Dracaena “Janet Craig” (Dracaena deremensis “Janet Craig”) is an easy-to-grow houseplant that can tolerate low light conditions. Similar to other Dracaena plants, it is also known to be an air purifying plant because it is very effective in removing air pollutants from the air.
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ has it all- it is an attractive houseplant with glossy, graceful leaves, easy to grow, and is one of the best air purifying indoor plants you can grow! Here are tips on how to care for your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ indoors.
10 Tips on How to Take Care of Your Dracaena Janet Craig
1. Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ can Tolerate Low Light.
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is happiest in bright, filtered light. It does well in an east-facing window with a half day of morning sun.
Avoid direct sunlight, it will burn the leaves of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. It will also thrive in a north-facing window since your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ can tolerate low light.
2. Moderate Water is Best for Your Dracaena Janet Craig
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ has moderate water requirements. Water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ when the soil feels dry.
The best way to tell when it is time to water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is to feel the soil. Stick your finger in the soil 1 inch deep. If it feels dry, it’s time to water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’.
3. Get the Soil Right for Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ needs a well-draining, organic all-purpose potting mix.
4. Fertilize Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ should be fertilized twice a year- once during early Spring and once in June.
5. Don’t forget to Repot Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
Repot your Dracaena Janet Craig when it outgrows its current pot. Repot your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ in a container with a diameter 2 inches larger than the current pot.
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is a slow-growing plant so don’t plant it in a container that is too big.
6. Drainage is Essential for Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
Good drainage is important, you don’t want your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ to sit in soggy soil. Make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
After watering your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ and you see water draining out of the pot’s drainage holes, make sure you empty out the accumulated water in the saucer. Don’t let your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig”s pot sit in this puddle of water. It will cause root rot!
7. Get the Temperature Right for Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ needs to have a daytime temperature of 65F to 75 Fahrenheit (18-24C). The nighttime temperature should be at 55-65 Fahrenheit (13-18 C).
8. Keep Your Dracaena Janet Craig Dust Free
Dust accumulates on the leaves of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ plant. The layer of dust decreases the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Periodically wiping down the leaves of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ with a damp cloth will help keep your plant healthy.
You can also use a duster or dry duster cloth to wipe off the layer of dust on the leaves. Don’t use leaf-polishing products on your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’.
9. Humidity is Vital for Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is a houseplant that does well in regular indoor humidity. However, it will grow best when it is in a moderately humid setting. You should increase indoor humidity. Mist your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ twice a week.
Another way to increase humidity is to keep your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ in a saucer filled with water. But make sure the pot is elevated with pot feet or pebbles so your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is not sitting directly on the water.
10. Dracaena Janet Craig is an Air Purifying Plant
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is an air purifying plant. It will clean the air by removing air pollutants such as trichloroethylene (TCE), Formaldehyde, and Benzene.
A NASA study showed that Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ effectively removed 77.6% of benzene in the air and 17.5% of trichloroethylene in the air.
3 Common Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ Problems
The common problems for Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ are root rot, brown leaf tips, and spider mites.
Why are there Yellow and Brown Spots with Spider-Like Webs on the Leaves and Stems of Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’?
Problem: There are yellow and brown spots on the leaves of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. You also see spider web-like webbing on the leaves and stems.
Cause: The spider webbing and yellow and brown spots are signs of spider mites attacking your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. Spider mites are tiny pests that are too small to see with your bare eyes.
Solution: To treat spider mites on your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’, spray off the leaves with water from a garden hose. The force will cause the little spider mites to wash off the leaves. You can also wash mites off with soapy water or rubbing alcohol. There are also horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps that you can use to kill off spider mites.
Check out our article on how to make your own homemade pesticides using baby shampoo: How to Make Horticultural Oil and How to Make Insecticidal Soap
Why does your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’: looks Wilted even if the Soil is Wet?
Problem: Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ looks wilted even if the soil is wet. Check for root rot by pulling the plant out and examining the roots. If the roots of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ plant look mushy (healthy roots are firm) and the roots are gray to black in color, these are telltale signs of root rot.
Cause: Root rot is caused by fungus and is a serious problem for your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. Root rot is a result of wet soil due to overwatering or poor drainage.
