Dracaena

MANILA, Philippines - Dracaenas are popular indoor plants around the world and an effective landscaping plant for the topics. The Genus is consist of more than 40 species distributed in the tropics of the old world.

During the 50’s, breeding and selection of the more familiar Dracaenas resulted in several lines of indoor plants that are still favorites among plant lovers all over the world. Many cultivated varieties of Dracaena deremensis (vars: J.A. Truffault, Roehr’s Gold, Bausei, longii, warnekei,Janet Craig etc.), Dracaena surcolosa (old D. godseffiana vars: Gold dust, Florida Beauty, Milky Way, Cloud Nine, punctatula and flava), Dracaena fragrans India, and compacta) resulted. 

Because of the ease of cultivation and propagation, Dracaena constantly remains a top indoor plant. 

For the past 20 years, the Thais have started to collect variegated forms of all the Dracaena species they can hold on to. At this point there are now more than 80 differenta hundred different types of Dracaena in Bangkok alone. More than enough to satisfy international market craving for new materials. 

Currently these variegatas and physical mutants (e.g. twisting, broader and thinner foliage or fasciated stems) are being propagated for this purpose.To top that, the discovery of spotted Dracaenas in the Thai and Chinese jungles are creating waves because the spotting characteristics are transmitted in breeding. Kasetsart University through the help of Dr. Surawit Wannakrairoj is catalyzing the development and commercialization including registration of intellectual property rights of the farmer- breeders.

Aside from variegatas, some individuals are doing sublethal doses of gamma for cretinism. Expect a very interesting development in the next 5 years. At this point, the different individuals are being committed for marketing already pending mass propagation.