The Dracaena compacta plant is grown as a foliage plant characterized by thick, stiff, glossy dark green leaves, which spread out to form rosettes around the canes. Compacta’ gets its name from the fact that it is smaller and very different than most other plants in the dracaena family. Though it is rare, sometimes ear-like white or pink flowers grow from the middle of the rosette and give out an intense honey scent.
- LIGHT : This plant thrives best in low light conditions. However, if grown indoors, it can also tolerate high indoor light. The only difference is that it will require frequent watering up to once a week. With more light, plants will use water at a higher rate.
- TEMPERATURE : The ideal temperature range for the dwarf dracaena lies between 65° and 80° degrees Fahrenheit, but it can tolerate colder temperatures up to 40° degrees Fahrenheit.
- WATER : The dwarf dracaena generally does best when grown on the dry end of the watering spectrum. The slow growth of the plant makes it difficult to determine symptoms of over or under watering. Sometimes, symptoms such as brown tips or brown spots on the leaves can show up a few weeks after the initial damage has occured. This is why it’s best to keep weekly track of water application. Changing factors in the environment such as light and temperature also affect how frequently and how much you should water your plant. When the soil has almost dried out it is a good sign of your plant needs watering.
- FERTILIZER : Due to its slow growth rate, Dracaena compacta does not need a lot of feeding. However, if the plant has not been repotted for a few years, you can feed some fertilizers in summer and spring, every one to two months.