Alert! Extremely Fragrant “Corn Plant” is blooming!

 Originally published Dec. 16, 2012

The flower of Dracaena fragrans Massangeana is ugly-looking, no way about it, but WOW! it fills the nighttime air with an intoxicating, heady, narcotic, sweet scent.  I opened the front door tonight to put check out the jasmine vine as I put on the light, and was enveloped in the incredible fragrance.  I have a huge plant in the front garden, off to the side, partially hidden by other plants.  That’s why I’m always surprised every December when it fills the street with this scent – yes, it travels about 100′ in every direction.

You may know this plant and its unstriped cousins as ‘corn plant’, a common office plant.  It takes total neglect – no water, fertilizer, etc.

I used to harvest the flowers and tincture the petals for a perfume base, but no more.  it’s just too labor-intensive. See, I have to pluck the tiny, tiny petals off the calyx, because the calyx stinks if put in alcohol. I still have a stash of it for custom perfume customers, and I’ll have to have my arm twisted to go through that harvesting process again

So, here’s a photo of the gawky flowers.  Who knew what beauty could explode from this?

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1. Sheree Tompkins on December 16, 2012 at 7:53 pm

   Wow, I didn’t know this plant would bloom, much less make fragrant blossoms. I have 3 cuttings growing from a giant one I left behind when I moved. I bet it needs the 12/12 hours of dark/light to prompt it into blooming. Maybe I should place it under a grow light and see if I can get it to bloom.

   Sheree

   • anya on December 16, 2012 at 8:17 pm

     Hi Sheree:

     Thanks for your comment. Yes, photoperiodism may play a role, just know it only blooms once a year, in December, for a week.

     Best wishes and xoxo
     Anya

2. Brian Shea on December 16, 2012 at 10:27 pm

   Yes, Anya, the flowers do look like some sort of pathological growth, don’t they?

3. Naheed on December 16, 2012 at 11:25 pm

   I am back to pot gardening once again and planted Queen of the night, Jasmine sambac and King of the day and now I am going to google if this corn plant also does well in my reagion. I am all for fragrant plants. Thanks for this post lovely Anya. xxx

   • anya on December 19, 2012 at 8:42 pm

     I hope you can grow it Naheed!

     Anya

4. sheryl beller-kenner on December 17, 2012 at 1:08 pm

   When I lived in Miami, I never saw the cornflower bloom! You must have a special relationship with your plant and that’s why it gives you such aromatic gifts!

   • anya on December 19, 2012 at 8:43 pm

     Thanks Sheryl, but this plant thrives on neglect, so I can’t take credit.

     Right now, I’m focused on veggies, because now is when we grow them here. That’s a lot of work!

     xoxo
     Anya

5. Musette on December 19, 2012 at 7:02 pm

   I like Sheryl Beller-Kenner’s explanation! I was intrigued by your post and thinking ‘hmmmmm….maybe I….and then I remembered that a) I live in Illinois and b) I live in Illinois. December in IL is rough, even with a greenhouse, which I don’t have. So I’ll just have to imagine this scent. But I imagine it must have that shocking effect that a Korean Spice Bush has, where it’ll knock you down with the fragrance and then, in a trice, it’s gone…

   xoxoA

6. Dana Tate on December 19, 2012 at 8:28 pm

   Congratulations on your new blog site. 🙂

   I was just telling a friend of mine that I would love to learn more about perfumery. I have enjoyed working with essential oils for many years, and I am currently madly in love with resins. I will be following your posts during your Solstice event.

   Much love!
   Dana

7. mary on December 19, 2012 at 10:57 pm

   I’ve never seen or smelled the bloom of a corn plant – hope to someday. Thanks for the garden stories; it’s nice to consider the possibilities!

   Everything about your fragrances and their presentation, Anya, is exquisite.

   Please enter me in your solstice sweepstakes. With a little bit of luck . . .
   Mary