What is this Plant??

[softserenity]

My roommate gave me this plant a year ago, yet no one has ever been able to figure out what exactly it is. Some say it's a tree, others say it's a freak of nature.

Since I do not know what this plant is, I do not know how to take care of it. I'd appreciate it if anyone could shed some light on this mystery plant. Any care instructions would be appreciated as well (I'm thinking about replanting it into a bigger pot, but I don't know if it will grow any bigger or stay the size it is).

~Kris

 

[softserenity]

Here is another picture of the plant, showing it's 3-forked trunk (one trunk is kind of hidden behind the leaf on the left).

 

[Stumper]

I could not open the first pic and the second was quite blurry. Based upon the fuzzy and incomplete picture I have I think you have a rubber tree. If you can post another pic in jpg format that would be helpful.

 

[Stumper]

Thanks Brian. Now that I can see it I can tell that I don't know what it is. - buT as you said it appears to be very healthy.

 

[che]

I'm pretty sure that's a Dracena marginata. I'm thinking it is sometimes bothered by mites and mealybugs (to see mites look under the leaf with a magnifying glass if necessary, if you see a tiny speck touch it, if it moves, it's a mite...if it doesn't, it's a speck of dirt) I don't believe you want to keep this one too moist, allowing the soil to almost dry out before watering but never letting it get bone dry...just don't allow it to sit in water.

Dracena's can tolerate lower light situations (houseplant) but will develope better color if given good indirect light.

Brian, I think the common name 'spider plant' is for the white/green houseplant that has variegated leaves, a main plant with straplike leaves (similar to liriope) and baby plants hanging off the mother plant by footlong+ runners with a little plant at the end.

Che

 

[softserenity]

Thank you everyone for your replies. It's great to finally know what my plant is! I have been trying to do research concerning the plant, but all I can find are websites selling the plant, no informational sites.

Does anyone know how tall this tree gets? Should I replant it in a bigger pot so it can grow?

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate the help.

 

[jimmyq]

yup, its a dracaena marginata (AKA dragon tree), gets 6 or so feet tall usually, can tolerate reasonable rootboundness and doesnt need much care but for the odd removal of the older lower leaves that gradually turn yellow and shed. Spider plant is also known as hlorphytum comosum, mostly used in hanging baskets, grows like a weed.

 

[Eric E.]

Che is correct in her information. They will get large if allowed. here is some info

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/DRAMARA.PDF

 

[Greg]

Very common house plant here in N. FL. I like to take off the lower leaves and make them look like small palm trees. Very hardy plants, I had one on the back deck for a couple of years until it didn't make it through a freeze. You can top them like yours has been and they produce multiple stems like yours. I've never seen one over about 4ft tall.
Greg

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you want to get another plant out of it, before you top it out, wrap the stem in moist peat maoss and palstic wrap. It will root into the peat and then you cna cut out the "new" plant and pot it up.