What is a Corn Plant?
The Dracaena fragrans is the scientific name for the corn plant, but it is not likely that you have heard it referred to by the formal name. You may have heard of a corn plant, corn palm, or even a corn stalk plant. Whatever name you call it, the corn plant is one of the most popular houseplants around.
The corn plant gets its name because as it grows, the leaves look similar to those of young corn plants. The leaves also grow on a single stalk, just like corn you grow in the garden does.
How to Care for a Corn Plant
If you have ever planted corn in your garden, you know that it requires a certain amount of work. You have to worry about pests and diseases, and you also have to make sure your corn has an abundance of sunshine and water.
Corn plants, on the other hand, thrive on little maintenance. Although they prefer a sunny corner of your house, they can also grow almost anywhere you place them. You also have to apply fertilizer regularly, but your corn houseplant thrives in nothing more than potting soil.
Tip: Many people call the corn plant one of the few houseplants that you have to work hard to kill, it is that easy to grow.
Does a Corn Plant Bloom?
If you have a corn plant, you likely chose it for its hardiness and ability to withstand nearly any conditions. However, you may wake up some morning to find the plant covered with clusters of blooms! Since corn plants can live for decades, you may only see the plant bloom once in many years.
An interesting fact about the corn plant is that when and if it produces a flowering stalk, you will only see the blooms at night. In fact, you will probably smell them before you see them, as they emit a strong, sweet fragrance that can be overpowering in a small house!
Despite the fact that the plants only blooms rarely, the corn plant has been and is likely to continue to be a favorite plant for many homes.
