One of the most interesting jobs I ever had was in a company that developed customized payroll software. It wasn’t the work that was interesting but rather the diverse group of people I did it with. We were a small team of about 11, mostly women, and aside from the sales manager and receptionist, the rest of us were all programmers, including our boss, which gave the majority of us something in common. So our work was not what made the group distinct, nor was it our personal status either, because even though it involved a variety of categories (married with kids, divorced with kids, married with no kids, engaged, common-law union, and single-and-loving-it), most included more than one of us.

What did do it was our cultural heritage. Although nearly all of us were born and raised in Canada (with the exception of our top programmer who had moved here from China a few years back), and we were all Canadians, not one of us shared the same ancestry. Our group consisted of eleven different people who had descended from eleven different ethnic groups from countries such as: Poland, Sweden, Portugal, Greece, France, England, Italy, China, Barbados and India. (Yes, that’s only ten, but I honestly don’t remember the eleventh one).

Anyhow, from the ancestral perspective, we were quite a distinct bunch, descendants of so many different countries that we formed our own little United Nations. After working there for a few weeks, and coming to the realization of this fact, I wondered if our boss had in fact purposely engineered his staff that way. Perhaps he didn’t want any of us to be able to team up with someone of similar background, which could end up dividing the staff into tribal units - some more dominant than others - that would battle with one another and create a hostile and cutthroat environment, which in turn would lead to an unproductive and inefficient company, which would ultimately lead to the company’s downfall.

So maybe when the time came to hire a new employee, the selection of candidates to interview was based on an applicant’s surname, which can sometimes provide a clue to an individual’s ethnic lineage. And while carefully examining the job applications on his desk, my former employer would think to himself: “Now here’s a good German name. I don’t have any employees with a German background. I should call this applicant and set up an interview” or “This is an Italian name. I already have an employee of Italian descent so I’ll skip this one”

Or maybe it was just a coincidence and I’m on another one of my paranoid, ‘conspiracy theory’ tangents.

In any case, that diversity was a lot of fun because we all had some type of inherited custom or tradition that we shared amongst one another, usually in terms of food around the holidays and other special occasions. And even after the company fell into economic hard times and we were all sent on our way, we continued to keep in touch. Over the past few years, we’ve made it a point of meeting for dinner a few times per year and always have a great time together. And there have been a few times after dinner that we’ve decided to continue our visit at someone’s house, mainly mine or our friend Irene’s. What Irene and I have in common is that both our homes have many indoor plants in them, although hers has far less than mine. And the difference is that her husband is the plant addict and pro, not her.

The first time I ever visited this home, I noticed a substantial selection of plants, most of them common, all of them very healthy. There were a few relatively happy Orchids, some Dracaenas, a couple of Chlorophytum, a Spathiphyllum, one or two Pothos, a few cacti, a handful of assorted succulents and a Ficus. So there was really nothing out of the ordinary. Except for one particular plant, common as it may be, that astonished me the first time I laid my eyes on it. It was the Dracaena Deremensis Janet Craig. And it wasn’t the plant itself that impressed me (this Dracaena is as common as sandwich bread); it was the size of the plant that bowled me over. It must have been at least 8 feet tall. And from what I was told, it was about 40 years old! Amazing.

Since then the plant has been cut down to about half the size, which sounds like a terrible thing to do, but it was necessary because the plant wouldn’t fit in the house anymore vertically. But while it was in its full glory, it reminded me once more how amazing this common but durable Dracaena is.

If you’re looking for a plant that will last for years and survive all forms of abuse, check this one out.

Below is some care info about it. A lot of the text has been copied over from the Hydro Log:
Easy, Breezy, Beautiful...Dracaena


An Easy To Care For Indoor Beauty

Janet Craig, with its dark green, glossy leaves, is one of the most commonly-available (next to the Dracaena Marginata, of course) and commonly-grown Dracaenas (in competition with the Dracaena Fragrans Massangeana); a tried and true beauty. Its popularity is based on a few things: 1) it is easy to care for, 2) it is very long-lived and 3) it tolerates low light better than most plants. Eventually, with its longevity ability, it is capable of reaching heights of ten feet, although this may take quite some time since it’s very slow-growing. For that reason, if you have a specific height in mind, buy a Janet Craig close to – or just slightly smaller – than the size you desire.

Like all its Dracaena cousins, Janet Craig is highly prone to root rot; therefore it’s important to water carefully. Less is always best; you are on much safer ground if you under-water. Do not use heavy soil. It should be light so that it can drain well. When it’s time to water, drench the soil until water comes out of the bottom. If no water comes out, pour a little more into the potted plant until some does. After half an hour or so, empty out any water sitting in the saucer. Do not water your Janet Craig again until the soil is fairly dry; then repeat the cycle. As long as you are using a fast-draining, airy soil, do not be afraid to water thoroughly (until the medium is saturated) whenever your plant is thirsty. Giving a plant measly sips of water can cause large dry pockets in the medium, which can keep the root system from getting a drink at all. Water well, and then allow the medium to dry considerably.

