25 Dracaena Plants for Indoors and Outdoors (2024)

Gardening

Houseplants

Types of Houseplants

A Selection of Houseplants and Tropical Trees for Outdoors

• 01 of 25

  Dragon Tree ‘Colorama’

  

  Dragon tree ‘Colorama’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Colorama’) has variegated pink foliage with white and green stripes. It needs very bright yet indirect light to keep its unique colors.

  • Name: Dragon tree ‘Colorama’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Colorama’)
  • Height: 5-6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Pink with white and green stripes

• 02 of 25

  Dragon Tree ‘Magenta’

  

  See Also

  How to Grow and Care for Dracaena Plants | FlorgeousBest Companion Plants For Dracaenas (Indoors & Outdoors)Dracaena Guide: How to Care for a Dragon Tree IndoorsGuide to Dracaena Care to Keep Your Plant Healthy | HappySprout

  The outstanding feature of dragon tree ‘Magenta’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Magenta’), a palm-tree look-alike, is the green leaves with magenta-red edges. In its native habitat, it grows 15 to 20 feet tall but as a houseplant, this tough and easy-to-care-for houseplant can be pruned to a manageable height of 6 feet or less.

  • Name: Dragon tree ‘Magenta’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Magenta’)
  • Height: 6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green, red edges

• 03 of 25

  Dragon Tree ‘Tarzan’

  

  Spikey leaves distinguish the dragon tree ‘Tarzan’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Tarzan’) cultivar from other dragon trees. Its leaves are tougher, wider, and slightly thicker than other dragon trees.

  • Name: Dragon tree ‘Tarzan’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Tarzan’)
  • Height: 6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green

• 04 of 25

  Dragon Tree ‘Tricolor’

  

  Dragon tree ‘Tricolor’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Tricolor’) is a variegated form of the dragon tree and it has rich colorful leaves banded with pink or white edges.

  • Name: Dragon tree ‘Tricolor’ (Dracaena marginata ‘Tricolor’)
  • Height: 6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green, white (or cream), and pink

  Continue to 5 of 25 below

• 05 of 25

  Dracaena ‘Cintho’

  

  ''Cintho' (Dracaena fragrans steudneri 'Cintho') is a vibrantly colored, relatively short dracaena variety that has broad leaves with distinct emerald and lime-green stripes. Because it grows multiple stems in a single pot, it looks like a mini-tree.

  • Name: Dracaena 'Cintho' (Dracaena fragrans steudneri 'Cintho')
  • Height: 3 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Emerald, lime green

  Tip

  The botanical name Dracaena is not always used consistently, and plants are sometimes misnamed. When shopping, do an internet search of the dracaena plant you are considering to confirm that it truly is the specific variety you want.

• 06 of 25

  Dracaena ‘Dorado’

  

  ‘Dorado’ (Dracaena fragrans ‘Dorado’) is a cultivar that has dark green thick leaves with lime-green edges that curl downwards. The lavish broad foliage grows in a compact, dense manner around the stem.

  • Name: Dracaena ‘Dorado’ (Dracaena fragrans ‘Dorado’)
  • Height: 4-5 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green, lime green

• 07 of 25

  Dracaena ‘Hawaiian Sunshine’

  

  For narrow indoor spaces, consider 'Hawaiian Sunshine' (Dracaena fragrans ‘Hawaiian Sunshine’), a compact variety with an upright growth habit. The attractive glossy dark green foliage has light and dark green stripes. You can move this plant outdoors during the summer, provided that you place the container in a partial shady to shady location.

  • Name: Dracaena 'Hawaiian Sunshine' (Dracaena fragrans ‘Hawaiian Sunshine’)
  • Height: 3-6
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Variegated green

• 08 of 25

  Dracaena Janet Craig

  

  Another popular variety, dracaena Janet Craig (Dracaena fragrans ‘Compacta’) cultivar of the corn plant is considered a workhorse because it can survive even in low light conditions. Its shiny, solid, wide, dark green leaves have wavy margins.

