Dracaena draco, or dragon tree, is a member of the Asparagus family. It is an endemic plant of the Canary Islands. Its outer appearance is so unusual that it leaves no one indifferent, and the unique medicinal resin contained in the trunks is the reason for the creation of beautiful legends. Several other succulent shrubs belong to the genus of the same name.

Botanical Description
The dragon tree is a relict evergreen tropical plant. According to some scientists, it is capable of living for up to 6000 years or more. The oldest discovered specimen is about 3,000 years old.

The trunks of the dracaena grow to a height of 20-25 meters. Being capable of secondary growth in width, they periodically thicken. The diameter of the underside of mature trees can exceed 4 m. The surface of trunks is lumpy, as if composed of numerous vertical folds, covered with grayish-brown bark. When cut, dracenas secrete a transparent resinous sap, which turns bright red after a few seconds. This is due to the oxidation in air of the pigments it contains: dracocarmine and dracorubine. The sap is produced by trees over several hundred years old. Up to this age, the dracaena is considered young.

The root system is branched, with roots spreading far apart near the surface soil layer. The wood of the plant is porous, without annual rings, and over time, huge cavities form in many old trees.

Branching of trunks occurs at a height of several meters. Numerous thick shoots grow upward, topped with a dense cap of stiff, sword-shaped leaves, which are dark green or glaucous. Plates are about 40-50 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. The surface is leathery, shiny, divided by longitudinal veins. Due to their stiffness and sharp tips, the leaves resemble giant needles. On the branches they are arranged in dense tufts, with the tips pointing upward. Ornamented shoots form wide umbrella-like crowns with a regular round shape. But they can be admired only from a great height. An adult tree from afar looks like a giant mushroom with a thick barky stalk and a shaggy hairy cap.

Dracaenas rarely flower. Their buds are fairly large, white or purple and have 4- to 6-overlapping inflorescences.

The legend
In the homeland of the tree about its origin, there are several legends. According to one of them, the dracaena was born after the death of the mighty ancient dragon. These huge wise creatures possessed a magical blood that allowed them to live for several thousand years. It cured of all diseases and healed wounds instantly. People began to kill dragons, but obtained thus miraculous tool immediately lost power. The blood of the last severely wounded dragon was soaked into the ground. Trees grew in the place. Their trunks absorbed the blood. This allowed the humans to finally enjoy the gift of life they had long hunted for.

The drops of sap that are released when the trunks are damaged are so frighteningly similar to blood that in the Middle Ages these trees were seriously considered semi-animals.

Proliferation
The dragon tree was first discovered by European travelers on the islands of Socotra and Tenerife in the early 15th century. The natives considered them sacred. Several species of dracaena inhabit the tropical belt, savannahs of the African continent, Southeast Asia, and central South America.

Uses
The ancient Indians and the indigenous people of the Canary Islands, the Guanches especially valued the red sap of the dragon tree and attributed to it miraculous powers. In ancient times it was used for embalming the bodies of the dead and was used to dress serious wounds and purulent ulcers.

In medicine.
For medicinal purposes, the sap of the draconian dracena is used. Found in its composition:

betaine,
borneol,
dipentene,
dinosterol,
Lignans and other useful substances.

Pharmacological properties are similar to aloe juice. It has anti-inflammatory, styptic, antiseptic, antiviral, regenerating, analgesic effect, improves immunity, eliminates physical fatigue.

The sap is collected after cutting the bark from the trunks. After processing, raw material hardens, taking the form of red glass. The mass is ground into a powder or cut into pieces.

The official pharmacopoeia does not list dragonwood as a medicinal plant. But it is unusually popular in homeopathy and folk medicine. Sap extract is part of dietary supplements, various potions to treat thrombosis, gynecological, dermatological diseases, getting rid of toothache, stomatitis, gingivitis, problems with male potency.