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Dracaena Frost Damage

The_Little_FrogThe_Little_Frog Posts: 13
in Plants
Hi all, I have a Dracaena that I left outside and had severe frost damage as you can see. Some of the stems had started to die so I trimmed them back and have repotted it. Will there grow new stems or should they be cut back further?



Any thoughts you have on this would be greatly appreciated!

Chris

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Vendée, Western FrancePosts: 23,452
    These are tender plants usually grown indoors as houseplants and don't like to go below 10C which means it needs to be somewhere that doesn't get colder than that especially at night but it needs to be in good light by day.

    If its new home is warm enough and the re-potting included a good drink too the only thing you can do now is wait and see.   They like to be well-drained so go easy on the watering until there are signs of recovery.
    "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 10,070
    As above.  If it hasn't been killed by the cold, you will see bumps forming on the stems which will become new shoots in time.  The stems will remain firm if they are alive but will soften and become hard and dry if dead.  Only time will tell. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • The_Little_FrogThe_Little_Frog Posts: 13
    Many thanks for both your feedback, much appreciated! 
  • delskidelski Posts: 111
    I'd be cutting them back there. Could potentially root the bits you cut off in jar of water.

  • The_Little_FrogThe_Little_Frog Posts: 13
    Thanks Philippa and delski.  Isn't that a bit of an extreme cutting back to just leave those two large stems or would that increase the chances of it growing back?
  • delskidelski Posts: 111
    edited 17 February
    I have a draceana marginata that I cut off in a similar way last year, but the 2 small bits haven’t caught up to the large bit so I have an uneven tree that I don’t like the look of. This year I’m going to chop off all 3 bits, make plants from the cuttings and allow  the main stem to regrow from scratch with 3 equal bits.
    It’s up to you. Each cut bit will grow 1-3 new bits. Assuming it’s still alive of course.
  • The_Little_FrogThe_Little_Frog Posts: 13
    That makes sense thanks delski. So should I cut underneath the three shoots then (like the picture) or just cut each of the smaller stems off? And is there anything that can be done to stop the remaining main stem from shrivelling up? 
  • delskidelski Posts: 111
    edited 22 February
    Good question @The_Little_Frog! I haven't decided what I'm doing yet.
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