Dracaena humidity is important to consider because Dracaenas prefer humidity that is higher than the average humidity levels that you would find around your home.
Humidity of at least 60% is ideal for most Dracaenas, and this can be achieved by grouping plants together or by using a humidifier. If the humidity is lower than this range, you can expect the growth rate to slow down, and your Dracaena may show signs of low humidity, like browning or crispy leaves.
In this guide, I’ll take you through everything there is to know about Dracaena humidity, including my experience with keeping Dracaenas in less-than-ideal humidity.
Contents
Why Humidity Matters
Humidity is an important part of keeping Dracaenas, but why does it matter?
To put it simply, Dracaenas have adapted to high-humidity environments because of where they are from. Dracaenas are found naturally in places like Africa and South America, particularly in areas with high humidity, so they tend to prefer these conditions.
This adaption happens because higher humidity affects the rate of transpiration due to less evaporation of water from the leaves.
There are, of course, exceptions to this rule, so always double-check if you have a rare variety.
In my experience, maintaining the right humidity level is crucial for the health and growth of Dracaena plants.
Most Dracaenas that are kept as houseplants thrive in a moist and relatively high-humidity environment, with a preferred range of 60% to 80%.
Providing the ideal humidity level can prevent common problems associated with dry conditions, such as leaf-tip browning, and it will also help to promote the best growth.
Household Humidity
Another aspect to consider is the general household humidity.
Although Dracaenas can tolerate some neglect and handle average household humidity, following the EPA’s recommendation of keeping it between 30-50% might not be suitable for these plants in terms of optimal growth.
I have kept Dracaenas in a room with humidity around 50-60% for years now and have not had any issues, but I’m sure I would experience better growth with higher levels.
Dracaena Humidity: Ideal Level
60% is the minimum level of humidity that you need to aim for.
As I said before, I have kept Dracaenas just below this level for a long time and haven’t seen any major issues, but I do notice a slower growth rate than what others have achieved.
Keeping humidity this high can be a problem for a lot of people, and I’ll share some quick tips for increasing humidity later in this guide.
It can also lead to a lot of problems as well, such as attracting pests and making diseases more likely to appear.
How To Measure Humidity
I highly recommend getting a hygrometer to measure the humidity for your Dracaena (and other plants!).
Investing in a hygrometer has been more than worth it for me.
You can pick up a pretty decent model for $10 to $20 and they can measure the humidity accurately in any room within a few seconds.
Common Problems with Dracaena Humidity
High humidity – while promoting better growth for your Dracaena – can also attract pests and diseases.
Pests
Scales, mealybugs, and other pests are pretty common for Dracaenas, and they are attracted to moisture.
These pests feed on the sap inside the leaves and can spread to other plants rapidly.
Large infestations can kill off several leaves in a matter of days and even kill the entire plant if left alone.
Disease
A lot of fungal diseases also thrive in high-moisture environments, especially if moisture is on left on the leaves.
The best way to keep these problems away is to make sure that your Dracaena has good circulation around its leaves and that no water droplets are left on the leaves for long periods of time.
How To Keep Humidity High For Dracaenas
If you measure the humidity in your house, it is probably between 30 and 50% in most places.
This is clearly not ideal for a Dracaena, so how can you increase the humidity?
Place It Next To Other Plants
In my experience, one effective way to increase humidity for Dracaenas is by placing them near other plants.
Grouping plants together can create a microclimate with higher humidity levels due to transpiration from both plants, which is beneficial for tropical plants like Dracaenas.
Remember that it’s important not to overcrowd the plants, as this can hinder air circulation and lead to issues such as mold and pests.
I only group two or three plants together at a time because of this.
Use A Humidifier
Humidifiers can be pretty expensive, but they are the only way to increase humidity to a constant level.
I don’t recommend this option for everybody simply due to the price, but if you have a lot of other plants that also require higher humidity, then it can be a good solution.
Change Location
Some areas of the house have higher humidity than others.
For example, kitchens and bathrooms tend to have higher humidity.
If you can provide the other conditions in these areas for Dracaena growth, like bright, indirect sunlight, then moving your Dracaena to one of these places can be an easy and effective method to boost humidity.
What About Misting?
Misting is not a good way to increase humidity for two main reasons:
- It only increases humidity for a short period of time
- It leaves behind a lot of moisture on the leaves, which can attract pests and create spots after it evaporates
I’ve fallen victim to this mistake before, but after a lot of research and hands-on experience, it’s much better to either use other plants or a humidifier as they will increase humidity for a longer time without leaving droplets of moisture on the leaves.
In Summary
If you can get your Dracaena humidity in the correct range, you’ll notice that it will grow faster and be much happier.
There are some issues with keeping humidity high, and it’s important to keep these in mind.
You should also avoid misting, as this only increases the humidity for a relatively short amount of time.
