The Mass Cane Plant (Dracaena massangeana) is a widespread indoor plant. Also, known as the corn plant this beauty is native to tropical regions of Africa. The variegated leaves resemble that of corn plants and the dark green leaves of these plants also feature light green/yellow stripes.
The mass cane plant also produces one or more canes (stems) that grow on top of the stem and further produce crowns of leaves. Moreover, mass cane plant care is easy, and under the right conditions, these plants can grow up to 6ft tall indoors. These plants are also famous for their ability to remove harmful toxins from indoor air. So, let’s have a look at mass cane plant care and how you can grow these amazing plants.
| Common Name | Mass Cane Plants, The Corn Plant |
| Scientific Name | Dracaena fragrans "Massangeana" |
| Plant Family | Asparagaceae |
| Plant Type | Evergreen |
| Native | Africa |
| Mature Size | 4-6 feet Tall |
| Soil Type | Well-draining |
| Sunlight | Bright and Indirect |
| Color | Green leaves with yellow/green stripes |
| Temperature | 60℉ to 75℉ (15℃ to 24℃) |
| Plant Care | Easy |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to humans but toxic to dogs and cats |
Mass Cane Plant Care
Mass cane plant does not have any special needs and would easily thrive if you just provide their basic needs. And, if you are lucky these plants can also surprise you with a cluster of aromatic white flowers.
Water
Watering the mass cane plant depends on the lightning it is kept in. If placed in moderate light, water the plant when the soil feels dry to the touch and water enough to moisten the soil. If kept in a strong light you need to water the plant regularly. In low light, the plant can be allowed dry periods in between watering. Keep in mind that the mass cane plant is a slow-growing and slow-reacting plant and therefore could take a few days before showing the signs of over and under-watering. Till then the damage could be done. So, make sure you check your plants regularly and keep a strict schedule of watering.
Tip: Use filtered or distilled water to see the best results in plant growth.
Light
The mass cane plant can survive in various indoor lighting conditions. However, bright and indirect sunlight is best for this plant as it caters to all of the plant’s needs. So, it is recommended to place these plants in an area where they receive bright and indirect sunlight. If placed in a bright and direct light the plant would grow faster, however, it would also become vulnerable to plant pests like mealy bugs, and in very low light the leaves would turn yellow or brown with slower plant growth.
Soil
You can use any good drainage soil for mass cane plant care. These plants are not picky so you can use any soil mix suitable for indoor plants. You can add peat mass to the soil mix as these plants don’t like to sit in water and are prone to root rot. You can also add perlite to the soil if it appears to be dense. This will also help water to drain freely.
Temperature And Humidity
The preferred temperature for mass cane plant care is 60℉ to 75℉ (15℃ to 24℃). These plants can not survive much in cold so don’t let the temperature drop below 12℃ you also need to protect the mass cane plant from strong and direct sunlight to prevent sunburn. Curling or turning of leaves away from sunlight is a sign that the plant is trying to protect itself from strong sunlight.
Due to their nativeness to tropical regions, these plants require high humidity. However, these plants can also survive in normal humidity levels. If the leaves of your plant are turning brown that means the humidity is low. Spray the foliage of your plant frequently to increase the humidity levels. The plant also benefits from other plants around it as they increase humidity.
Fertilization
It is recommended not to fertilize the mass cane plant as the excess fluoride and boron found in most fertilizers are harmful to these plants. However, if you feel that your plant would benefit from extra feeding then use fertilizers only once a year or you can rely on many organic feeders.
More on – How To Fertilize Plants?
Pruning
The mass cane plant care is easy and that can be proved by its pruning. Simply remove any discolored or faded leaves by cutting them at the node using a clean garden shear. You may also remove any new sprouts or side shoots to help the plant maintain its shape. Moreover, if your plant is growing too tall you can just simply cut off the top part of the stem horizontally. You can propagate the cutting to produce more more mass cane plants.
Common Problems With Mass Cane Plants
Even though mass cane plant care is easy, there are some typical problems that these plants face.
- Brown Spots: This is a common plant disease that is caused by many possible conditions. To treat this problem check if your old plants have roots coming out of the pots and if so you need to cut them. Brown spots can also be caused due to the salt build-up in soil that is present in water. Add more soil to balance the salt levels.
- Tilted or Leaning Canes: The crooked canes of the plant show that it is trying to protect itself from light or trying to reach a light source. This can also be a result of overwatering or forcibly moving the plant. To treat this problem make sure to rotate your plants so that it gets an even light spread and the whole soil receives water.
- Yellow Leaves: Yellow leaves can be caused due to underwatering, low humidity levels, or the old age of the plant. You can simply remove the old foliage and water regularly if your plant is young.
- Mealy Bugs: Mealybugs are a common indoor plant pest and to treat their infestation just remove any visible bugs around the plant and keep the plant clean and fresh, you can also use neem oil to prevent regular infestation.
- Brown Leaf Tips: This is caused by overwatering or inconsistent watering. You can cut the brown part of the leaves or cut the brown leaves altogether.
Know more about Common Indoor Plant Problems.
Benefits Of Mass Cane Plant
Apart from easy mass cane plant care there are many other benefits of these plants such as:
- These plants aren’t costly. Mass cane is one of the inexpensive varieties of Dracaena plants.
- Mass cane plant is hardy and tolerable to many light conditions.
- The leaves of these plants are long and are easy to clean.
- These plants help in removing harmful toxins such as formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, benzene, and xylene.
- Mass cane plant has growth-like trees but they can thrive indoors with less care than other indoor trees such as ficus.
- Moreover, these are slow-growing plants which means they can add beauty to an area for a long time.
Also, read Low-Mainetnance Indoor Plants.
FAQs
Q. My Mass Cane Plant Has Become Wobbly. What Should I Do?
Ans. Over time the mass cane plant becomes wobbly. If your plant is otherwise healthy you can add more soil at the base of the plant and pack it to provide support to your plant. And if the plant is showing signs such as discoloration then there may be root damage.
Q. Is Mass Cane Plant Toxic?
Ans. These plants are toxic to cats and dogs if consumed. Common symptoms include vomiting and a lack of appetite. So make sure these plants stay out of the reach of your pets.
See also: Pet-friendly Plants.
Q. Why Are The Leaves Of My Plant Are Turning Yellow?
Ans. This might be due to low humidity levels or underwatering which is a common problem with this plant.
Conclusion
The mass cane plant is an amazing indoor plant because of its low maintenance and many benefits. Due to its easy plant care, these beauties are recommended for beginners. So, make sure to incorporate these plants into your indoor gardens.
Raghav is a talented content writer with a passion to create informative and interesting articles. With a degree in English Literature, Raghav possesses an inquisitive mind and a thirst for learning. Raghav is a fact enthusiast who loves to unearth fascinating facts from a wide range of subjects. He firmly believes that learning is a lifelong journey and he is constantly seeking opportunities to increase his knowledge and discover new facts. So make sure to check out Raghav’s work for a wonderful reading.
Hi Raghav, my mass cane plant gets new nodes and then when they are still tiny, they dry out brown. What can I do to avoid this and promote new growth?
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. Mass cane plants aren’t susceptible to major plant diseases. So make sure that you are providing the basic needs of the plant such as proper lighting, watering, and soil-quality. These are some of the problems that might be causing the drying out and browning of new nodes.