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Corn plant struggles #890606

Asked December 07, 2024, 4:51 PM EST

Hi there, We purchased this corn plant several years ago before moving to Grand Junction. Since we moved here, it has seemed to struggle. One of the trunks has completely died. A second trunk is dying and the leaves are yellowing significantly. A new sprout is also coming up. We do not have it in direct sunlight, but it does receive good sun from south facing windows. We try to do a good job of allowing it to dry out before watering again. We have never given it any fertilizer nor have we ever re-potted it. Do you have any advice for us to try to save it? Also, do you think it’s possible for us to pull up the new growth and replant it in a separate pot? Thanks so much! Jim Ramey

Mesa County Colorado

Expert Response

You have several options to try to improve things for your corn plant (also known as dracaena). There are a lot of things that could be going on - fluoride in water, salt in soil, low humidity, too much sun, needing a new pot.

Dracaenas can be sensitive to fluoride in water. This could be contributing to the yellowing or brown patches if you're on municipal water. You could try using non-fluoridated water to water the plant. I can't see the soil surface, but you could also try flushing salts through the plant with non-fluoridated water. Salts can build up in houseplant soil. Dracaenas like to be a little dry between watering, so good for you for doing that.

Brown tips and edges could be related to low humidity. See below for a link to more discussion on humidity and some actions you can take.

Houseplants: Temperature and Humidity: https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/1317-houseplants-temperature-humidity/

If it hasn't been repotted, it could be due for that --repotting it in a pot 1-2 inches larger. See below for details.

Houseplants: Repotting: https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/1316-houseplants-repotting/

Dracaenas also root easily, so if you wanted to, you could propagate your plant with a stem cutting or air layering. (And of course, you could do that while also trying to address what is causing problems for the main plant.)

How to Propagate Houseplants by Stem Section (Cane) Cuttings: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-propagate-houseplants-stem-section-cane-cuttings

How to Propagate by Air Layering and Simple Layering: https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-propagate-houseplants-air-layering-and-simple-layering

Lastly, you could try moving it to a location with less sun, but I would think that the indirect light it is receiving would be okay.

There is some helpful information about this kind of plant here: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/dracaena-fragrans/

An Ask Extension Expert Replied December 10, 2024, 1:42 PM EST

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