  • Name: Dracaena Janet Craig (Dracaena fragrans ‘Compacta’)
  • Height: 3-6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Dark green

  Continue to 9 of 25 below

• 09 of 25

  Dracaena ‘Lemon Lime’

  

  A strikingly colored cultivar, 'Lemon Lime' (Dracaena fragrans ‘Lemon Lime’) has sword-shaped leaves with cream-colored, greenish-yellow, and lime stripes. The leaves sit at the top of the tree-like stem.

  • Name: Dracaena 'Lemon Lime' (Dracaena fragrans ‘Lemon Lime’)
  • Height: 5-10 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Cream, greenish-yellow, lime

  Tip

  Variegated dracaena cultivars are sometimes incorrectly called Dracaena deremensis. The correct name is Dracaena fragrans, and they are a part of the Deremensis group (which is different from the species).

• 10 of 25

  Dracaena ‘Limelight’

  

  The glossy yellow-green leaves of 'Limelight' (Dracaena fragrans ‘Limelight’), a slow-growing cultivar, gradually become a lighter lime-green as they mature.

  • Name: Dracaena 'Limelight' (Dracaena fragrans ‘Limelight’)
  • Height: 6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Variegated green

• 11 of 25

  Mass Cane

  

  The corn plant (D. fragrans) is a dracaena species named after the resemblance of its leaves with the leaves of a cornstalk both in appearance and texture. Mass cane (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana') is one of the most common cultivars, with woodier stem than the species. It has yellowish lime-green stripes down the center of its leaves.

  • Name: Mass cane (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana')
  • Height: 6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Variegated green

• 12 of 25

  See Also

  How to Grow Dracaena Indoors (Ultimate Guide) - Gardenisms

  Dracaena Warnock

  

  Dracaena warnock (Dracaena fragrans ‘Warneckii’) has a bushy, upright growth habit around a central trunk. Its gray-green leaves with crisp white or green stripes make this variety another favorite houseplant. The plant is also referred to as striped dracaena but because many other dracaena varieties also have striped foliage, the common name is misleading.

  • Name: Dracaena warnock (Dracaena fragrans ‘Warneckii’)
  • Height: 5 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and white

  Continue to 13 of 25 below

• 13 of 25

  Dracaena ‘White Jewel’

  

  If you are looking for a dracaena to brighten up a spot in your home, 'White Jewel' (Dracaena fragrans ‘White Jewel') might be just the one. The glossy dark green leaves have white stripes and traces of light green stripes.

  • Name: Dracaena 'White Jewel' (Dracaena fragrans ‘White Jewel')
  • Height: 4-6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and white

• 14 of 25

  Song of India

  

  Song of India (Dracaena reflexa) is a tropical shrub and an easy houseplant that grows multiple stems in a single container. Its leaves are edged with a band of gold.

  • Name: Song of India (Dracaena reflexa)
  • Height: 3-6 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and gold

• 15 of 25

  Snake Plant

  

  Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) is one of the most popular houseplants for a good reason. With its stiff, sword-like leaves, this slow grower is tough and easy to care for. It has a reputation for being indestructible, making the countless types of snake plants very beginner-friendly.

  • Name: Snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata)
  • Height: 6 in.-8 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and white

• 16 of 25

  Lucky Bamboo

  

  Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana), also known as Chinese water bamboo, is a bamboo in name only. It can grow in water or a gravel-filled pot with water.

  • Name: Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
  • Height: 3-4 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green

  Continue to 17 of 25 below

• 17 of 25

  Ribbon Dracaena

  

  Ribbon dracaena (Dracaena sanderiana ‘Silver Ribbon’) is another variegated cultivar of lucky bamboo, this one has slightly twisted leaves with colorful stripes.

  • Name: Ribbon dracaena (Dracaena sanderiana ‘Silver Ribbon’)
  • Height: 4-5 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Variegated green

• 18 of 25

  Dracaena ‘White Stripe’

  

  The variegated leaves of 'White Stripe' (Dracaena sanderiana ‘White Stripe’), another popular cultivar of lucky bamboo, are deep green with awhitecreamy edge.

