The orchid genus Dracula, or ‘little dragon’ in English, has 118 species that are indigenous to Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru.
Of these, the most prevalent species are:
- Dracula simia
- Dracula gigas
- and Dracula celosia
The first and second species are famous for their monkey-shaped flowers, which is why they go by the moniker Monkey Face Orchids.
Dracula celosia on the other hand has unique flowers – not petals, but cockscombs.
The sequences of blooms have a duration of up to 10 weeks and the foliage goes from red to purple when brought indoors.
So, how do you care for these fun plants? Read on for more about Dracula plant care!
Growing the Monkey Face Orchid (Dracula simia)
The Monkey Face Orchid (Dracula simia) is a high altitude plant, hoping for an altitude of 3000 feet or higher – explains its origination high in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian highlands!
A mature Dracula simia grows around 12 and 20”, with blooms smaller at 2” in diameter. They bloom year-round and are fragrant as well – honey sweet with a touch of ripe orange!
After you plant, the foliage will start showing after two months. You will have to wait three years to see the flowers.
Sometimes, the Dracula simia won’t bloom until the eighth year after planting. Don’t worry though! The plant blooms for roughly 20 years before it dies!
Be forewarned – Even though it is a unique plant with a lovely, sweet aroma, it’s rare to see a Monkey Face orchid in a home because it can be very difficult to grow!
How to Propagate Dracula Simia
Here’s how to propagate Monkey Face orchids. You can use vegetative propagation or germination.
Vegetative Propagation
The easiest way to propagate Monkey Face orchids is through vegetative propagation.
The method involves removing the roots from the rhizome, and then transplanting them into a new growing pot. New plants will appear in a couple of months.
To avoid spreading pests and diseases make sure that you’re not using diseased rhizomes, and to also wash and sterilize your tools prior to propagation.
Germination
Germination simply means to plant the seeds in soil and cover them with just a light layer of dirt.
You should keep in mind that the seeds of orchids are microscopic and can be mistaken as dust– which truly is what I did when I first obtained my seed grow.
In general, orchid seeds shouldn’t be germinated by beginners.
These seeds don’t contain enough nutrients to develop and grow, so you must know the right fertilizers in order to grow them properly.
Don’t buy orchid seeds wherever you see them. Always buy them from a reputable dealer when you’re a beginner.
If you are still intent on growing orchids from germination, you should start by sterilizing your seeds and your tools to minimize contaminants.
The easiest method to sterilize seeds is by soaking them in a diluted bleach solution for a few minutes and rinsing them with fresh water.
As for your tools, you can just wipe them down with alcohol.
After Sterilization is complete – you need to use some mycorrhizal fungi to immitate the orchid growing environment. The fungi will enter the roots and obtain their nutrients from the orchid in a symbiotic relationship.
Alternatively, you can use flasking or asymbiotic germination.
In flasking you use agar (bacterial culture medium) to replace the soil, which provides nutrients and necessary growth hormones to facilitate seed growth.
Benefits of Monkey Face Orchids
Monkey Face orchids are mostly grown for ornamental use.
However, they don’t exist in many homes and don’t stay alive in most areas because they need a lot of care.
Monkey Face orchids are also non-toxic to humans and animals. The orchids also have a nice scent that attracts wild pollinators like butterflies and bees.
Common Monkey Face Orchid Problems
The two most common challenges that affect Dracula simia orchids are pest attacks and root rot.
Pest Infestation
Aphids and ants are the main culprits of pests in orchid flowerbeds.
Others include:
- mealybugs
- scales
- snails
- and whiteflies
It’s good to check your plants regularly for mold and for pest infestation, especially under the leaves.
If you see mold or eggs, or other infestation, spray the plant with either neem oil or insecticidal soap.
And remember to treated all tools with sterilization before working with your flowering plants!
Root Rot
Root rot can impact orchids and flowers that grow in shade.
The signs of root rot is generally, wilting and yellow leaves.
To remedy root rot, cut off the affected roots and repot the plant.
Other way’s to deal with this problem are to control the amount of water and drill holes in the planting container.
