Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree - Evergreen Trees Direct

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Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

$26,000.00

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Size: 850MM trunk - Ex Ground

850MM trunk - Ex Ground 1M trunk - Ex Ground 1.2M trunk - Ex Ground 2M trunk - Ex Ground Multi trunk - Ex Ground

Current Stock Height Guides

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 6m to 10m

Mature Width: 4m to 8m

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is expected to grow 0.1m to 0.3m per year (extremely slow, long-lived species).

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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About Your New Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

Dracaena draco, the Dragon Tree, is a slow-growing evergreen from the Canary Islands with a stout trunk and rosettes of stiff, grey-green, sword-shaped leaves. Each time it flowers the crown forks, so across decades the tree builds the tiered, umbrella-like silhouette it is known for. Cut bark bleeds a red resin, the original dragon's blood.

It takes full sun, poor sandy or gravelly soil and salt wind without complaint, and is very drought tolerant once established. Frost is the limit, so keep it to frost-free coastal and warm inland areas around Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. Growth is under 10 centimetres a year, so the size you plant is close to the size you keep.

It suits courtyards, rockeries, dry gardens, roof terraces and Mediterranean-style schemes, and holds its own as a single specimen against modern architecture. Civic spaces and resorts use it where a sculptural focal point has to survive heat and neglect. An advanced ex-ground trunk gives immediate presence, which counts for a lot with a species this slow.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Dragon Tree

What is a Dragon Tree?

Dracaena draco is an evergreen tree native to the Canary Islands, Madeira and Cape Verde, related to the common indoor dracaenas but far larger and much tougher. It grows a thick tapering trunk topped with dense rosettes of rigid grey-green leaves, branching into a broad tiered canopy with age. The red sap gave rise to the name dragon's blood.

How big does Dracaena draco grow?

Mature trees reach 6 to 10 metres tall and 4 to 8 metres wide, but only after many decades in the ground. Within an average garden lifetime you are dealing with something considerably smaller. Trunk sizes from 850 millimetres through to 2 metres, plus multi-trunk forms, let you set the scale you want from the outset.

How fast does it grow?

Very slowly, under 10 centimetres a year, and slower again in cooler climates or poor light. The trunk thickens before it lengthens, and branching only begins after the first flowering, which can take a decade or more. That is why advanced ex-ground specimens are the usual starting point.

Is it frost tolerant?

No. Dracaena draco does not tolerate frost and should be kept out of frost-prone areas. It is at its best in frost-free coastal and warm temperate gardens. In marginal locations, plant against a north-facing wall with overhead cover, or grow it in a large pot that can be moved under shelter for the winter.

Is it suitable for coastal positions?

Yes, it is one of the better choices for exposed coastal sites. It tolerates salt-laden wind and sandy, low-fertility soil, and the stiff leaves do not tear or brown off the way broad foliage does. Give it a raised or naturally free-draining position so winter rain moves away from the base rather than sitting there.

Can it grow in pots?

Yes, and it is a good container plant precisely because it grows so slowly. Use a wide, heavy pot with a cactus and succulent mix, since the crown is top heavy and the roots resent staying wet. Water sparingly, let the mix dry out between waterings, and repot only every four or five years.

How do I care for a Dragon Tree?

Almost nothing is required. Pull off the skirt of dead leaves once or twice a year, water deeply but infrequently through the warm months, and stop over winter. Feed lightly in spring with a slow-release fertiliser. Avoid heavy pruning, since the branch structure is the whole point of the tree and large cuts do not regrow neatly.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

View full details

Type: Garden Supplies

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Feature Tree
Council or Civic Landscapes

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree works in an:

Contemporary / Architectural Garden – striking forms for bold design statements.
Mediterranean Style Garden – timeless courtyard look with stone, pots, and bold greenery.
Coastal Garden – relaxed, seaside feel with hardy, textural plants.
Succulent / Dry Garden – sculptural planting with cacti, agaves, and drought-style textures.

Is Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree Evergreen or Deciduous?

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 6m to 10m

Mature Width: 4m to 8m

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is expected to grow 0.1m to 0.3m per year (extremely slow, long-lived species).

Growth Rate of Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is expected to grow 0.1m to 0.3m per year (extremely slow, long-lived species).

They are considered to have a:

Slow Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

Is Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree frost tolerant?

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is Not Frost Tolerant – Cannot survive frost, should be avoided in frost-prone areas.

Does Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree Flower?

Dracaena draco produces tall, upright panicles of small, creamy-white to greenish flowers in mid- to late summer. While not highly ornamental, the fragrant blooms rise above the branched canopy and are followed by bright orange-red berries that add a subtle seasonal highlight.

Does Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree flower?

Yes - Flowers

Flowering Period:

Summer

Flower Type:

Clustered

Flower Colour:

Not Applicable

Is Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree an Australian Native Tree?

No

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is Native to Native to the Canary Islands, Madeira, and Cape Verde; iconic feature tree of subtropical Atlantic islands.

What is the Wildlife Value of Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree ?

Its nectar-bearing flowers attract bees and beneficial insects, while the colourful berries provide food for fruit-eating birds. The branching canopy also offers sheltered perching spots and creates warm micro-habitats for reptiles and ground-dwelling wildlife in arid-style gardens.

How much Sunlight does Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree need?

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree will thrive best in:

Full Sun

Preferred Soil?

Dracaena draco performs best in well-drained sandy or loam soils and tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. It is extremely sensitive to poor drainage and may fail in heavy clay or waterlogged areas unless significantly improved with organic matter and coarse material. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then move to deep, occasional watering as it matures to support its slow, steady growth and exceptional drought resilience.

Is Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree Drought Tolerant?

Is Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree Drought tolerant?

As a young plant it requires occasional watering, but once established Dracaena draco develops exceptional drought tolerance. It thrives in hot, dry, windy and coastal environments, maintaining its thick trunk and architectural branching with minimal supplementary watering.

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How To Plant Your Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun to part shade with room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

Feature tree: 3 to 4 metres apart to allow the full canopy and form to develop.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree is expected to grow 0.1m to 0.3m per year (extremely slow, long-lived species).

Slow Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, this is drought tolerant and only needs a deep soak during extended dry periods.

Mulching: Apply a 5 to 7 centimetre layer of organic mulch over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk.

Pruning: Minimal pruning required. Light tip prune in late winter to maintain shape, and remove lower branches as the tree grows to develop a clean feature trunk.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release general-purpose fertiliser in early spring and again in autumn for steady growth and consistent foliage colour.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional inspection in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Dracaena draco – Dragon Tree in Different Soil

Dracaena draco performs best in free-draining loam or sandy loam with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is sharp.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch lightly to moderate surface temperature.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and coarse organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline preferred. Avoid waterlogging at all times.