Dracaena ‘Malay Stripe’

Dracaena 'Malay Stripe' (Dracaena 'Malay Stripe') is an upright, cane forming foliage plant that reaches about 1.8m tall and only 800mm wide. Leaves arch out in loose rosettes, each striped cream and green, and the plant asks little beyond warmth and light. It gives height in a narrow corner without a wide pot footprint.

Why you'll love it

• Tall and narrow by nature. Roughly 1.8m by 800mm, so it lifts a bare corner without spreading into the room.
• Striped foliage that carries the year. Flowers are insignificant, so the cream and green variegation does the work every day.
• Forgiving about water. Drought tolerant once the cane is established, and harder to kill than most large leafed indoor plants.
• Slow and stable. It holds its shape rather than outgrowing a spot or needing constant staking.

Where it works best

Indoors. Bright indirect light near a window, out of hot afternoon sun through glass and away from draughts and air conditioning vents.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Outdoors it suits tropical and subtropical gardens only, in a sheltered part shade spot. A pot 400mm or wider gives enough root room at this height.

Feature planting. Grouped in threes at different heights it makes a strong vertical in a courtyard or stairwell, and the striping reads well against a plain wall.

Growing Dracaena Malay Stripe in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade or bright indirect light gives the strongest variegation. It is frost tender, so outside a tropical or subtropical garden it belongs indoors or in a pot that comes under cover before winter.

Soil. A free draining potting mix and a pot with a working drainage hole. In the ground, work compost through and mound the bed if the soil holds water.

Water and feed. Let the top third of the mix dry out, then soak thoroughly and empty the saucer: usually weekly in summer and every two to three weeks in winter. Feed a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly through the warm months only.

Pruning. Very little. Remove lower leaves as they yellow, and cut a cane back if it gets too tall; it shoots again from below the cut.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in a 200mm pot sold in packs of six, and as a single 90L specimen. The 200mm plants are young, a single short cane with a full head of leaves, and take several years to reach full height indoors. The 90L is a mature multi cane plant, heavy and priced accordingly.

Leaves can arrive creased or browned at the edge from packing, which grows out. Give it a fortnight before you judge it, and expect little growth in the first month. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse the wider indoor plants range
• See other variegated foliage plants
• Plants for balconies and courtyards

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Dracaenas contain saponins and are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, bringing on drooling, vomiting and loss of appetite. Keep it out of reach if your pet chews foliage.

Why are the leaf tips going brown?

Usually a build up of salts or fluoride from tap water rather than dry air. Flush the pot with plenty of water every few months and trim the tips back to green.

How much light does it need?

Bright indirect light or part shade. It survives dimmer rooms, but the stripe fades and the growth stretches, so move it closer to a window if the variegation looks washed out.