach bag

[Vincent]

Len,

You have a specimen dragon tree! Any idea how old it is? These are slow but worth it. The Australian designer Jamie Durry uses them a lot. There is a really big one here in Florida at the Broward courthouse. I do not have a photo. Do these need good drainage like cycads?

[MattyB]

I've guerilla planted a Dracena draco out by the roads edge, down the street. I think it'll look really cool someday.

[LJG]

Len,

You have a specimen dragon tree! Any idea how old it is? These are slow but worth it. The Australian designer Jamie Durry uses them a lot. There is a really big one here in Florida at the Broward courthouse. I do not have a photo. Do these need good drainage like cycads?

Hi Vincent. I dug and craned this plant to my house from a tweekers house that the bank was taking over. He bought the house from an elderly lady that had the garden since the late 50s/early 60s. So it is assumed to be over 40 years old. It has really filled out since this picture was taken.

To answer your question, these plants MUST have good drainage. They will rot in wet areas. However, if drainage is good, they really respond well to lots of water.

I love this tree and actually have two more large specimens in my garden. It is just such a unique looking tree and it really contrast well in a palm garden.

[Kim]

Len, someday yours will look like this:

[LJG]

Len, someday yours will look like this:

I think by the end of next growing season.

[Tropicgardener]

More of the 'Green Jade' it can get to 2m .

Mick I had this one growing in Bundaberg......left it there 5 years ago...looks a bit like a Costus.

[Vincent]

A forty year specimen! Very nice. We don't have too many tweakers around here in these parts of Florida but we do have a lot of foreclosed homes to choose from-no dragon trees though. They are somewhat rare. About two years ago the Home Depot sold some small ones. I bought a couple and they have been growing ok. A freeze two years back did some leaf damage but it is coming back. I like how you blended them with your cycads. Can you take branch cuttings, root them and watch them grow, sort of like a plumeria/franigpani?

[LJG]

Yes you can. They root very easy. Even the mature trees I moved had a very small root ball when I dug them.

[Peter]

Len, how's your serrulata doing? I just saw Ron's and it's growing well.

[virtualpalm]

Here is a specimen Dracaena arborea that we have at our nursery.

Jody

[Ice Blue]

Len and others, just a quick question. I planted a d. draco that I purchased as a 15 gallon because I really love the spectacular blue colors I see on the dracos in Balboa Park. Mine is about 2 years old but seems to be more green even though it is in full sun on a south facing slope. Are there blue and green variations of the d. draco or will it simply get more blue with time and full sun like blue encephalartos do?

Thanks

[LJG]

I don't think so Joel. Maybe just age or growing conditions. I have also noticed Draco's with long leaves and some with short ones. Example, the ones at Quail Botanical Gardens are very short leaved. However mine have long leaves. The shorter leaved ones seem to hold more blue. Just an observation.

[fastfeat]

Here is a specimen Dracaena arborea that we have at our nursery.

Jody

Anyone have any experience with D. arborea in CA? I really like this species but haven't seen it outside of FL.

[buzzmonkey]

Bump! Here's a few around Fort lauderdale...

D. draco

D. arborea

Another D. arborea

[buzzmonkey]

And a few other odds and ends...

Regular plain green D. reflexa

D. reflexa "Song of India" trimmed as a hedge

And last, D. marginata "Tricolor"

[buzzmonkey]

Oh, and two big plain D. marginata just because:

[DoomsDave]

No no no no

STOP

Well, don't stop.

Keep the pictures coming.

So, Len, how about another pic of yours? From Casa de Tweeker . . . .

[buzzmonkey]

Well since you asked... here is a bigger D. reflexa "Song of india"