I'm hoping that there will be some green fingered person out there who can advise me and guide me as I have a feeling that if I do what I have been advised to do I will kill my plant :(

I have a 10yr old dragon plant, not sure what it's actual name is but it is (now) very tall, has 3 branches off the main trunk that have pointed green leaves but doesn't feel spikey to the touch. Sheesh, hope you understood that 'cos I didn't ;-)

It has grown to about 7ft but has lost all of it's leaves all the way up the trunk and the 3 'off branches' it's now very gangly. There are now only some new shoots growing on the very top of it. What to do? I want to prune it down to a reasonable size, thus encouraging new growth so that it can be a full leafed plant again. But if I did prune it this would mean just being left with a stick!

Lady at garden centre told me to just go for it and lop of all the height and it would grow again especially at this time of year. Some website's say do this with care - but don't explain how?? Some say, propogate the new leaves in a seperate container incase you lose original plant and my books don't even mention it's proper name letalone how to prune.

What to do?

From a utterly confused, Jo.

Well Lea is the professional gardener on here so you can wait for a reply from her but if it's a Dracaena (the leaves come in all sorts of colours) then I've lopped these off at the knees for years with no problem. I just pick how high I want to keep it and cut with sharp pruning shears/secateurs. Branches will come out below the cut. I've never had one die on me in 25 years for it.

Thanks for that Lori :) the link that you kindly gave me is the said plant. Trouble is I never bother to actually look at the names of plants when I buy them and then go and lose the little tags that come with them ;-)

I get attached to my plants but have been known to commit botanical murder in the past because I'm too secateur happy! Do I keep in the same pot? The pot is huge because the last time I repotted it needed it. (it sadly lost all of it's leaves when we moved here 3 years ago and has taken until now to start new re-growth, think it was in shock) How long does it take to start growing again?

JUst had a quick google and found dracaena marginata?  I have one - the leaves do fall off up the stem making it look like a small palm tree?  Is that what you have?  Long thin leaves on top of a stem?  I have cut off the top and stuck it into the soil along side.  It rooted and then the old stem sprouted.  I didn't know what it was called before today.

Just checked - my source was the same as the link.

Hi Ceejay :-)

Yep, we have the same plants. I was wondering what to do with the top of it as it seemed a shame to throw it way, now I know ;-) Thank's for that. You learn something new everyday.....:-)

Now I have 2 leggy stalks with leaves coming from the top.  Not a very interesting plant but it just keeps on going so I can't throw it away!

I'd check the roots. If the roots are lost in sea of soggy soil then I would replant it in a smaller pot. Most plants really don't like wet feet. As for how long I can't remember exactly but it didn't languish for months. I think you should start seeing some buds for new branches in a couple weeks? (anyone chopped one more recently?)

Thanks Lori,

I've now done the deed, It had 3 rangey branches coming from the trunk so I cut them and have planted two beside it in the same pot and repotted the bigger 'leafy head' in a small seperate pot. The roots in the bigger pot are filling the pot but not hanging out of the underneath so I have left it where it is.

Fingers crossed it will now flourish As I said before I get attached to my plants and feel guilty if I make them 'bleed' when cleaning their leaves - I'll be admitted anyday now.... :-D

Oh you won't be alone in your cell. I shed a tear or two when I left some of my plants behind when I moved over here. One in particular was a golden barrel cactus my mum bought as an easter present. I was 11, had just moved back to California and was my first plant in our new home. I had to give it away 24 years later and was very sad indeed. I don't understand why the airline didn't want me to carry a spiky cactus over a foot in diameter onto a plane?! :)

Ahh, company from a like-minded soul...what colour should we paint our padded cell? it's good to be amongst friends

> I don't understand why the airline didn't want me to carry a spiky cactus over a foot in diameter onto a plane?!<

Could be because they possibly didn't want to be held to Ransom by a Cactus and had an allergy to spikes? You see? I work on and from a completely different planet.... :-D manic laughter.... :-D :-D :-D

No, seriously, I've got a Rubber Plant that I've had for 20 yrs and that has been through all of my dramatic life changes including being held hostage in the back of a removal van for 5 days after a long dispute I had to surrender to the ransom and actually PAY the kidnappers before they would release it!