Grown for their attractive foliage, dracaenas are popular plants that need very little care. There are over 100 species of dracaena trees and succulent shrubs, although many are used as houseplants because they’re easy to grow and tolerate low light. Hardy in USDA Zones 10 and 11, these tropicals, which are in the Dracaena genus and the asparagus family, are great for adding structure to outdoor gardens, too. In cold regions, they’re treated as annuals.
According to research conducted by NASA, dracaenas can clean benzene, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from indoor air. However, they’re toxic to companion animals like dogs and cats and should be kept out of their reach.
