Song of India

Song of India (Dracaena reflexa) gives you foliage colour indoors with almost no work attached. It reaches about 2m tall and 1m wide over many years, carrying narrow leaves striped cream and lime green in tight whorls up slim upright stems. It is drought tolerant and forgiving, so a missed week of watering does not show. Outdoors it suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only, because it is frost tender.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that never stops. The variegated foliage is the display, not the flowers, which are insignificant.
• Hard to let down. Drought tolerant and low maintenance, and it forgives a forgotten fortnight better than almost anything on the indoor bench.
• Fits a real room. Slim and upright at about 1m wide when mature, so it holds a corner without taking the floor.
• At home in heat and humidity. Bathrooms, kitchens and humid coastal summers all suit it.
• Cuts back cleanly. Prune a leggy stem at any height and it reshoots below the cut, usually with two or three heads.

Where it works best

Indoors. Bright indirect light gives the strongest cream and gold striping. It survives a dimmer corner, but the variegation fades towards plain green and the stems stretch.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Sheltered from wind and afternoon glare it is an easy container plant, and the narrow habit reads well in a group of three at staggered heights.

Warm climate gardens. In tropical, subtropical and warm temperate districts it can go in the ground as a bright understorey shrub.

Homes with pets. Dracaena species are toxic to cats and dogs, so keep it out of reach or choose something else if your animals chew foliage.

Growing Song of India in Australia

Position and climate. Bright filtered light indoors, or dappled shade outdoors in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones. It is frost tender, so cool temperate and frost prone southern gardens should keep it inside or in a pot that moves under cover for winter.

Potting mix and soil. Free draining premium potting mix in a pot with open drainage holes. In the ground it wants a friable, well drained bed, so heavy clay needs a raised mound and compost worked through.

Water and feed. Let the top third of the mix dry before watering again, then water until it runs from the base. Never leave it standing in a full saucer. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring is all it asks for.

Pruning. Cut any stem back to the height you want in spring, and wipe the leaves a few times a year so dust does not dull the colour.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in several sizes, from 125mm and 200mm through 250mm and 300mm pots up to 45L. The smaller sizes come in multi packs of three, six or ten, which suits a row of pots or a mass planting. The 300mm and 45L plants arrive tall and multi stemmed.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet few weeks while it settles, then new growth from the crown in warm weather. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full indoor plant range
• Find a pot to suit it
• Compare tropical foliage plants
• More low maintenance plants

Common questions

How much light does it need?

Bright indirect light, such as a spot a metre or two back from a north or east facing window. It tolerates less, but the cream striping washes out and the stems stretch.

Why are the leaf tips going brown?

Usually dry air, or salts building up in the mix from tap water and fertiliser. Flush the pot with plain water every few months and trim the tips with scissors, following the leaf shape.

Can I grow it outdoors in a cooler southern garden?

Only in a pot that comes under cover for winter. It is frost tender, and a single hard frost will damage the foliage badly.