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Dragon Tree

Dracena draco

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32.8492, -117.275

Field Notes

Description:

Type of Yucca tree? Tall tree (I'm guessing it was 20 ft tall) with thick branches. Leaves are slender and green.

Habitat:

Small park right on the coastline. This is not native to California.

Notes:

"Dracaena draco is a monocot with a tree-like growth habit currently placed in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae, subfamily Nolinoidae). It is not a real tree. When young it has a single stem. At about 10–15 years of age the stems stops growing and produces a flower spike with white, lily-like perfumed flowers, followed by coral berries. Soon a crown of terminal buds appear and the plant starts branching. Each branch grows for about 10–15 years and re-branches, so a mature plant has an umbrella-like habit. It grows slowly, requiring about ten years to reach 1.2 metres (4 ft) in height but can grow much faster. When the bark or leaves are cut they secrete a reddish resin, one of the sources of the substance known as Dragon's blood, used to stain wood, such as of Stradivarius violins. It also has a number of traditional medicinal uses." - Wikipedia

Species ID Suggestions

Dragon tree

Dracaena

Dragon Tree

Dracena draco

Comments (6)

That's what I was trying to remember. Thanks Seema.
I have seen one in LA zoo and botanical garden and one is San Diego zoo campus,,,...Its dragon tree
Being an 'artificial' park it's presence is probably more to do with people preferences than what the tree wants and of course when plants are put into different environments they often grow differently. Leuba and I were just saying yesterday how good it would be if they always labelled park plants... (but then there's always vandals) ... I have seen another type like this but can't think of it right now. Maybe it will come back to me. Very surprised to find the Joshua is actually a lily though. Good luck with it.
Hi ArgyBee, hmmm. I'm not sure. It certainly could be. I read that they prefer inland desert at a higher elevation though. I wish there were signs naming all the wonderful plants at that park!
Hi CBK.. is this a Joshua tree? (which is a type of lily ! ) We don't have them here but I saw one when there.

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