Dragon Tree

Before I started my last job, I bought a plant for my desk. I decided that if I was going to spend a large amount of my life indoors in an office, it would be nice to have something green and living around me. I selected my plant based on lighting and watering requirements with aesthetics also being a consideration. In the end, I bought a Madagascar Dragon Tree. It looked somewhat tropical and had an interesting red tint to the leaves.

 

In general, I haven't had a great track record with houseplants, except for a pothos that I have had for years, but those things are practically indestructible. Things have been going well with my little dragon tree, so I became a little worried when one of the leaves became brilliantly red and eventually fell off. I was sure that I was killing that plant or not supplying the proper amount of light and water. Since that first leaf turned read and fell, the plant has lost several others, but has also grown quite a bit so my concern faded.

 

The other day, I was taking a close look at the plant and realized the purpose for those leaves falling off. I realized that in the process the plant is forming its trunk. Where the leaves have fallen off, the plant is getting hard and scaly and building the support for its eventual full height (I didn't realize that the plant was going to be at least six feet tall eventually)

 

A process that I once thought was worth mourning turns out to be something that in the end only serves to make the plant stronger.