Canary Islands Dragon Tree (Dracaena draco)

Canary Islands tree which may grow to imposing proportions and live for hundreds of years, given just the right spot. Relatively common in cultivation in mild climates. Drought tolerant. Enjoys extreme exposure and good drainage. Suitable as a container plant when young, given strong light. A single head may reach about 3-4 feet wide. Leaves are shed from the bottom of rosettes during normal growth as the stem extends. Different populations exist with varying features.

Flowers appear after a few years (sometimes at just a couple of feet tall, up to 6-10 feet) and plants stop growing new leaves until the show is done, but then branch afterwards. May be self fertile. Fruit (an orange berry) is highly edible to birds and mammals.

One of the sources of dragon's blood, a red resin, but not an original source from ancient times (the closely related D. cinnabari from Socotra was used by the Romans).

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