Growing Dracula Celosia
Dracula celosia, also known as “wool flower”, is a member of the amaranth family that can be consumed but is primarily grown for ornamentation.
The leaves are only palatable and tender while young, but are high in vitamins and minerals, like other types of leafy greens.
Once the plants bloom, the leaves become bitter.
In Summary – You cannot have it both ways with the Dracula celosia, you would have to grow it for food or wait until they eventually bloom and produce their bizarre and charming flower heads.
Unlike the simian orchids, Dracula celosia is easy to grow, which is why so many homeowners choose to grow it.
This flower grows best in sunny and dry conditions. It can survive with small quantities of water to prevent wilting.
Dracula celosia is considered an annual. However, they may be short-lived perennials in hardiness zones. Mature plants flower for two to three years, before dying.
How to Propagate Dracula Celosia
You can propagate Dracula celosia using seeds (germination) or cultivars.
Germination
Like with the Monkey Face orchids, germinating Dracula celosia is hit or miss.
In the wild, the plant survives by producing so many seeds that its naturally low germination life is buffer.
When it comes to growing them indoors, you’ll need some patience (and luck) – they are sensitive.
You should begin prepping your planting area at least one month after the last reported snowfall. Celosia seeds are sensitive to cold weather.
In the dark – they can grow. After they sterilized, they can be covered with ¼” of dirt. Don’t let the soil become dry, but don’t drown them either.
Use a cover of your planter to help conserve the humidity, and remember to drill holes in the bottom of your planter too improve the drainage.
Key Idea – Your seedlings are dependent on moisture to live – No moisture means no seedlings. After a few weeks, your seedlings should be ready to transplant.
Be sure the weather is appropriate when you are ready to take them out of the nursery. If the seedlings are exposed to cold weather, it could kill them.
What about Re-seeding?
When you let your Dracula celosias complete their blooming cycle, they will produce a multitude of seeds!
You might find new plants popping up once it rains.
If you absolutely don’t want any re-seeding, you can cut the flower heads after they die off a little bit and when they’re starting to disperse in your garden (the seeds).
That said, re-seeding is what makes Dracula celosia a nice filler plant for neglected and unused areas in your backyard.
But, you need to be careful, too many plants can become a mess.
Using Cultivars
The three cultivars for propagating Dracula Celosia are:
- cockscomb
- plumed
- and wheat
While all have similar growing conditions, they differ in appearance.
1. Cockscomb Celosia
Cockscomb cultivars create the most recognized Celosia flower types, which are the biggest flowers, primarily.
The flowers are big, and a stake for support may be needed.
Some cockscombs can even grow up to three feet tall. Heck, their size makes them the centerpiece of your backyard.
2. Plumed Celosia
Plumed cultivars are the smallest of the Celosias – still, they’re bigger than most of the orchid species.
Their short stature means they won’t need staking, and some can fit in larger grow containers.
Most plumed cultivars have nice colors – you’ll see red, orange, yellow, and purple blooms if you choose this type.
In addition, compared with cockscomb and wheat types, they are more hardy.
3. Wheat-Type Celosia
Wheat-type Celosias don’t have a great deal of diversity like other Dracula celosia cultivars.
But there are only a few variations, and those grown, look great.
Also, wheat celosias bloom longer than orchids.
Flowers can extend for a few weeks into autumn, long after other species have finished blooming.
Most wheat-style cultivars are between two and three feet tall.
This also made a great addition to your sidewalks, because they have beautiful blooms that interfer with the rest of your décor.
Some smaller varieties like the ‘flamingo’ wheat style cultivar also make good cut flowers.
Common Dracula Celosia Problems
Dracula celosia is a pretty strong plant that can withstand most pests and diseases and can thrive in difficult growing conditions.
If you’re not the best grower, you might want to try this plant.
As mentioned above, it resists most pests, other than an occasional run-in with some aphids and mites.
Red spider mites don’t hurt people
You can get rid of them by using insecticides or natural methods like neem oil and garlic.
