Dracaena marginata ‘bicolor’ is a special variety of dragon plant. Deep green leaves are lined with a thin, elegant strand of bordeaux red, encasing bands of emerald green and ivory yellow.
| Name | Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia ‘bicolor’ |
|---|---|
| Horticultural name | Dracaena marginata |
| Family | Agavoidaea |
| Height | 3 to 6 feet (100 to 200 cm) |
| Type | indoor plant, houseplant |
| Exposure | full sun, well-lit |
| Soil | potting soil mix, well-draining |
| Foliage | evergreen |
Just like other varieties of Dracaena marginata, the ‘bicolor’ variety can be grown indoors in containers all year round.
In a pot or container, your Dracaena marginata bicolor simply requires:
You’ll need to provide fresh nutrients every two or three years in the form of new soil mix. You can either repot your dracaena or topdress it.
Soil quality isn’t so important because nutrients will always seep in from further off. What is important is to ensure your Dracaena marginata bicolor doesn’t stay steeped in clay, waterlogged soil.
Dragon plants are sold under a handful of cultivar names, and the amount of green in the leaf decides how much light each one needs. Use this table to see where ‘bicolor’ sits among the varieties on the bench beside it.
| Variety | Leaf colouring | Light needed | Vigour |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Massangeana’ | Broad arching leaves with a wide yellow central stripe | Medium light, tolerates shadier rooms | Vigorous, thick canes |
| ‘Magenta’ | Deep green with a strong reddish-purple margin | Bright to medium light | Vigorous |
| ‘Tricolor’ | Green, cream and red stripes along the whole leaf | Very bright light | Slow, noticeably less vigorous |
| ‘Colorama’ | Broad pink-red margins leaving little green | Brightest position indoors | Slow-growing |
Dracaena marginata bicolor is a special variety in that it tends to keep its leaves for longer than other D. marginata varieties.
Check that the top inch of the soil mix has dried out before giving the next watering, since the weekly rhythm is a guide rather than a rule.
Dracaena marginata ‘Bicolor’ is genuinely sensitive to fluoride and salts in tap water, but brown, crispy leaf tips can equally reflect underwatering, dry indoor air, or over-fertilizing, so check those causes too.
Rainwater or distilled water suits fluoride- and salt-sensitive Dracaena marginata better than tap water, since letting tap water stand overnight only releases chlorine and leaves fluoride, chloramine and dissolved salts behind.
Water until it runs from the drainage holes, then tip away whatever collects underneath.
Cuttings is by far the simplest manner of reproducing your favorite Dracaena marginata bicolor.
Making cuttings and cutting the top off your dracaena is the surest way to replicate your Dracaena marginata bicolor with the exact same properties as the mother plant. In effect, it is a form of cloning.
The most important problem that Dracaena plants face is almost always overwatering.
If you’re prone to visiting your plants with water daily, here’s a simple trick. It deals with overwatering (which causes yellow leaves) and insufficient air moisture.
The ‘bicolor’ Dracaena marginata variety has a distinctive thin red margin to each side of the leaves. In the center, one or more pale yellow bands alternate with green.
It has slightly less green chlorophyll in these portions of the leaves. This means it won’t be as vigorous as other all-green D. marginata cultivars.
However, it will still be more vigorous than the Dracaena marginata ‘Colorama’, ‘Kiwi’, and ‘Tricolor’ varieties. These have even less sun-processing chlorophyll cells. They require even more light.
Like most Dracaena plants, Dracaena marginata ‘bicolor’ comes from tropical countries like Costa Rica and other places along the Caribbean. The perfect temperature and moisture settings of those regions make it easier to have large plantations. Scores of cuttings grow there for export.
Such imports are occasionally infected with local pests. Each might trigger diseases on Dracaena marginata ‘bicolor’ and other houseplants, like scale insects or mealy bugs, spider mite and more.
In tropical countries, Dracaena marginata often grows in the wild, whether in its native habitat or because it was introduced there. In the wild, Dracaena marginata can grow very tall.
Read more about Dracaena marginata cultivars:
If you’ve got several varieties of Dracaena marginata growing together, check how much “green” their leaves have. Place less green varieties closer to full light. Leave Dracaena marginata bicolor at a slight disadvantage.
Since it’s more vigorous, you’ll be evening growth out between varieties.
