Dracaena fragrans ‘Janet Lind’

The background and history of Dracaena fragrans ‘Janet Lind’

‘Janet Lind’ was developed in Costa Rica from East African Dracaena material, including plants grown at around 1,000 m elevation.

The name was inspired by the Spanish word lindo, meaning handsome. The plant is widely known as ‘Janet Lind’, although its exact naming status is still unsettled.

Growing Dracaena fragrans ‘Janet Lind’ at home

• Light: Bright indirect light supports glossy striped foliage. The plant can also cope with some dimmer positions in naturally bright rooms.
• Water: Let the upper part of the mix dry, then give a moderate watering and drain the container fully. Rainwater suits the foliage well.
• Potting mix: Choose an airy peat-free mix that stays lightly moist between waterings and drains freely.
• Temperature: Keep ‘Janet Lind’ around 18–27°C.
• Humidity: Typical indoor humidity suits ‘Janet Lind’. Slightly higher humidity is also suitable.
• Feeding: Apply a balanced liquid feed about monthly while new growth is developing, then cut back when growth slows.
• Repotting, pruning and taking cuttings: Move to the next pot size after roots become crowded. Shorten an overlong stem cleanly and root healthy stem sections in warmth if wanted.

Dracaena fragrans ‘Janet Lind’: stress signs and solutions

• Brown tips: Hard tap water, too much fertiliser, dry conditions or inconsistent watering can leave the leaf ends brown. Cleaner water can improve fresh growth.
• Several leaves yellow while the roots remain damp: Increase the drying time and look closely at the roots. If they have begun to rot, disinfect scissors or pruners and cut off the softened parts. Retain only firm, healthy roots, put the rotten pieces in the bin and repot in fresh, loose mix.
• Rust-coloured dry patches: Move the plant farther from a sunny window or soften the light before it reaches the foliage.
• Dark, wet-looking or spreading leaf spots: Remove damaged leaves, pour water onto the soil and keep it off the foliage. Leave enough room around the leaves for them to dry easily.
• Scale, webbing, silver marks or cottony deposits: Check the leaves for spider mites and thrips, then inspect the stems and leaf bases for scale or mealybugs. Treat ‘Janet Lind’ away from other plants with a product labelled for the pest. Use the label to time any follow-up treatment.

Dracaena fragrans ‘Janet Lind’ 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.

What does Dracaena fragrans mean, and who first published it?

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.