Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta Cane (Dracaena fragrans 'Janet Craig Compacta'), 3 ft 11 in Tall in a 10 inch Nursery Pot
Dracaena fragrans 'Janet Craig Compacta' · Janet Craig Compacta cane
- 30-day returnsNot happy with your plant? Call or email us within 30 days of your order about an exchange or a refund.
- Free delivery or pickupWe deliver free to Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby, and contact you after you pay to arrange a time. To pick it up at our Kitsilano store instead, write “pickup” in the notes at checkout.
Darrell says you usually find Janet Craig dracaenas small, in a 4 in pot. This one is three canes in a 10 in nursery pot, 47 in tall, with tufts of dark green leaves at three different heights. You pay for the plant in its nursery pot, without a decorative pot, so you choose the pot yourself.
- Three canes, three heights: each green cane ends in a dense tuft of short, glossy, dark green leaves, so the leaves sit in layers instead of one clump at the top.
- 47 in (119 cm) tall including its 10 in black nursery pot. There's no decorative pot, so you can pick one that suits your room.
- Free delivery to Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby. Or pick it up free at our Kitsilano store: write “pickup” in the notes at checkout.
- Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Keep it in a room your pets stay out of, and read the pet note below.
- 10 in nursery pot, choose your own pot
- Free delivery or pickup
- Water when the top quarter is dry
- Toxic to cats and dogs
Sending it as a gift?
- It arrives in its nursery pot, ready to stand on the floor. Ask us about a ceramic pot for it.
- Enter their address in Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond or Burnaby as the delivery address. You can place the order from anywhere. We deliver only to these five cities.
- The receipt comes to your email only, and we email you when it has been delivered.
- After you pay, we email you, not them, to confirm the delivery day. Write your gift message, and whether it is a surprise, in the notes at checkout.
- Not sure which plant suits them? Send a gift card and let them choose at our Kitsilano shop.
- Not for a home with cats or dogs that chew plants. For a home with cats or dogs, see our Money Tree.
Delivery is free to Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby. After you pay, we get in touch to set a delivery time. Want to collect it yourself? Write “pickup” in the notes at checkout and come to our Kitsilano store whenever we're open, 11:00 am to 6:30 pm, seven days a week. There's no repotting to wait for, so you can come right after you order. You can also buy it in person at the counter.
What you get
- One Dracaena Janet Craig Compacta cane plant, three canes in one pot. It's the exact plant in the photos.
- Its black plastic nursery pot, 10 in (25 cm) across, with the soil it grew in. No decorative pot and no saucer.
- Ready as soon as you order. We deliver it free in our delivery area, or you can pick it up at our shop (write “pickup” in the notes at checkout).
Size and details
| Plant | Janet Craig Compacta cane, Dracaena fragrans 'Janet Craig Compacta' |
|---|---|
| Form | 3 canes in one pot, with the leafy tops at three different heights |
| Container | Black plastic nursery pot (no decorative pot) |
| Pot size | 10 in (25 cm) across |
| Height | 47 in (119 cm) including the pot |
| Width | Not measured yet. Ask us and we'll measure it for your spot |
| Soil | The grower's mix it came in |
| Light | Bright, indirect light is best, and it grows more slowly with less |
| Water | Let the top quarter of the soil dry between waterings, and don't let it go bone dry |
| Pets | Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed (saponins) |
| Stock | Only one. The plant in the photos is the one you get |
| Delivery and pickup | Free delivery to Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby, or free pickup at our Kitsilano store (write “pickup” in the notes at checkout) |
About this plant
Looking for a tall dracaena that stays dark green? This is a Janet Craig Compacta cane. Three green canes stand in one pot, and each one ends in a dense tuft of short, glossy, dark green leaves. The tufts sit at three different heights, so the leaves come in layers instead of one clump at the top. It stands 47 in (119 cm) tall, including the pot.
You don't see Janet Craig this size very often. Talking about Janet Craig plants grown on canes, Darrell, who has more than 25 years of growing behind him, said you usually find them small, in a four inch pot, and “they grow very slow. So to get one with a tree trunk like this, I mean, this takes a long time.” NC State Extension describes the Compacta form as solid green, with dense clusters of short leaves.
It comes in its plain black plastic nursery pot, 10 in (25 cm) across, with no decorative pot. That's the idea: you pick the pot that suits your room. We don't need to repot anything first, so it's ready the moment you order.
What you pay for here is the plant on its own, $169.99 before tax, with free delivery in our area. This is the exact plant in the photos, and we have only one.
