Dracaena cambodianaCambodian Dragon Tree

Dracaena cambodiana is a slow, sculptural dragon tree that builds a thick, branching trunk topped with dense rosettes of stiff, sword-shaped leaves. Young plants read as a bold rosette at ground level; mature specimens carry a candelabra of crowns and become a piece of built form in their own right.

It is a dry-country plant, and it is used as such: courtyard and entrance features, gravel and rock schemes, planters at building thresholds, and large interior atriums where light is good.

Specifications

• Height3 to 10 metres
• Width2 to 4 metres
• Native toHainan Island in southern China, Vietnam and Cambodia
• FoliageLong, stiff, sword-shaped leathery green leaves held in dense terminal rosettes; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilRequires free-draining sandy or gravelly soils; will not tolerate waterlogging
• LightFull sun to partial shade; bright indirect light indoors
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in tropical, subtropical and warm arid regions; frost sensitive

Additional Features

• FormThick branching trunk carrying multiple leaf rosettes, becoming candelabra-like with age
• UsesIdeal for architectural feature and entrance planting, gravel and rockery schemes, large planters and interior atriums
• SpacingPlant 2 to 3 metres apart for a grouped composition
• Low MaintenanceRemove spent leaves as they brown; needs very little water and no feeding
• Pest ResistanceGenerally resilient; inspect for mealybug where interior air is still
• Drought ToleranceWell suited to water-wise and unirrigated dry planting
• LongevityLong-lived and gains character with age rather than losing it

The Cambodian Dragon Tree is a slow investment that turns into the most architectural thing in a dry courtyard.