Dracaena ‘Fernwood Punk’ (formerly Sansevieria ‘Fernwood Punk’)

A Californian hybrid from Fernwood Plants

‘Fernwood Punk’ is generally treated as the hybrid originally published as ‘Fernwood’. Rogers Weld created it at Fernwood Plants in California by crossing Dracaena parva with Dracaena suffruticosa. The hybrid was formally published in 1988.

Its narrow-leaved parent species are adapted to warm, seasonally dry African conditions. The hybrid is consequently used to bright surroundings and generous gaps between moisture at the roots.

Dracaena ‘Fernwood Punk’: light and drying between waterings

• Light: Bright indirect light is ideal; a little direct sun is fine once the plant is acclimated.
• Watering: Wait until the mix is almost dry, then water thoroughly and empty any excess.
• Substrate: Use a coarse, freely draining mix with plenty of mineral material.
• Temperature: Aim for warm conditions, ideally 18–29°C, and protect it from temperatures below 12°C.
• Humidity: Normal household humidity is enough. Water the mix rather than pouring into the centre of the plant.
• Feeding: Fertilise lightly about once a month during active growth.
• Repotting: Repotting is infrequent: use the next pot size once the rhizome has occupied the current one.
• Propagation: Separate a well-rooted offset at the rhizome and pot it independently. This is the most reliable way to reproduce the parent plant’s form.
• Winter: Use much less water during cool, low-light periods.

Common problems with Dracaena ‘Fernwood Punk’

• Dark, soft tissue at the base: This indicates rot, usually after the substrate remained wet in cool conditions. Stop watering, unpot the plant and inspect the roots and rhizome. Use a disinfected blade to remove soft tissue back to a firm section, let every cut dry fully, then repot in fresh, dry, freely draining substrate.
• White wax or fixed brown bumps: Inspect leaf grooves, crowded bases and the rhizome for mealybugs or scale. Isolate the plant, remove visible insects and apply a houseplant product labelled for the identified pest at the stated intervals.
• Weak or unusually narrow new growth: Thin, poorly supported new leaves indicate that growth is continuing with insufficient usable light. Increase brightness gradually and assess the improvement from the next shoot; existing weak growth will not thicken.
• A firm mark that does not spread: A dry tan or pale patch is usually old pressure, rubbing or transport damage. Mark its edge and monitor it; a patch that becomes soft, dark or larger should be treated as active rot.

Dracaena is toxic to cats and dogs and has sharp leaf tips

Dracaena contains saponins. Eating the leaves can cause drooling, vomiting, loss of appetite and lethargy; cats may also have dilated pupils. Firm, pointed leaves can also scratch skin or eyes. Keep the plant away from eye level and busy routes, and contact a veterinarian if a pet eats it.

The Dracaena name

Dracaena comes from Greek drakaina, meaning a female dragon. ‘Fernwood Punk’ has also circulated under Sansevieria, the former genus name still commonly used for this group of plants.

The genus Dracaena entered botanical literature in 1767, when Linnaeus validly published Vandelli’s name in Mantissa Plantarum.