New Zealand Cabbage Tree Cordyline australis
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Dracaena australis
- Phonetic Spelling
- kor-di-LY-nee aw-STRAL-iss
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Cabbage Tree is a flowering, evergreen, single or multi-trunked tree in the asparagus family and one of the most recognized plants in its native New Zealand. The plant can reach a height of 30 to 60 feet in its native habitat at maturity. It can also be grown as an ornamental in a container and, in that environment, will slowly develop a cane-like trunk or trunks and reach a height of 15 feet. The small, fragrant flowers of the Cabbage Tree bloom in late spring. The leaves of the tree are sword-like with a 3 foot length and 3 inch width and cluster at the tips of the branches. The genus name comes from the Greek word kordyle meaning a club. The species name means southern.
Cabbage Tree tolerates a wide range of soils ranging from wet boggy conditions to dry ones. If grown outdoors, it does best in moist, fertile, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. When grown in containers outside on patios in summer, it can be brought in over the winter or grown indoors year-round as a houseplant. If grown in a container, keep soils consistently moist in summer but reduce moisture indoors in winter and site the plant in bright sunny spots in the home or greenhouse. Also note that container-grown plants rarely flower.
Cabbage Tree has a taproot that needs the root space of a large and deep container for best growth. Young plants consisting of a fountain of grass-like leaves with no trunk are often sold as houseplants. A tree grown outdoors will typically take 6 to 10 years before flowering.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
Mealybugs, scale and spider mites are possible, particularly on indoor plants. The plant is toxic for dogs and cats.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Burgundy Spire™ ('Jel01')
This cultivar holds its deep purple-brown foliage for a long time, forming a bold spire. - 'Charlie Boy'
Dark burgundy foliage edged with vibrant pink. - 'Dark Star'
Very dark reddish-bronze leaves. - 'Jive'
Dark green leaves with longitudinal stripes of creamy yellow. - 'Pink Champagne'
Narrow pale green leaves creamy white margins and pink bases. - Pink Passion ('Seipin')
Narrow leaves of a dark grayish-purple with neon pink margins. - 'Red Sensation'
Purplish-red leaves - 'Red Star'
Narrow leaves that are a bright shade of bronze-red
- Burgundy Spire™ ('Jel01')
- Burgundy Spire™ ('Jel01'), 'Charlie Boy', 'Dark Star', 'Jive', 'Pink Champagne', Pink Passion ('Seipin'), 'Red Sensation', 'Red Star'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Burgundy Spire™ ('Jel01')
This cultivar holds its deep purple-brown foliage for a long time, forming a bold spire. - 'Charlie Boy'
Dark burgundy foliage edged with vibrant pink. - 'Dark Star'
Very dark reddish-bronze leaves. - 'Jive'
Dark green leaves with longitudinal stripes of creamy yellow. - 'Pink Champagne'
Narrow pale green leaves creamy white margins and pink bases. - Pink Passion ('Seipin')
Narrow leaves of a dark grayish-purple with neon pink margins. - 'Red Sensation'
Purplish-red leaves - 'Red Star'
Narrow leaves that are a bright shade of bronze-red
- Burgundy Spire™ ('Jel01')
- Burgundy Spire™ ('Jel01'), 'Charlie Boy', 'Dark Star', 'Jive', 'