AboutDarlene K. Kittle Expertise I have been a Master Gardener for 20 years and I raise around 300 houseplants a year including tropicals, succulents, and cacti.
Experience She is also studying the Japanese art of bonsai with tropical plants and is President of the Fort Wayne, IN Bonsai Club.
Education/Credentials I am not a hortculturist. I am a Purdue University Master Gardener for over 20 years. I have studied plants on a personal level by growing hundreds of plants annually for the last 35 years. I have also studied under several nationally known American Bonsai experts.
Question Dear Darlene - I have a question about 2 dracaena canes that I have. One of them looks top dead and is growing new leaves from the bottom. Should I cut off the top ? I am not sure exactly what I should to do to make it look full and pretty.
The 2nd cane has no leaves at all. how can I tell if it is dead or alive?
Please help.
Thanks much.
Regards,
Esha.
Answer Eshra,
If the cane is brown and not green it is dead. A living cane will be green. Should you cut off the top off the one that is growing from the bottom? Only if the cane is brown, if it is green it may still gorw something from the top eventually if you are patient. Patience is the key. Plants teach us that sometimes we have to wait on mother nature, she can be slow. As for making it look full and pretty, again all I can reccommend is patience, if you wait it will become full and pretty on it's own. Good luck.
