The dragon tree in the Great Glasshouse at the National Botanic Garden of Wales was already 25 years old when it was planted and now, nearly 15 years later, it has flowered for the first ever time.
Officially extinct in its Canary Islands home (where it is the natural symbol of the islands and ‘floral’ symbol of Tenerife), the Wales-based dragon tree – Dracaena draco – is thought to have been prompted into bloom by the recent hot weather.
Horticulturist Marilla Burgess said the flower spike could grow to four feet tall and will produce a display of small white/yellow flowers.
“It’s very exciting. It wouldn’t normally flower in our climate as it is a good bit cooler that the Canaries but the recent hot spell appears to have triggered this rather historic, middle-aged flowering.”
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.
Sap from the dragon tree was once sought after by magicians and apothecaries who thought it resembled dragons’ blood – hence the tree’s fairytale name.
The dragon tree has been revered since the Spanish conquest.
Some shrubby species of Dracaena are popular as houseplants.
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