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Song Of India (Dracaena reflexa), whole plant
  • Song Of India — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Song Of India — seasonal appearance
  • Song Of India in a garden setting

Song Of India

Dracaena reflexa

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Song Of India

Song of India is a tropical Madagascan and Indian Ocean evergreen shrub or small tree producing whorled clusters of slender pointed leaves striped in green and bright yellow. Reaching 3-6 feet indoors and up to 20 feet in tropical landscapes, the variegated 'Song of India' cultivar is one of the most popular dracaenas in American homes and offices. Tolerant of low light and irregular watering, it brings vibrant color to interior spaces.

  • Air-purifying
  • Evergreen
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Indirect
Filtered light
HARDY
Hardy to 30°F (-1°C)
USDA hardiness zones 10–11

How to care for Song Of India

Watering

  • Springevery 10 days
  • Summerevery 10 days
  • Fallevery 14 days
  • Winterevery 21 days

Soil · Fast-draining

  • Main mixSand + pumice + soil 1:1:150%
  • DrainagePumice / gravel50%

Keep grit at half the mix or more — this soil is meant to dry out fast.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 45 days
  • Summerevery 45 days
Get watering reminders for Song Of India — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeAfrica, South Asia
  • Height4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m)
  • Spread2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m)
  • Flower colorWhite, Cream
  • Foliage colorGreen, Variegated
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained
  • LocationsIndoor · Balcony · Yard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Jun–Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Small white fragrant flower clusters (rare indoors)

Fragrance

LIGHT FRAGRANCE

Faint floral scent when blooming.

Toxicity

Humans Slight · Pets Moderate

saponins

Slight

  • Leaf
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves.

EFFECT Gastrointestinal upset.

NOTE Documented concern for humans: Gastrointestinal upset.

Moderate

  • Leaf
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves.

EFFECT Vomiting, depression, and anorexia.

NOTE ASPCA lists Dracaena as toxic to pets.

Moderate

  • Leaf
  • Ingestion

EXPOSURE Eating leaves.

EFFECT Vomiting, dilated pupils, and depression.

NOTE ASPCA lists Dracaena as toxic to pets.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Song Of India · Native
  • Native
  • Introduced
  • Africa
  • South Asia

History

Illustrated historical scene for Song Of India

Dracaena reflexa, commonly called song of India, pleomele, or Malaysian dracaena, is a slow-growing small tree or shrub in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae) native to Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Mozambique, and a few other Indian Ocean locations, where it grows on rocky coastal and low-elevation sites. French botanist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck formally described the species in 1786. The epithet reflexa refers to the reflexed (curved downward) leaves.

Wild plants grow into 3-5 meter (rarely to 8 meter) slowly branching trees with whorled rosettes of strap-shaped leathery dark green leaves 15-20 cm long clustered at branch tips on slender gray-barked stems. Small white-to-cream flowers in panicles produce orange-red berries. The species is most widely grown in horticulture as the variegated cultivar 'Song of India' with bright chartreuse-yellow and green longitudinally striped leaves—one of the top-selling commercial foliage plants globally since the 1970s.

'Song of Jamaica' has darker yellow variegation. Toxic to pets due to saponins. The 'Song of India' cultivar with its striking yellow variegation has been a top-selling office and home plant in America since the 1980s. Recognized by NASA as a notable air purifier.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Song of India broadcasts vitality in vivid yellow stripes down each leaf — a signal of life so cheerful it seems painted on. Across America it has become the plant of welcome, ubiquitous in office lobbies, hotel atriums, and entryways where someone wanted greenery that would not give up. Its message is simple and steady: come in, settle down, life is happening here.

  • Vitality — vibrant yellow stripes signal life
  • Welcome — ubiquitous in American offices and entryways

Where the Name Comes From

'Dracaena' from Greek meaning female dragon (for the red sap); 'reflexa' refers to the reflexed leaves.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Whorled glossy leaves grown as easy-care indoor pot plant
  • Variegated cultivars used as architectural houseplant focal points

Related plants

More Dracaena plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Song Of India?

In summer, water about every 10 days; in winter, about every 21 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Song Of India need?

Indirect: Filtered light. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Song Of India toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Moderate (Dogs Moderate · Cats Moderate) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Song Of India easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

Can Song Of India be grown indoors?

Yes, it adapts well to indoor growing given the right light.

When does Song Of India bloom?

It typically blooms Jun–Aug in the Northern Hemisphere.

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