Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’

Origin and botanical background of Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’

‘Burundi’ is a cultivar of Dracaena fragrans, which is native across much of tropical Africa. In East Africa the species grows in moist forest, often near streams, at elevations of about 600 to 2,250 m.

Care for cane-forming foliage plants

• Propagation: Take a leafy top cutting or a section of cane and root it with steady warmth. Cuttings reproduce the parent cultivar.
• Watering: Water when the upper layer of the substrate is dry, soak the root ball thoroughly and let all excess drain. Roots decline if the mix remains wet for long periods.
• Water quality: Rainwater or filtered water is preferable where tap water is hard or high in fluoride, both of which can contribute to brown tips.
• Temperature: Keep Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’ warm and stable, ideally in steady indoor warmth, away from cold draughts, cold glass and hot radiators.
• Feeding: Apply a reduced-strength balanced feed occasionally while new leaves are opening. Lengthen the interval if growth slows rather than feeding by the calendar.

Troubleshooting Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’: leaf, cane and root symptoms

A cane section becomes soft or hollow

Check Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’ below the visible damage. Compare the affected cane with a sound section: healthy tissue is firm and clean inside, while wetness or internal browning indicates failure. Trace softness down the cane before cutting. Keep a solid cane and viable node, clean the blade between cuts and dry the wound before restarting the healthy crown.

Pale or brown patches on one side

Firm, bleached patches on the window-facing side point to sudden sun, while dark or translucent marks where leaves touched cold glass point to chilling. Move the plant away from the immediate cause and judge recovery from clean new leaves.

Map where the damage begins, before adding more water

Trace the position of the first mark on Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’: exposed face, sheltered surface, margin, growing point or base. Its location across the leaf crown, cane and lower root ball helps separate exposure, pest feeding, repeated drying and loss of root function. Use pot weight and root firmness together: water a dry throughout, firm root system thoroughly, but inspect soft roots in damp lower mix before adding water.

Dracaena fragrans ‘Burundi’ 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.

About the name Dracaena fragrans

Dracaena comes from Greek drakaina, meaning a female dragon. Fragrans is Latin for fragrant and refers to the flowers.

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

Carl Linnaeus first described it as Aletris fragrans in 1762 in Species Plantarum, second edition, page 456. John Bellenden Ker Gawler later placed it in Dracaena as Dracaena fragrans in 1808 in Botanical Magazine, volume 27, plate 1081.