A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Dracaena Marginata Got Too Cold

I have a Dracaena Marginata that I got about three years ago that I keep on my covered patio here in Sacramento. This would be the third winter it has been on the patio, however this winter we got a cold spell where the temperatures got below freezing several nights in a row. I didn't think the plant would suffer but now I am not sure. All of the leaves on the top of each cane got black and died. I pulled them all of and now the plant is just these canes sticking up with nothing happening. Should I prune each of the cane, the tips are all spongy feeling and are a dark brown.

cut it back to about 3-5 inches above the soil. then make sure it doesn't get wet in the top of the cuts. if it is going to make it, and it might, that is your best bet. but you need to do that now before the rot gets farther down the stem.

Each of the canes are several feet tall. So I should cut them only three to five inches above the soil? That seems a little drastic, could I try just cutting them several inches down from the tip of each cane? I am sure you know what you are talking about but if I have to cut them that far down I might just as well buy another one.

ok, that being the case, cut it back until you hit firm clean wood fiber. you probably want to go in sections of about 4-5 inches.

I did what you suggested. I ended up cutting about 5 to 10 inches off each stock. I got clean wood fiber with a little big of green around the edge. Should I do anything else now. Feed it? I know with these plants that you don't want to over water them, so is there anything else I can do or just wait and hope for the best? Thanks so much for your help

I meant to say, a little bit of green around the edges.

that is a very good sign. it should sprout from the sides, about an inch below the top within the next couple of weeks. just water it when you stick your finger in the and it feels dry. not bone dry, just mostly dry.

Oh good, thank you very much for you help. I will email you in a few weeks and let you know the outcome!

or post here.

if you want to "hasten" the sprouting, gently "nick" the stem just under a couple of the rings with your finger nail. it doesn't always work, but it does more often than not.