Janet Craig will tolerate low light conditions quite well, but the plant appreciates and thrives in an area that offers medium to bright, indirect light. Place it right up against a north or east window, near a west one or in a bright but sunless spot in a southern location, making sure to protect against the hot midday sun. Although it will survive very low levels of light, it requires better quality for optimum growth and appearance. Already quite slow-growing, this plant will barely produce any noticeable new growth in very low light areas, and the small number of leaves that will finally emerge will be narrower, smaller than normal. Brighter, better quality light will encourage healthier, faster growth.

Average household temperatures are fine. If you are comfortable, so is your Dracaena. Just make sure you shield your plant from chilly encounters. This warm-weather lover is sensitive to cold drafts and chilly temperatures. Is your plant sitting in a cold draft? Do you have it on a chilly windowsill? Is it near patio doors that are opened throughout the day, causing the plant to get hit by cold air constantly? Are the leaves touching cold glass? Is it located in a room where you lower the thermostat significantly? Is it in front of a window that you open daily for fresh air – in the middle of winter? If your plant is placed anywhere where cold air hits it, move it. Correct any situations that have the potential to cause cold damage or your Dracaena will deteriorate rapidly.

Watering with tap water is hardly a problem – unless there is fluoride involved. Dracaenas as a group are very sensitive to this chemical. If a Dracaena is watered regularly with fluoridated water, concentrations of this chemical will build up in the leaf tips and cause them to turn brown as plant cells die. Not all municipalities add fluoride. You need to find out what chemicals are present in your own local water. If your tap water does contain fluoride, watch your plant for adverse effects. Many houseplant growers will argue that their plants are not affected by fluoride. Maybe they’re not. But maybe yours will be. My opinion is that your plant should have the final say. If you determine that fluoride is damaging its health, you can switch to bottled, distilled or rain water. Bear in mind that if you do switch to another type of water, you will not notice an immediate improvement since plants can store elements in their cells. Be patient.

This is a wonderful candidate for the hydroculture system if you’re looking to ditch soil mediums. Conversion is fairly simple, with very few visible signs of stress. There may be a loss of some lower leaves and slight wilting, but not much more than that. Keep the plant warm during the conversion, increase humidity and spray mist now and then to provide much-needed moisture. You can also place your Dracaena on a pebble tray during this period. The first glimpse of water roots can begin as early as two weeks or as late as one month, rarely more.

The adaptable Janet Craig will put up with dry air but it prefers higher levels of humidity in its environment. Air that is too dry will lead to brown tips on the leaves. In lower levels of humidity, your plant may also be more susceptible to pest invasions, particularly by the insufferable spider mite. There are many ways that you can increase the humidity in your home, in individual rooms or around your plants. A few things you can do include: pebble trays, double potting, grouping, humidifiers. For more information, visit: Improving Humidity.

Janet Craig is not a heavy feeder, mainly due to its slow-growing style. Go easy on the fertilizer; give your plant a dose of liquid fertilizer, diluted to half recommended strength, no more than once a month during the spring and summer periods. I’d even go so far as suggesting that you feed only 2 – 3 times during the entire active growing season. Over-fertilizing can cause damage. If you’re not sure whether you should feed or not, err on the side of caution and feed very little. Do not feed your plant at all during the late fall and throughout the winter.

It is normal for your plant to shed its lower leaves as it ages. As time progresses, the lower growth drops and is replaced by new growth on top. A minimal amount of yellowing leaves being discarded during this gradual process is normal. What’s not normal is when too many leaves simultaneously turn yellow and drop. Under-watering and over-watering can both cause premature leaf drop so check your watering habits and adjust them accordingly.

The broad leaves accumulate dust over time; your plant will benefit from an occasional cleaning of the foliage. If your plant is not too big to lug around, place it in the shower and hose it down. Place aluminum foil over the top of the soil to avoid saturating it and making a mess. Smaller plants can be rinsed in a kitchen sink under running water or with a spray nozzle. Plants that are too big and heavy to move around can have their leaves wiped clean with a wet sponge. Pay particular attention to the undersides of leaves where pests harbor. Giving your plant an occasional shower or wiping down its leaves regularly provides many benefits: it keeps bugs at bay, helps leaves to breathe easier, stimulates growth, increases humidity (albeit for a short period) and improves appearance. Carry out the grooming during the day, preferably during the morning hours, so the leaves have a chance to dry before nightfall. Leaving a plant wet at night can encourage or invite fungal/disease problems.

Ultimately, you don’t need to worry or fuss very much over this easy plant. Once the basic needs are met - proper watering, well-draining soil, decent lighting, warm temperatures, healthy humidity levels, an occasional cleaning and the right container size – this houseplant will thrive. As an added bonus, this quick-to-forgive specimen will hang in there for better or worse. With proper care, it will grace your home with its lovely foliage for many, many years.

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