Dracaena trifasciata 'Night Shade'

Dracaena trifasciata ‘Night Shade’ African origin and name change

Wild Dracaena trifasciata occurs in southern Nigeria, parts of west-central Africa and Tanzania. These tropical habitats have a dry season, and the plant’s fleshy leaves store water through drier periods.

Older labels may still show Sansevieria trifasciata. DNA studies placed Sansevieria within Dracaena, so the species name changed to Dracaena trifasciata in 2017.

Indoor care guide for Dracaena trifasciata ‘Night Shade’

• Water: Water thoroughly, then leave the pot until the mix is dry through before watering again.
• Light: Give bright filtered light. Light shade also works for an established ‘Night Shade’.
• Potting mix: Use a coarse succulent mix in a pot with drainage holes.
• Temperature: Keep ‘Night Shade’ around 15–24°C and away from cold draughts.
• Humidity: Normal room humidity is fine. Keep the leaves dry and allow some air movement around the plant.
• Repotting: Move up one pot size when roots fill the pot or side shoots begin to crowd the rim.
• Feeding: While fresh leaves or side shoots are appearing, use a light balanced feed about monthly.
• Cooler, darker conditions: The mix dries more slowly, so leave more time between waterings.
• Propagation: Separate a rooted side shoot to make another plant.
• Handling: Gloves help protect your skin from sap during cutting or division. Place the plant where children and pets cannot chew the leaves, which can cause stomach upset.

Dracaena trifasciata ‘Night Shade’ troubleshooting guide

• The base becomes soft or a fan loosens: A persistently wet mix can rot the base and make a fan loose. Lift the plant and check the base and roots. Before cutting, clean and disinfect a knife, then remove soft areas until firm, healthy tissue remains. Discard the rotten material and repot the healthy section in fresh, fast-draining mix.
• Leaves wrinkle while the pot feels light: If the roots are firm and the mix is dry, the plant is likely thirsty. Water thoroughly and let the pot drain.
• Brown spots keep getting larger: Brown spots that continue to spread can be a sign of leaf-spot disease. Keep the leaves dry, improve air movement and remove badly damaged leaves with clean scissors. Watch the next leaves for any new spots.
• The plant becomes loose although the base is firm: Check the roots and potting mix for missing or chewed roots, which can point to vine weevil larvae. If you find larvae, remove them and use a houseplant treatment labelled for vine weevil. Follow the label directions.
• Fine webbing, pale speckling or cottony deposits: Check for spider mites and mealybugs, then isolate the plant. If treatment is needed, use a houseplant product labelled for the pest and follow the label directions.

Dracaena (Sansevieria) trifasciata ‘Night Shade’ 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.

Why do both Sansevieria trifasciata and Dracaena trifasciata appear?

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.