Tronco de la Suerte

Hope someone can give me some advice on how to start off my Dracaena. I was given it as a Christmas present and it still hasn't sprouted.
The instructions stated that I should scrape off the lower paraffined part but as I didn't know which was the lower or upper, I scraped off both ends. I placed it in some water which I changed every week and according to the instructions it should have started sprouting by now.
As it is a Spanish plant I'm wondering if the translation has lost something and perhaps I should have scraped off the wax on the whole surface. Any suggestios would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Shirley

Hi Dollyplant,

I've not heard of a Dracaena being sold as a piece of stem as you describe. Dracaena is native to Cameroon in West Africa where their native languages are English and French. So now I'm confused as it's not a Spanish plant. Do you have a botanical name to your plant? Are you in the US? In the UK I think Dracaena might be sold the way you describe.

Newt

and I have no idea which end to scrape the paraffin off.
One end has a green sticker on it.
and there appears to be paraffin at both ends, and all over the trunk.

Any advice much appreciated.

(The girlfriend gave it to me saying I couldn't possibly kill it,
which appears to be true if I cant even grow it)

Dub.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dollyplant

Hope someone can give me some advice on how to start off my Dracaena. I was given it as a Christmas present and it still hasn't sprouted.
The instructions stated that I should scrape off the lower paraffined part but as I didn't know which was the lower or upper, I scraped off both ends. I placed it in some water which I changed every week and according to the instructions it should have started sprouting by now.
As it is a Spanish plant I'm wondering if the translation has lost something and perhaps I should have scraped off the wax on the whole surface. Any suggestios would be gratefully received.
Thanks
Shirley

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Just as with Newt, I've not seen Dracaena being sold this way. In the USA, they are pretty much already sprouted.

I've cut some Dracaena spp. and rooted the bare canes, which then sprouted. Some leafy growth started before there were leaves, even. Tends to be very easy to grow.

I've also had some Dracaena spp, as in D. marginata and D. fragrans that had been purchased with wax on the cut end of the cane, covering a fingers breadth of the top part, maybe more. That would prevent the cut end from drying out, from molding, and from sprouting too close to the cut edge.

If your canes are entirely waxed, or even just both ends, one can scrape the wax enough over nodes on each end to allow the meristem tissue to sprout either a root or new leaves. Look at the cane and see the wide smile shape of the leaf scars. In these canes, the leaves clasp the cane and when they come off, you'll see a ridge that dips a bit in the middle. Just above that middle of the "smile" or curve, you'll see a lump that may be paler or shinier, or sometimes has a different color. That's where new growth will come from. If the cane is viable, it will sprout...

I know some people buy cordyline or ti plant in canes with no roots and no sprouted leaves, and they lay these on a rooting medium and perhaps cover with a cloche until they sprout. Some of my Dracaenas have done that in the past when I've pruned radically and tossed canes on my compost pile. They sent down roots and sent up shoots!

Anyhow, good luck.