Dracaena ‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’

Origin and background of Dracaena ‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’

‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’ is a cultivated snake plant grown commercially by Ansu in the Netherlands. Nursery listings usually sell it simply as Sansevieria ‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’, without a settled species assignment. Sansevieria remains common in horticulture, although DNA research showed that the group belongs within Dracaena. Many former Sansevieria species were given Dracaena names in 2018.

Caring for Dracaena ‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’ indoors

• Light: Choose a bright indoor position with indirect light. Light shade is also suitable. Protect the foliage from strong midday sun.
• Water: Feel the potting mix before watering. Once it has dried, water thoroughly and allow the excess to leave the pot.
• Leaf tips: Keep the fine points away from frequent knocks because a damaged tip will not lengthen again.
• Temperature: A steady indoor range of 15–24°C suits it well. Keep it away from cold draughts and direct radiator heat.
• Humidity: Normal indoor humidity is enough. Keep the foliage dry and provide good airflow.
• Potting mix: A peat-free cactus or succulent mix with good drainage works well in a pot with drainage holes.
• Feeding: Apply a liquid houseplant or cactus feed about once a month while fresh growth is developing.
• Slower growth: Cooler or darker conditions keep the mix moist for longer, so leave more time between waterings.
• Repotting: Choose a pot only slightly larger once the roots and new growth have filled the current container.
• Propagation: Wait until a new shoot has formed its own roots before separating it. An established plant can also be divided.

Dracaena ‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’ root and pest problems

• The plant becomes loose at the base: The roots may have been damaged by staying wet for too long. Remove the plant from its pot. With a clean, disinfected tool, cut away all soft or rotten tissue until only firm, healthy tissue remains. Discard the rot and repot in fresh mix that drains well.
• The plant weakens or some leaves begin to collapse even though the potting mix is drying normally: Inspect the roots for damage. Vine-weevil larvae are one possible cause because they can feed on fleshy roots. Remove any larvae you find and use a treatment labelled for the pest if needed, following its directions.
• White cottony patches collect between the lower leaves: Check for mealybugs. Isolate the plant, remove visible insects and use a treatment labelled for indoor ornamental plants if needed. Repeat it only as directed on the label.
• Fine pale speckles or webbing appear: Inspect for red spider mites, especially in hot, dry conditions. Isolate the plant and use a suitable treatment labelled for indoor ornamental plants if needed, following the label for any repeat treatment.

Dracaena angolensis ‘Tiara Grand Gazelle’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• It contains saponins that can irritate the mouth and digestive tract.
• Chewing may cause drooling, vomiting, stomach pain, reduced appetite or weakness. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop.

Why is Sansevieria cylindrica now called Dracaena angolensis?

Dracaena comes from Greek drakaina, meaning a female dragon. Angolensis means ‘from Angola’.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Dracaena in 1767 in Mantissa Plantarum, page 9; Domenico Vandelli had proposed the name.

Élie Abel Carrière first described it as Sansevieria angolensis in 1861 in Revue Horticole (Paris), volume 10, page 447; Friedrich Welwitsch had proposed that name. James W. Byng and Maarten J. M. Christenhusz later placed it in Dracaena as Dracaena angolensis in 2018 in Global Flora, volume 4, page 64.

Sansevieria remains common in horticulture. Pei-Luen Lu and Clifford Morden showed that it belongs within Dracaena in a 2014 DNA study in Systematic Botany, volume 39. Kew’s World Checklist treats Sansevieria cylindrica as a synonym of Dracaena angolensis.