Dragon's blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari)

Vegetable nature always surprises us. In the case of tree plants, there is one in particular that has a very peculiar name: dragon blood tree, and it is that it has a resin that, curiously, is red. Incredible true?

It is a species that you can grow in hot climates, with very mild frosts. So, if you want to have a different garden, learn how to care for this strange tree.

The Dragon Blood Tree, scientifically known by the name Dracaena cinnabari, belongs to the Asparagaceae family. It is native to the island of Socotra, where it lives at altitudes of up to 1600 meters above sea level. It has a slow growth rate, reaching 10m. The leaves, which are vertical, thin and rigid, are kept throughout the year on the plant. Its branches grow in such a way that, together with the leaves, form a semi-sphere. The trunk is thick, about 30-40cm in diameter, with a more or less conical shape. It blooms during the spring-summer.

And, as we said, they have the peculiarity that their resin is red. For this reason, has been and is still used today in traditional medicine, or even as a colorant. It is mined once a year, hence it has great market value. In the same place it is heated to transform it into a black paste syrup.

The Socotra Dragon Tree, as it is also called, is an increasingly sought-after plant in gardens, but unfortunately in the habitat it is beginning to have a bad time. Not because of the extraction of the resin, but because of the increasingly dry climate. These plants endure long periods of drought, but they cannot live without water forever.

If you want to be able to enjoy the Dragon's Blood Tree in your particular green corner, you should know that you have to place it in an area where direct sun hits it, in well-drained soil. If you prefer, in fact, it is the most recommended if frosts are registered in your area, plant it in a pot with a very porous substrate (equal parts perlite and vermiculite, for example). Watering has to be weekly, except in winter when we will water once every 10-15 days.

Did you know this amazing tree?