Fungus/mold happens when you oversaturate the soil. Make sure you use well-drained dirt and drill holes into the planter.
Some of the tall varieties of Dracula celosia need to be staked to hold the branches up, which can get heavy.
A lot of growers do not support them correctly, so they act like a fence doling a dis-service to these plants – it’s a trap, so don’t do this!!
So instead, you simple use one large stake and now you tie each branch to the large stake.
Taking Care of Dracula Plants
The majority of Dracula plants grow best in warm, moist conditions.
The ideal temperatures are 68oF during the day and 43oF at night. There needs to be at least 70% humidity in the environment as well.
If you don’t live in ideal conditions, you can create them in a greenhouse.
Below we will show you how to take care of Dracula plants no matter what the species.
Growing Medium
It’s a good idea to use orchid-specific soils to help retain moisture while providing terrific drainage and not obstructing air circulation.
You want to make sure the pH is somewhere between 5.5 and 7.
If you aren’t able to find a premade potting mix, feel free to create your own with:
- fir bark
- sphagnum moss
- and charcoal.
Don’t forget to put some stones in the bottom of your pot for drainage.
Potting
Your container must have enough space so roots have room to spread and grow without entanglement.
The container must also have drainage holes to prevent over-saturation and rot.
Lighting
Most orchids grow in the dark.
Indeed, the plants will be harmed if exposed, even partially, to sunlight.
Ideally they should be grown with shade, but not complete darkness to emulate their natural setting.
Good advice – You can tell if the leaves of your Dracula plant are being harmed by exposure to sunlight, if they feel warm, move your plant to shade.
Watering
While Dracula plants do have a degree of hardiness, they have a slight and constant need for water.
Water your plants once a week to maintain a humid and moist environment.
To figure out when is best to water your Dracula plants, simply look at them, or feel the ground. If the leaves are green don’t water them.
When they turn whiteove, your plants have requested water. Water your plants when your soil feels wet.
Then be sure to let water drain from the drainage holes of your planting container. If your pot is sitting inside a saucer, make sure you dump it after every watering.
You may want to cut back on your watering if you see signs of fungal infections and root rot.
Temperature and Humidity
Dracula plants thrive in hot and humid conditions
If you’re growing the plants outdoors you’ll want to take them indoors during the winter months.
Humidity is important to maintain at 70% for optimal growth.
You can increase humidity by growing your plants in a greenhouse, getting a humidifier, misting, or placing the pot on top of a water tray.
If they are grown in a low humidity environment the blooms will collapse.
On the other hand – a lot of humidity can attract mold and fungus. If you’re in that condition then using a fan will help.
Fertilizer Application
The best fertilizer for your Dracula plant is one that has a balanced amount of:
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- and Potassium
You may utilize organic fertilizers and urea as well, as long the nitrogen nutrient’s content is not more than 20%.
Too much nitrogen will promote vegetative growth, which could interfere with bloom.
When using a regular fertilizer solution apply it once per month.
If diluted, then weekly.
However if the plant is unhealthy and has shrivelled or is wilting please do not apply fertilizer!
Repotting
Repotting makes sure that roots don’t become pot-bound and it helps control the spread of disease.
Most experts agree that plants should be repotted every two years to maintain good plant health.
When repotting the plant, make sure to sterilize your tools. Then, select the healthy rhizomes and transplant them to a new pot.
Also, make sure to change the potting mix in order to provide additional nutrients for your new flowers.
Pruning and Staking
Monkey Face orchids don’t need pruning and staking, as they’re small.
However, you might need to support the enormous Dracula celosia blooms.
Wrapping Up
If you don’t mind caring for flowers as a hobby of sorts, you should check out Dracula plants.
Dracula celosias give you a dilemma, as you have to decide if you want to use them for decoration or to eat.
But they are interesting and don’t take a lot of work to grow.
On the other hand, there are Monkey Face orchids with interesting flowers. If you are trying to propagate them, however, it’s not easy to start your own, mostly if you don’t already have the cultivars.
In the end, it’s your choice—either way, Dracula plants have a beauty that is undeniable!