Dracaena ‘Rikki’

Cultivated origin of Dracaena ‘Rikki’

Dracaena ‘Rikki’ has been in the foliage trade since at least 2001. Its exact parentage is uncertain.

Older horticultural sources compared it with Dracaena fragrans and Dracaena reflexa var. angustifolia, while some growers considered it a sport of Dracaena fragrans.

Caring for Dracaena ‘Rikki’ indoors

• Light: Place Rikki in bright, indirect light. Use a sheer curtain if strong midday sun reaches the leaves through glass.
• Water: Water when the upper part of the potting mix feels dry and the pot feels noticeably lighter. Wet the mix evenly, then let excess water drain away. Wait longer before watering again if dimmer or cooler conditions noticeably slow leaf production.
• Temperature: A consistently warm position suits Rikki. Avoid cold draughts and abrupt temperature drops.
• Water quality: Rainwater or filtered water helps limit fluoride and mineral build-up that can mark the leaf tips.
• Humidity: Moderate to high household humidity helps keep the leaf edges in good condition. Very dry heated air can crisp the margins, so place Rikki away from radiators and hot air vents.
• Potting mix: Use a loose houseplant mix that retains some moisture and drains freely.
• Pruning and propagation: Shorten mature stems with clean tools when needed. Healthy cane sections can be rooted, and new shoots may emerge from nodes below a pruning cut.
• Feeding: Use a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser lightly while new leaves are forming. Fertilise less often during slower growth.
• Repotting: Move up one pot size when roots fill the container, begin lifting the plant or the potting mix becomes compacted and drains slowly.
• Pet safety: Keep Rikki out of chewing range of cats and dogs; eating Dracaena can make pets ill.

Dracaena ‘Rikki’ plant health

• Brown tips or margins: Mineral-rich tap water, fluoride or very dry air can leave brown edges on the foliage. Switch to rainwater or filtered water, keep Rikki away from radiators and heating vents, then flush the potting mix thoroughly with clean water and allow it to drain.
• Several yellow leaves with wet potting mix or a soft stem base: Prolonged wetness may have damaged the roots. Unpot the plant. Using a clean, disinfected blade, trim away roots or stem tissue that feels soft or looks dark, stopping when the remaining tissue is firm and healthy. Throw away the rotten pieces and repot Rikki in fresh, loose potting mix.
• Curled leaves with dry brown or rusty patches: Excess heat or strong direct light can mark the foliage. Increase the distance from hot window glass and filter the strongest sun until conditions are gentler.
• Dark, wet-looking patches followed by leaf drop: Chilling can damage Dracaena foliage. Move Rikki to a reliably warm position and keep it clear of cold draughts or sudden temperature drops.
• Cottony clusters, fine webbing, hard bumps or pale silvery streaks: Inspect the leaf bases, stems and undersides for mealybugs, spider mites, scale or thrips. Isolate Rikki, identify the pest and apply a treatment labelled for it, following the label directions and any stated repeat interval.

If the symptoms are difficult to match, send us clear photos of Rikki from several angles, including the whole plant and close-ups of the damaged areas, so we can help identify the likely cause.

Dracaena ‘Rikki’ 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.

When was Dracaena first published, and what does it mean?

Dracaena comes from Greek drakaina, meaning a female dragon.

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