Multi Planted Corn Plant

Multi Planted Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana') is what to reach for when an indoor corner needs real height rather than another pot on a shelf. Several canes of staggered length share the one pot, giving a layered column of arching leaves striped green and gold that builds to about 2m tall and 900mm across. It holds that look for years on bright indirect light and a drink every week or two.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. Around 2m tall and under a metre across, so it fills the space beside a lounge without crowding the floor.
• Already layered. Short, medium and tall canes in the one pot give a finished shape from day one, not a single bare stem.
• It copes with partial shade. Growth is quickest in bright indirect light, but it holds condition in a room with one window.
• Low maintenance and evergreen. The gold central stripe is the point, and it rarely flowers indoors, so nothing depends on a season.

Where it works best

Indoors. Living rooms, entries, offices and stairwells anywhere in the country. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which suits a plant this frost tender.

Pots and containers. Use a pot 300mm or wider with working drainage. Potted, it usually settles between 1.5m and 2m.

Balconies and courtyards. In tropical and subtropical gardens it lives outside year round in a sheltered, part shaded spot.

Growing corn plant in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light indoors, out of hot sun through glass, which bleaches the stripe. Outdoors it belongs only in frost free tropical and subtropical gardens. Warm temperate and cooler gardens should keep it inside.

Soil. Indoor potting mix opened up with perlite or coarse sand. Drainage matters more than richness, and the pot should never sit in a full saucer.

Water and feed. Water once the top 30mm to 50mm of mix is dry, roughly weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. Brown tips point to salts in tap water, so use rainwater. Half strength liquid fertiliser monthly through spring and summer is plenty.

Pruning. Cut a cane straight across at the height you want and it shoots two or three new heads below the cut within a couple of months.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six, 250mm in packs of three, and as single 300mm and 400mm plants. Smaller sizes carry shorter canes and suit a bench or a plant stand. For a floor standing column straight away, choose the 300mm or 400mm pot.

Plants travel boxed upright, and a yellowed lower leaf after transit is normal rather than a fault. Expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Indoor plant tips for beginners
• Browse the full indoor plants range
• Low light indoor plants for darker rooms
• Pots and planters that drain properly

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Dracaena foliage contains saponins that are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, bringing on drooling, vomiting and a lost appetite. Rarely life threatening, but keep the pot away from a pet that chews leaves.

Why are the leaf tips going brown?

Almost always water quality or dry air rather than neglect. Switch to rainwater, or stand tap water overnight before using it, and trim the brown tip off at an angle.

Can I grow it outside?

Only in tropical and subtropical gardens, in a sheltered part shaded spot with no frost. Anywhere colder it should be a potted plant that comes under cover before winter.