Corn Plant
Dracaena fragrans
Family Asparagaceae
The corn plant survived every office lobby of the last half-century for a reason: it tolerates low light, missed waterings and general neglect while holding its arching, corn-stalk good looks. Live with one long enough and it may reward you with its rare bloom — intensely fragrant, and only at night.
As a floor plant it is the definition of steady: a slow, upright 4-to-6-foot presence that anchors a corner for years without drama or demands. Cats and dogs shouldn't chew it, so give it a spot of its own. If you've killed everything else, start over here.
Low to bright indirect — very tolerant
Low water
Slow growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing corn plant? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries corn plant — Dracaena fragrans, print Nº 129, “Corn Plant.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what corn plant actually needs.
Hardy inZones 10-12Corn Plant · Common problems
Common corn plant problems
Pests
3 problems on file
Diseases
3 problems on file
Corn Plant · Growing & propagation
Growing corn plant
- Light
- Low to bright indirect
Very tolerant
- Water
- Low
Let it dry; sensitive to fluoride (brown tips)
Soil- Well-drained mix · pH 6.0 - 6.5
Fertilizer- 2-3x a year, lightly
Pruning- As needed
Cut a too-tall cane at any height — it re-sprouts below the cut, often with several heads.
Spacing- One per pot
How to plant & propagate corn plant
- Propagate
- Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups
Corn Plant · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The corn plant growing playbook
When to spray corn plant
Growing season. Use rain/distilled water if tips brown; wipe leaves.
Corn Plant · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Corn Plant · Yearly calendar
The corn plant year, month by month
No fixed season calendar for corn plant — its care follows conditions, not the calendar.
Corn Plant · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Dracaena fragrans
Corn Plant in the garden system
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What corn plant is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesToxic to cats/dogs
Use- Floor plant
- Use
- Offices
- Use
- Low light
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Corn Plant · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a corn plant variety
'Massangeana' (yellow-striped, the classic); 'Lemon Lime'; 'Janet Craig' (solid green, tough)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Corn Plant
Dracaena fragrans
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Dracaena fragrans
- Plant family
- Asparagaceae
- Growth habit
- Houseplant · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- DRFR2
- Invasive risk
- Low
- Other names
- Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana'
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Corn Plant
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Corn Plant questions, answered straight.
Is corn plant safe for kids and pets?
With care. Toxic to cats/dogs Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate corn plant?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
Elsewhere
Where corn plant sits in the library.
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Snake Plant
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