About

This upright, clumping shrub reaches up to 1.2 meters in height, featuring wide, strap-like leaves that are glossy green with yellow streaks and pink edges. It serves well as a foliage plant for indoor settings.

About the genus

Cordyline consists of evergreen shrubs or tree-like perennials that resemble palms. These plants feature clusters or tufts of long, narrow, leathery leaves and produce fragrant, cup-shaped flowers in terminal panicles, which are succeeded by small, round berries.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil type
Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained
Aspect
East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H1B

Plant details

Plant type
Houseplants
Habit
Columnar upright
Foliage
Evergreen
Height
1-1.5 metres
Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height
2-5 years
Suggested uses
Houseplants, Sub-tropical

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in pots of peat-free multipurpose compost in bright filtered light. Water moderately while in growth and apply a balanced liquid feed monthly; water sparingly in winter. Mist daily to increase humidity and occasionally wipe dust from the leaves with a soft cloth. Top dress annually and pot on every 2-3 years in spring. See cordyline cultivation for further information
Pruning
No pruning required
Propagation
Propagate by cuttings (with the top leaves attached), or stem section cuttings (taking care to keep the sections the right way up)
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite and scale insects
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to cordyline slime flux and honey fungus (rarely)