Corn Plant

Dracaena fragrans

Also known as Dracaena fragrans, Mass Cane, Cornstalk Dracaena

Plantae›Asparagaceae

Broad, corn-like leaves on sturdy canes; a forgiving low-light grower. Grown emersed with its roots in the tank water, it works as a living biofilter — pulling up nitrate while the foliage stays in the air.

Terrestrial / emersed plant

Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.

Toxic if eaten

Mildly toxic if eaten (saponins) — keep foliage out of reach of curious pets; the submerged roots are safe for fish.

Where it's from

Native to Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DR Congo and 20 more

Recorded as introduced in Caroline Is., Chagos Archipelago, Costa Rica, Cuba and 15 more places

At a glance

Light: Bright indirect
Growth: Slow
Placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Temp: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
GH: 36–357 ppm; 2–20 dGH

Member photos

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Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.

The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).