Dracaena trifasciata 'Laurentii'

Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ African origin and plant history

Dracaena trifasciata is native to southern Nigeria, parts of west-central Africa and Tanzania. It grows in tropical habitats with a dry season, and its water-storing leaves help it through dry periods. The older name is Sansevieria trifasciata. DNA studies showed that Sansevieria sits within Dracaena, and the species name changed to Dracaena trifasciata in 2017.

The yellow-margined ‘Laurentii’ form was described by botanist Émile De Wildeman in 1904. Meise Botanic Garden has a historic specimen dating from 1907, showing that ‘Laurentii’ has been grown for more than a century.

Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ care for yellow-edged growth

• Light: Give ‘Laurentii’ bright filtered light. Light shade is also fine for a mature plant.
• Water: Wait until the mix is dry throughout and the pot feels light, then water thoroughly until the whole mix is moist and let excess drain away.
• Potting mix: Choose a free-draining succulent mix and always use a pot with drainage holes.
• Temperature: Keep ‘Laurentii’ around 15–24°C and away from cold draughts.
• Humidity: Normal room humidity is fine. Keep the leaves dry and allow gentle air movement around the plant.
• Feeding: Feed lightly once a month while new leaves or side shoots are appearing.
• Slower growth: In cooler, darker conditions, the potting mix takes longer to dry, so water less often.
• Repotting: Repot when roots fill the pot or new shoots begin to press against the sides.
• Propagation: Separate rooted side shoots to keep the yellow-edged pattern. Leaf cuttings can lose the yellow edge and grow green.
• Handling: Sap may irritate skin, so wear gloves when cutting or dividing. Keep the leaves out of reach of children and pets; eating them can cause stomach upset.

Dracaena trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ health problems and solutions

• Lower leaf tissue turns soft: Soft lower tissue usually points to rot after the potting mix has stayed wet. Unpot the plant and check the base and roots. Use a knife that has been cleaned and disinfected to cut every soft or brown area back to firm, healthy tissue. Discard all rotten pieces, then repot the healthy plant in fresh, free-draining mix.
• Leaves wrinkle and the pot feels very light: If the roots are firm and the mix is dry, the plant is short of water. Water thoroughly and let the pot drain completely.
• Dry brown patches appear on the yellow margins: Strong direct sun can scorch the pale edges. Move the plant to bright filtered light and check fresh growth for improvement.
• White cottony patches or fine pale speckling: Check the leaf bases for mealybugs and both sides of the leaves for spider mites. Isolate the plant and remove any visible pests. If treatment is needed, use a houseplant product labelled for the pest and follow the label directions.
• Round wet-looking spots spread across a leaf: This can be a sign of anthracnose, a fungal leaf disease. Keep the plant separate, keep the leaves dry and remove badly damaged leaves with clean scissors.

Dracaena (Sansevieria) trifasciata ‘Laurentii’ 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 names Sansevieria trifasciata and Dracaena trifasciata

Dracaena comes from Greek drakaina, meaning a female dragon. The epithet trifasciata means three-banded.

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

David Prain first described it as Sansevieria trifasciata in 1903 in Bengal Plants, volume 2, page 1054. David Mabberley later placed it in Dracaena as Dracaena trifasciata in 2017 in Mabberley’s Plant-book, edition 4, page 1101.

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 trifasciata as a synonym of Dracaena trifasciata.