Dragon tree Pinecrest Gardens is home to a growing collection of rare and unusual plants, and the grounds reward a slow walk. Wander the paths, and you’ll find specimens you won’t see anywhere else in South Florida — trees, palms, and cycads gathered from around the world, each with its own st ory. This month, one of the most storied has taken root in the dry Lake Garden. The Dragon Tree Pinecrest Gardens has acquired a juvenile Dragon Tree, Dracaena draco. The legendary Canary Island native also naturally occurs on Cabo Verde, Madeira, and a bit of Morocco on the African mainland, south of the Atlas Mountains. The species is globally endangered, with small, highly fragmented, mostly island populations. Dragon Trees have a distinctive appearance, vaguely resembling the unrelated Screw Pines, Pandanus species. Single-trunked younger trees start branching after reaching maturity and older individuals can develop impressive canopies of many thousands of forked branches. Pinecrest’s sturdy fifteen-footer hasn’t yet branched. At this stage of its development, it superficially resembles the several Blue-Beaked Yuccas, Yucca rostrata, growing near its dry Lake Garden location. Look for a tall, yucca-like tree that is large in all dimensions, with a thick bare trunk and long leaves. Dragon Trees drip a brightly colored secretion when scratched or cut, that dries into a hard resin resembling blood. Certain other plants share this characteristic, too. In ancient times, the resins were thought to have been the residue of dragons or other mythical creatures. European voyagers and traders in the Middle Ages obtained “dragon’s blood” when they visited the Canary Islands, thus spreading the fanciful story as well as the product. Dragon’s blood was once used in the compounding of various medicines, as a dye, and to provide a precious type of paint for artists. A similar dracaena species found only on the Indian Ocean island of Socotra was the primary resin source for many centuries before the discovery of the Canary Island trees. Historically, dragon’s blood was widely traded on the great East-West route that stretched from China to countries around the Mediterranean and then beyond to the rest of Europe. Nowadays, virtually all plant resin sold as dragon’s blood is obtained from a certain species of Asian rattan palm, and individuals of the Canary Island species of Dragon Tree are more numerous in cultivation than in the wild. The slow-growing tree is not difficult to care for, preferring frost-free Mediterranean-type climates. The species is adaptable and is planted in many locations worldwide. Dragon Tree is highly regarded and occasionally grown in home gardens around the Mediterranean and in California. in Florida, however, Dracaena draco is much more of a specialty specimen, very uncommon and scarcely found in botanical gardens or public parks. Dragon Trees will succeed in Florida, just like olive trees and many other succulent plants, if they are given full sun and no irrigation after being established. Seedlings and small plants are attractive and can be readily purchased online, just be prepared to spend many years waiting for one to grow into a Dragon “Tree”.     ABOUT US: For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area. This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community. Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https://communitynewspapers.com. If you have any questions, feel free to email [email protected] or [email protected] post Latest addition to our living collection, The Drago Tree first appeared on Miami's Community News. ...read more read less