San Pedro Dracaena Fragrans

Shady with a little sun. It will do best in light shade or filtered sunlight. Its leaves will scorch if its too bright. If its new leaves are small and under-developed, it's location is probably too dark and you should find a slightly brighter spot.

The best way to water it is to give it a generous watering until water runs out of the drainage hole. Wipe up drained water because the plant doesn't like wet feet, and this can cause root rot. Allow the top layer of soil to dry out between waterings.

Poke your finger into the soil to test its moisture level. If the top few inches of the soil are dry to the touch, then it is safe to proceed with watering, but if you can feel moisture, then you should wait before watering the plant again. The aim is to keep the lower level of soil moist but not soggy. It’s a bit of experimenting to get to the right balance but don’t worry, you’ll get it after a bit of trial and error.

Start with roughly twice a week. More in the hot, summer months, less in the monsoon and cooler seasons.

1. Pluck off any brown leaves.

2. Scrape off any white mould on top of the soil. It’s just harmless fungi that lives in the soil. Lightly dust the soil with ground cinnamon.

3. Poke holes in the soil with a chopstick to aerate it and and give your plant a bit of extra breathing room. Sprinkle a tablespoon of vitamins in the soil and massage in.

4. Shine its leaves with a damp cloth, gently removing any dust. Front and back. This not only makes your plant look nicer but also helps it to soak in light more easily.

5. Spin it around to make sure its leaves are sunned evenly as it tends to grow towards sunlight.

6. Clean your cane base with water and a bit of soap if needed.

But only if its leaves are dusty. Don't wet it too much.