What is a Corn Plant?
The corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) is native to tropical Africa. Its resemblance to maize (maize) leads to its nickname “corn plant.” It is also called “moss cane”, “false palm”, “sugar money tree” and “luck plant”. It is related to the Lucky Bamboo and is also a Dracaena (D. Sandrina). Both are members of the asparagus family.
The corn plant is hardy only in Zones 10 – 12. In its native African habitat, it often reaches 50 feet in height. Here in the United States it is often grown as a houseplant. Indoors, it grows only 4 to 6 feet tall. The stems look like bamboo, and are not related to it. The leaves grow from the top of the stems and look like corn leaves (which are not even related). The leaves are 2 feet long and 3 inches wide at one point. Originally, it was bright green. Newer cultivars sport leaves striped yellow or lemon down the middle. A rare variety with white striped leaves.
Corn plants usually do not flower when grown indoors because they do not get enough light. Sometimes, it might surprise you and open you up. The flowers grow in clusters, which means the flowers are clustered along branching stems. The flowers are yellow and very fragrant. They are followed by red berries.
How to Grow a Corn Plant
Corn plants love light, but not direct sunlight. They will live in a room with little light. They just won’t grow like that. Aim for a room with filtered light. Too little light will cause the leaves to lose their distinctive shape. Too much light will burn the leaves.
Humidity is key. When we grow our houseplants, we try to mimic their native environment as closely as possible. Corn plants thrive in humid tropical regions, so you’ll need to provide extra moisture to keep them happy.
The best way to provide humidity is to use a humidity tray. A humidity tray is simply a shallow bowl filled with (decorative) pebbles and water. Place your plant on top of the gravel. When water evaporates, it provides moisture. Make sure to keep the pan full of water.
You can also wash your plant several times a week. Or leave a cup of water with him. The evaporating water will provide some moisture to your plant.
In addition to providing moisture, you should water your plant at least once a week. The leaves will tell you if you are watering them correctly. Yellow leaves are a sign that you are watering too much. Brown leaf tips indicate that the soil is too dry and needs more water.
The type of water you use is important. These plants are sensitive to fluoride found in tap water. It is best to use distilled water on your plants. Distilled water is boiled to remove minerals and impurities. The steam produced by boiling water is then condensed into pure water. You can find distilled water in most stores that sell bottled water.
Corn plants like rich, loamy, well-drained soil. Regular potting mix should work fine. Most potting mixes now come with a slow release fertilizer so it is not necessary to fertilize your plant. If your mix does not contain fertilizer, you will need to fertilize your plant during the growing season (spring through fall) with an all-purpose household fertilizer. There is no need to fertilize during the winter when the plant is resting.
Corn plants like to be potted a little, so you won’t need to repot them every year. Every two years or even every three years should be sufficient.
You can keep your plant outside during the summer. Wait until nighttime temperatures exceed 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure they get some shade. They are accustomed to the lack of light inside your home so keep them out of full sunlight. Bring your plant back indoors in the fall when night temperatures drop to 50 degrees F.
How to Grow a Corn Plant From a Stem Cutting
Corn plants grown indoors may flower, but their flowers will never be pollinated, so no viable seeds will be produced. Fortunately, you can propagate your plant using stem cuttings. Cut a 4-8 inch piece from the top of the stem and tuck it into some soil. Keep the soil moist. It may take two months or more for your cuttings to root. You will know that new roots have formed when the plant begins to grow new leaves. Plants that have no roots cannot grow leaves.
When you cut the top of a corn plant’s stalk, two new crowns of leaves will grow. Your single-stemmed plant will become a multi-stemmed plant.
