Dracaena

Dracaena cinnabari (Dragon Blood Tree)

Dracaena. Dracaena (plant) Dracaena flower. Species of Dracaena have a secondary thickening meristem in their trunk, which is quite different from the thickening meristem found in dicotyledonous plants and is termed dracaenoid thickening by some authors. This characteristic is shared with members of the Agavoideae and Xanthorrhoeoideae among other members of the Asparagales. D. americana, D. arborea, D. cinnabari, D. draco, D. ombet, and D. tamaranae are commonly known as dragon trees and grow in arid semi-desert areas. They are tree-sized with stout trunks and stiff, broad-based leaves. The remaining species are known collectively as shrubby dracaenas. There are around 110 species of Dracaena, including:[4] Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Some shrubby species, such as D. deremensis, D. fragrans, D. godseffiana, D. marginata, and D. braunii, are popular as houseplants.

A bright red resin, dragon's blood, is produced from D. draco and, in ancient times, from D. cinnabari.