Hi, my name is Mark. My fascination with the dragon blood tree began more than 23 years ago during a visit to the Canary Islands, where I was born. In Tenerife, I came face to face for the first time with the famous 'Drago Milenario' in Icod de los Vinos. An impressive, centuries-old dragon blood tree that has dominated the landscape there for generations. I was immediately fascinated. Not only by its unusual appearance, but especially by the story behind this mysterious tree.
Stories and legends about the dragon blood tree have existed for centuries. One of its most remarkable properties is the deep red resin released when the tree is damaged. This resin is known as 'dragon's blood' and was used in ancient times and associated with magic and alchemy.
But what fascinated me perhaps even more was the tree itself. How could something so impressive grow from a single tiny seed? Driven by that curiosity, I took a few seeds home and planted them. About a month and a half later, the first green shoot appeared. In the years that followed, that tiny seedling grew into a dragon blood tree approximately three metres tall. Without knowing it at the time, I had also planted the first seed for Drakenbloedboom.com.
It remains something special: you put a small, seemingly lifeless seed in the ground, and weeks later something begins to grow. That fascination led me to order more seeds and grow more and more dragon blood trees.
Of course, it did not happen by itself. Getting a subtropical tree to germinate and grow in the Dutch climate requires the right conditions. So I began experimenting with temperature, light, moisture, growing media and different ways of pre-treating seeds. Testing, adjusting and trying again.
Eventually, I built my own propagation greenhouse from beams, Styrofoam and plywood, complete with heating, lighting and a thermostat. This allowed me to create a small microclimate in which the seeds received exactly the warmth and conditions they needed.
The growing medium also proved important. I experimented with coconut fibre, perlite and sphagnum, among other materials, and gradually learned which conditions were needed for successful germination. Eventually, I managed to achieve germination rates of more than 90% with some batches.
And then a new problem arose: lack of space. At first, the seedlings were indoors, then in the garden, and eventually our house increasingly began to resemble a small tropical rainforest. Fortunately, my wife has quite a lot of patience with me and my passion for plants, but even that eventually went just a little too far ;-) In the end, the plants found their place in a large overwintering greenhouse in Limburg, where they had plenty of room to continue growing.
What began with the dragon blood tree sparked something much broader: my curiosity about plants you do not encounter everywhere. Species from unusual regions, plants with a distinctive shape, a fascinating story or simply that feeling that makes you think: I would like to try growing that myself.
So, alongside the dragon blood tree, more and more unusual plants and seeds joined the collection. From palms and baobabs to desert plants and other exotic species. Some are surprisingly easy to grow, while others present a rewarding challenge.
And that is exactly where I discovered something important: you do not need to be an experienced plant collector to grow something special. With good seeds, the right materials and, above all, clear instructions, anyone can experience the joy of growing something themselves.
More than 23 years later, what began as pure curiosity has grown into Drakenbloedboom.com. With a clear mission: to make unusual plants accessible and allow as many people as possible to experience how enjoyable it is to grow something unique themselves.
Two worlds that have fascinated me for years came together in the process: growing plants and running an online business. In this way, Drakenbloedboom.com grew from my passion for one legendary tree into a place where you can discover unusual plants and seeds, as well as find the products and knowledge you need to get started successfully yourself.
Whether you are planting an exotic seed for the first time, looking for an unusual plant for your home or have been collecting rare species for years, at Drakenbloedboom.com I want to help you find and grow something you do not encounter everywhere.
Because ultimately, that is still what fascinates me after all these years: that something extraordinary can emerge from something tiny.
Grow something unique.
Happy growing!
Mark
