I have a potted palm with one of the three stalks in terrible shape. Can I just cut it off about halfway and hope it'll start to blossom from there? The texture of the shoots don't appear as healthy as the others. Any suggestions?

The plant is leggy from lack of light. I am not sure about cutting back, but you need to move it where it gets better light and turn the plant periodically so it does not grow it one direction.

Thanks for the input. It gets western sun, but unfortunately, that's the best I can do in this house. I do rotate it 1/4 turn about every two weeks. I've had it about 15 years now...not dead yet.

The plant pictured is a Dracaena, probably species/variety marginata, a common houseplant, and an asparagus, not a palm. This legginess is not atypical for this variety in my experience. If you cut back/top the center stem, expect branches to emerge from just below the cut which will soon acquire the same aspect/growth pattern, if the stem doesn't just die. The leftmost stem in the picture shows this effect. Generally propagated in the nursery trade via stem cuttings, I have seen "mother" plants in nurseries that have hundreds of branches on just a few stems.

The plant seems to be under lit, and perhaps over-watered, and over-fertilized. WRT lighting, duration of exposure is as important as intensity.

I would not be surprised to learn that the center stem has some root rot accounting for its less-robust appearance. D. marginata is known to be susceptible to root rot. I have seen apparently healthy D. marginatas with so little root structure that they were easily pulled right out of the soil, or even falling over in their pots.

architect, thanks for the education! I'll plan to cut back those two middle shoots about half height and hope for the best. As you say, I too wonder about a root problem there. The exterior of that middle set doesn't look healthy.

I usually water it once a week, but have sometimes gone longer. Will root rot repair itself over time? Should I under water it a bit for a while? Or maybe keep the watering away from that area?

Thanks again.

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Originally posted by 6guns:
architect, thanks for the education! I'll plan to cut back those two middle shoots about half height and hope for the best.

Unless their height is too tall for you, I would just leave them alone. at least until they look healthy.

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As you say, I too wonder about a root problem there. The exterior of that middle set doesn't look healthy.

I usually water it once a week, but have sometimes gone longer. Will root rot repair itself over time? Should I under water it a bit for a while? Or maybe keep the watering away from that area?

Thanks again.

Dracaenas are known to be drought-tolerant, so cutting down on the watering is not likely to be harmful. Spot watering isn't likely to make a difference.

I absolutely do not think that there is positive evidence of root rot, usually, you will see significant foliage loss/yellowing if it is bad. I have seen root rot disappear on its own, or more accurately, the plant fight it off, but only rarely. If it gets up into the stem, where the stem feels squishy or the bark sems loose, I'd consider the plant a goner. It is a fungal infection of the roots, generally encouraged by wet conditions. Letting the soil dry between waterings helps prevent this problem, but you usually can't be precise in how you do that without checking with a moisture meter pretty much every day. There are commercial anti-fungal treatments available, and hydrogen peroxide is the classic treatment. I would not try either until root rot is confirmed by direct examination of the roots. Digging up the plant, and re-potting with fresh soil is another old school treatment. If you do this, and find rotted roots, you should trim them off and sterilize the pot the plant was in. As with any disease, it can be transmitted to other plants by contact with infected roots or soil.

How old is that dracaena? I’ve had one since ‘89, and I’m basically to the point of tying it up. Cutting it back won’t hurt it, but it may decide to die back. I’ve given mine benign neglect over all these years, and it has managed to grow to ceiling height (8’).. still leggy, but in a northeast location in the house.
They are resilient.

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Originally posted by architect:
The plant pictured is a Dracaena, probably species/variety marginata, a common houseplant, and an asparagus, not a palm.

Thank you for the description, and thank you 6guns for the photo. I have one of these plants, and it's fascinating. I'm not particularly good with house plants, and this thing just will not die. Now I at least know what to call it as it mocks me for taking such poor care of it.

I did end up cutting those two shoots back. Now the waiting game and hoping they'll both blossom. I'll cut back on watering a bit and see how it goes.

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How old is that dracaena?

Hard to remember exactly when I got it, but it's been about 15 years...maybe longer. As said, they must be pretty hardy!