Solution: When your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is afflicted with root rot the chance of survival is slim. Your best course of action is to throw your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ out and start over with a new plant. This time don’t overwater your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ and make sure there is good drainage in the pot.
Why are the Tip of the Leaves of Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ Turning Brown?
Problem: The tips of the leaves of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ plant are turning brown.
Cause: When the tips of the leaves of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ turn brown that is a result of not enough water or humidity. The tips of the leaves are turning brown because they are dying.
Solution: Water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ and increase humidity by watering your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. Another reason for the brown leaf tips is the tap water you use may have too many chemicals.
Try watering with distilled water or rainwater to see if that resolves the issue.
Do know that from personal experience, Dracaenas are prone to tip of leaves turning brown. It’s a very common problem with Dracaenas, not just Janet Craig, even the popular Corn Plant. See the photo below of my Dracaena Janet Craig tip of leaves turned brown.
Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig’ Houseplant Facts
| Name | Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ |
| Scientific Name | Dracaena deremensis “Janet Craig” |
| Light | Bright Indirect Light. Can Tolerate Low Light. |
| Daytime Temperature | 65 to 75F (18-24C) |
| Night Time Temperature | 55-65F (13-18C) |
| Water | Moderate Water |
| Humidity | Moderate Humidity |
| Potting | Well-draining, organic, all-purpose potting mix |
| Fertilizer | Apply once during early Spring and apply once in June. |
| Air Purifying Plant | Removes trichloroethylene (TCE), Formaldehyde, and Benzene. |
| Toxic to Pets and Humans | Toxic |
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ Plant: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ Plant Toxic to Pets?
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’s are toxic to humans and pets (source: ASPCA). Don’t let children or pets chew on the leaves of the Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ plant because it contains saponins. Saponins have been used as fish poison! It can cause vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. It will cause dilated pupils in cats. If you see any of these symptoms and suspect ingestion of any plant parts of your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’, call poison control immediately! Also, call your doctor or vet once you start seeing adverse reactions in children and pets.
How Can You Tell When It’s Time to Water Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’?
Water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ when the soil feels dry. The best way to tell when it’s time to water is by sticking your finger into the soil. Stick your finger in the soil 1 inch deep. If the soil feels dry, then it’s time to water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’.
Can You Use Cold Water When Watering Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’?
Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ can be watered with tap water but be mindful of the water temperature that you are using to water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. Don’t use straight cold water from the tap to water your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’. Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ prefers cool water that is not hot and not cold.
When you turn on the cold water from the faucet add a little bit of warm water. You can also get to this ideal temperature by filling a watering can or pitcher with water and leaving it out overnight until the water is at room temperature.
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ can be sensitive to the minerals in tap water, so if you see brown tips on its leaves, you may need to switch to watering your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ with distilled water or rainwater.
What Fertilizer Should You Use for Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’?
Use liquid or powder, organic fertilizer with a higher ratio of nitrogen on your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’.
How Do You Propagate Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’?
Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ is easy to propagate. You can propagate your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ by stem tip cutting.
Below are steps on how to propagate Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ by stem tip cutting:
1. Take a Stem Tip Cutting of Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ (include a node)
Pick a stem with a node. Cut below the node.
2. Place Your Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ Stem in Jar of Water
Place the Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ stem into a jar of water and wait for it to grow roots. To help it focus its energy on growing roots, make sure your stem has a maximum of 2 leaves. Cut off extra leaves as needed.
Another way to stimulate root growth is to dip your stem cutting in root hormone and plant it in moist sand. I personally prefer the jar method so you can easily see the roots come out. Know that not all stem cuttings of Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ will grow roots, so to be safe, cut a few stem cuttings so you will at least get one with roots.
3. Plant Stem Cutting in New Pot
Once the roots grow, plant these stem cuttings into a new pot. Water the new plant immediately after planting. Then water every 2-3 days until the roots are established.
4. Place New Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ in a Spot with Bright Indirect Sun
Place your new Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ plant in a spot with bright indirect sunlight. Don’t put it in direct sunlight.
You May Also Be Interested In:
Popular Houseplants that are Toxic to Pets and Humans (Pictures)
Best Houseplants for Low Light Conditions (Infographic)
Best Houseplants for Bathrooms ( Pictures)
Best Houseplants for Beginners (Easy to Grow, Impossible to Kill Houseplants)
11 Best Air Purifying Houseplants
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