  • Name: 'White Stripe' (Dracaena sanderiana ‘White Stripe’)
  • Height: 3-4ft.
  • Light: Bright, indirect sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and white

• 19 of 25

  Gold Dust Dracaena

  

  The broad leaves of gold dust dracaena (Dracaena surculosa ‘Florida Beauty’) have distinctive bright creamy yellow spots that look like gold dust, hence the common name.

  • Name: Gold dust dracaena (Dracaena surculosa ‘Florida Beauty’)
  • Height: 2 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and yellow

• 20 of 25

  Dracaena ‘Milky Way’

  

  This rare dracaena, 'Milky Way' (Dracaena surculosa ‘Milky Way’), has a clumping growth habit and thin, arching stems. The broad elliptic leaves have a white long band in the center, which gave this variety its name.

  • Name: 'Milky Way' (Dracaena surculosa ‘Milky Way’)
  • Height: 1 ft.
  • Light: Bright indirect or filtered sunlight
  • Leaf Color: Green and white

  Continue to 21 of 25 below

• 21 of 25

  Green Zebra Plant

  

  Another rare dracaena, the green zebra plant (Dracaena goldieana), is native to tropical West Africa, and also known as zebra stripe dracaena. It has dark green leaves with grey banding. The plant can be grown outdoors or indoors, where it won’t get quite as tall. If planting outdoors, it will thrive in USDA hardiness zones 11-13.
  

  • Name: Green zebra plant (Dracaena goldieana)
  • Height: 10 ft.
  • Light: Full sun, partial shade outdoors; bright, indirect sunlight indoors
  • Leaf Color: Variegated green

• 22 of 25

  Dracaena Tree

  

  The dracaena tree (Dracaena arborea) is called the slender dragon tree. And indeed, with its woody, thin, upright trunk and long, lance-shaped, dark green leaves, it can be easily mistaken for a palm tree. The tree is native to tropical West Africa. Because of its size, it is usually grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 10-11.

  • Name: Dracaena tree (Dracaena arborea)
  • Height: 15 ft.
  • Light: Full sun
  • Leaf Color: Green

• 23 of 25

  Spikes

  

  Spikes (Dracaena indivisa ‘Proven Accents’) is the only annual dracaena species on this list. The trademarked cultivar is a heat-tolerant, low-maintenance outdoor plant for gardens and patios for USDA hardiness zones 7-11. It is grown for its foliage—long, sword-shaped leaves, that provide contrast in a flower bed. It is also suitable for containers.

  • Name: Spikes (Dracaena indivisa ‘Proven Accents’)
  • Height: 2-3 ft.
  • Light: Full sun, partial shade
  • Leaf Color: Variegated green

• 24 of 25

  Red Blood Dragon Tree

  

  Because of its height, the red blood dragon tree (Dracaena draco) is an evergreen plant with sword-shaped leaves and is best for outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9-12. It can also be grown as a houseplant, in which case it will not grow as tall. The tree is native to the Canary Islands and northwest coastal Africa. The name comes from the blood-like color of the tree’s sap.

  • Name: Red blood dragon tree (Dracaena draco)
  • Height: 15 ft.
  • Light: Full sun, partial shade
  • Leaf Color: Green

  Continue to 25 of 25 below

• 25 of 25

  Socotra Dragon Tree

  

  With its dense crown, the Socotra dragon tree (Dracaena cinnabari) is a striking evergreen tree that looks like a gigantic mushroom. Only the top leaves are green while the branches underneath are bare, which gives them the appearance of gills. The tree needs a warm, tropical climate, and a location with ample, unobstructed sunlight all day. It is native to the Socotra archipelago in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden. It will grow in USDA hardiness zones 10-11.

  • Name: Socotra dragon tree (Dracaena cinnabari)
  • Height: 33 ft.
  • Light: Full sun
  • Leaf Color: Green