This plant isn't right for every home. It's toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, and at 47 in it stands on the floor, where a pet can reach it. If you have a pet or a small child who puts leaves in their mouth, keep it in a room they can't get into, or choose another plant. It grows slowly, so buy it for the size it is now. It also doesn't like going bone dry or sitting wet. Not happy with your plant? Call or email us within 30 days of your order about an exchange or a refund.
Want a dracaena with more colour? Our Dracaena Kiwi has striped lime and cream leaves and comes in a 14 in ceramic pot from Vietnam with its saucer. Want something smaller? Our Lemon Lime dracaena is a 6 in plant for pick up at our shop. Not sure which one suits your space? Ask us at the counter, or when we call or email about delivery.
Care in a Vancouver home
Light
Bright, indirect light suits it best. Darrell's short version for dracaenas is “the top quarter dry, bright indirect light.” NC State Extension says bright to moderate, filtered light, and that direct sun can burn the leaves. It copes with a dimmer spot, but it grows even more slowly there, so avoid a really dark corner. From about November to February, Vancouver days are short and often grey, with only about eight hours of daylight in December. In those months, move it closer to your brightest window, a few feet back from the glass. Turning the pot a quarter turn every couple of weeks helps all three tufts grow evenly.
Water
Darrell's rule for dracaenas: “let them dry the top quarter of their pot. They don't like getting too dry.” To check, push a dry wooden chopstick about a quarter of the way down the pot, leave it a minute and pull it out. If it comes out damp, wait. If the top quarter is dry, water slowly until a little runs out of the bottom, let it drain, then tip out any water left in a saucer or outer pot. His short version: “don't let them go bone dry and don't keep them overly too wet.” In winter the soil dries more slowly, so the gaps between waterings get longer.
Where to keep it
An ordinary warm room suits it. Keep it clear of heater vents, cold drafts from an outside door, and cold window glass on winter nights. It's a floor plant, so in a home with pets the spot that works is a room they stay out of.
Brown spots and brown tips
Darrell's warning for dracaenas: if they go really dry and then get a heavy watering, “you find these big brown circles in the leaves.” Steady watering, with the top quarter dry each time, helps avoid that. Brown, dry tips are a different thing. Dry heated air, uneven watering or fertilizer salts building up in the soil can all cause them, and NC State Extension notes that tips can brown when indoor air is too dry. Every few months, water it slowly in the shower or tub until water runs out the bottom, to rinse old salts out. A brown tip won't turn green again. If it bothers you, trim off just the brown part with clean scissors, following the shape of the leaf.
Lower leaves and the canes
As each tuft grows, its oldest, lowest leaves turn yellow and dry off now and then. That's normal. Once a leaf comes away easily, remove it. Many yellow leaves at once, on soil that stays wet, is different, and usually means too much water. The canes should feel firm. If one starts to feel soft near the soil, bring us a photo and we'll help you work out what's going on.
Feeding
Very little. A gentle houseplant fertilizer in spring and summer, at the strength on the label or weaker, about once a month at most. Nothing from November to February.
Choosing a pot
You don't have to repot it right away. The easiest way to dress it up is to set the nursery pot inside a decorative pot a little wider than 10 in, then tip out any water that collects in the bottom after you water. If you'd rather plant it straight in, do it in spring and go up one size. When Darrell repots any plant, he keeps to one size up: “Nothing too big right away. Just to get a good one size up.” Pick a pot with a drainage hole and a potting mix that drains well. With three canes and 47 in of height, a pot with some weight to it helps keep it steady.
Leaves
Glossy dark leaves show dust. Wipe them with a soft, damp cloth every month or so to keep them shiny and let them use more of the winter light.
Pets and kids
Please keep this plant away from pets and from small children who chew leaves. Janet Craig is a form of Dracaena fragrans, and the ASPCA lists Dracaena fragrans (corn plant) as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. It contains saponins. The signs the ASPCA lists are vomiting (sometimes with blood), depression, loss of appetite, drooling, and dilated pupils in cats. NC State Extension also lists Dracaena fragrans as toxic to cats, dogs and people if eaten. If your pet has chewed it, call your vet right away.
This is a floor plant, 47 in tall, so a dog or a cat can reach it easily. Keep it in a room your pets stay out of. Pick up any leaves that drop, too. If you'd rather not take the chance, ask us at the counter about plants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic, and read the pet note on our trailing peperomia.
Sources: ASPCA, Corn Plant (Dracaena fragrans) · NC State Extension, Dracaena fragrans
Not sure it suits your spot?
Send a photo of the corner you have in mind. Darrell, who has grown plants for more than 25 years, will tell you honestly if this plant will be happy there.
Goes well with
Dracaena Kiwi in a ceramic potStriped lime and cream leaves, 32 in tall in a 14 in ceramic pot from Vietnam with its saucer, $265. Repotted for you when you order.
