Dracaena fragrans ‘Surprise’

The nursery origin of Dracaena fragrans ‘Surprise’

At the Tilburg nursery Te-We Wholesale Nursery, an unusual shoot on ‘Green Stripe’ became ‘Surprise’.

Growing Dracaena fragrans ‘Surprise’ successfully

• Light: Use bright indirect light to support the detailed stripe pattern and filter intense direct sun around the pale bands.
• Water: Use a dry surface layer and a lighter-feeling pot as your cues. Water across the surface until moisture reaches the roots, then let the container drain fully.
• Potting mix: Grow it in a light, peat-free blend with enough structure to keep air around the roots and let water drain freely.
• Temperature: Keep ‘Surprise’ around 18–27°C.
• Humidity: Typical room humidity suits ‘Surprise’. Leave a little space around the close-set foliage.
• Feeding and water quality: Apply a modest feed while fresh leaves are growing. Filtered water or rainwater works well for the pale-striped foliage.
• Repotting and making new plants: Once the roots crowd the current pot, choose the next size. Healthy stem cuttings keep the Surprise stripe pattern.

Solving common problems with Dracaena fragrans ‘Surprise’

• Brown tips develop along the striped leaves: Hard tap water, excess fertiliser, dry air and irregular watering can mark the striped leaves. Try rainwater or filtered water for cleaner new growth.
• Yellowing appears while the potting mix remains wet: Give the pot a longer dry period and examine the roots. If any roots are rotten, disinfect scissors or pruners and trim away the soft material. Keep only roots that are healthy and firm, throw out the damaged pieces and replant in fresh mix that drains freely.
• New growth is long and unusually narrow: Check whether the roots are healthy and whether the potting mix has become dense. Roots that lack air can produce unusually narrow leaves.
• Sunken pale or rust-coloured areas: Move the plant out of strong direct sun and use bright filtered light.
• Speckling, fine webs or small waxy pests: Look between the close-set leaves for spider mites, then inspect stem joints and lower leaf bases for scale or mealybugs. Remove pests you can reach by hand. If treatment is still needed, choose one labelled for the pest and check its instructions before treating again.

Dracaena fragrans ‘Surprise’ 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.

How did Dracaena fragrans get its name?

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.