326 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



DBAOENA. 



What are known as Dracaenas among the multitude of plant-growers, are classed as 

 Cordylin.es by botanical authorities. The more popular and well-established term will 

 be retained in this work, as it meets all cultural purposes, and a change to scientific 

 accuracy would lead to confusion. The majority of the elegant, highly coloured, 

 Dracaenas, largely employed for house and table decoration, originated in the form of 



seedlings from D. (Cordyline) terminalis, 



a species with bronze and crimson 

 introduced from the South Sea Islands, 

 and still extensively grown. Selections 

 of varieties will be duly appended. 



The following are a few species also 

 worthy of cultivation. D. draco, Dragon 

 Tree, in its native country (Canary 

 Islands) develops into trees 40 feet high. 

 It is the most effective, in a small state, 

 or before the stems have branched. 

 The leaves are glaucous, small, and dis- 

 posed in a crowded head. D. fragrans, 

 green, is still grown, but superseded by 

 its variety Lindeni, which forms large, 

 recurving green leaves, traversed their 

 entire length by bands of creamy white 

 and shades of yellow. D. Goldieana, 

 introduced from Tropical Asia in 1872, 

 is a remarkably handsome and distinct 

 species, of erect habit, the broad leaves, 

 closely set, stalked, and spreading, having yellowish green ribs, and are marbled and 

 irregularly banded with dark green and silvery grey in alternate straight bands. 

 D. Sanderiana is also a distinct and effective species. The stems are erect, the waved 

 leaves green with a broad margin of light yellow, changing to cream white (see page 

 328). It is a welcome addition to elegant ornamental foliaged plants, suitable for 

 warm conservatory and house decoration. 



Dracaenas can be raised from seeds, sowing in light sandy soil in March, but estab- 



Fig. 148. Propagating Dracjgnas. 



References : a, rooting tops in situ ; b, stem after removing 

 the top ; c, cutting marked for detaching from stem ; d, stem 

 marked for division ; e, root cuttings. 