Lemon Lime dracaenaA small 6 in dracaena with bright lime leaf edges, $16.99, for pick up at our shop. The same top quarter dry watering.
Lemon Surprise dracaenaCurly lime green leaves in a 6 in nursery pot, $16.99, for pick up at our shop. Also toxic to cats and dogs.
Questions people ask
What is a Janet Craig Compacta cane?
It's a Dracaena fragrans grown on canes: thick, bare stems with the leaves only at the top. 'Janet Craig Compacta' is the form with short, dark green leaves packed close together. NC State Extension lists it under Dracaena fragrans as 'Compacta', also called Dracaena Janet Craig, and some tags still use the older name Dracaena deremensis. This one has three canes in one 10 in pot, with the leafy tops at three heights.
Is a Janet Craig Compacta toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes, if they chew it. Janet Craig is a form of Dracaena fragrans, and the ASPCA lists Dracaena fragrans (corn plant) as toxic to dogs and cats. It contains saponins. Chewing it can cause vomiting, sometimes with blood, drooling, depression and loss of appetite, and cats can get dilated pupils. Keep it in a room your pets stay out of, and call your vet right away if your pet has chewed it.
How much light does a Janet Craig dracaena need?
Bright, indirect light is best, like an east window, or a few feet back from a south or west one. NC State Extension says bright to moderate, filtered light. It copes with less, but it grows even more slowly. Keep it out of hot direct sun, which can burn the leaves.
How often should I water a Janet Craig Compacta?
Go by the soil, not the calendar. Let the top quarter of the soil dry, then water slowly until a little runs out of the bottom, and don't leave the pot sitting in water. Don't let it go bone dry either. In a Vancouver winter the soil dries more slowly, so you'll water less often than in summer.
Why does my Janet Craig have brown spots or brown tips?
Big brown spots can follow a long dry spell and then a heavy watering. Darrell puts it this way: if they go really dry and then you water them heavily, “you find these big brown circles in the leaves.” Keep the watering steady, with the top quarter of the soil dry before you water again. Brown, dry tips are different. Dry heated air, uneven watering or fertilizer salts in the soil can cause them. Not sure which one you're seeing? Send us a photo.
How fast does a Janet Craig Compacta grow?
Slowly. NC State Extension lists its growth rate as slow, and Darrell says Janet Craig plants “grow very slow.” New growth comes from the leafy tops, and less light or a Vancouver winter slows it down even more. Buy it for the size it is now, not for how fast it will fill a corner.
How big is this Janet Craig? Will it fit?
It's 47 in (119 cm) tall, including its 10 in (25 cm) nursery pot, with three canes and leafy tops at three heights. We haven't measured the width yet. If you need it for your spot, call or email us and we'll measure it for you.
Does it come with a pot, and do I need to repot it?
It comes in its black plastic nursery pot, 10 in (25 cm) across. There's no decorative pot, so you can choose your own. You don't have to repot it right away: you can set the nursery pot inside a decorative pot and tip out any water that collects in the bottom. If you repot it, go up one pot size in spring.
What does the $169.99 include?
The plant with its three canes, its 10 in nursery pot and the soil it's growing in. That's before tax. Delivery to Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby is free, or you can pick it up at our shop.
Is this the exact plant I'll get?
Yes. The plant in the photos is the one you'll get, and we have only one.
Can I pick it up, or do you deliver?
Either way, free. We deliver to Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby, and we contact you by phone or email after you pay to set a time. To pick it up instead, write “pickup” in the notes at checkout, then come to our shop at 3742 West 10th Avenue in Kitsilano whenever we're open, 11:00 am to 6:30 pm, seven days a week. There's nothing to repot first, so you can come right after you order.
What if my plant doesn't do well?
Call or email us within 30 days of your order, and we'll exchange it or give you a refund.
Is a Janet Craig dracaena a good gift?
Yes, for a room without much sun, an office or a first apartment. It puts up with low light and dry indoor air, and it comes in its nursery pot. Not for a home with cats or dogs that chew plants.
Where can I buy a Janet Craig dracaena in Vancouver?
At DH Garden Centre, 3742 West 10th Avenue in Kitsilano, open 11:00 am to 6:30 pm, seven days a week. This Janet Craig Compacta is in our shop, so you can come and see it first and buy it at the counter, or order it here for free delivery or pickup. We have one.
See it before you buy
This plant is at our shop in Kitsilano. Come and see it, and buy it at the counter if you like it. Or order here and pick it up, or we deliver it free.
DH Garden Centre
3742 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6R 2G4
Open 7 days, 11:00 AM to 6:30 PM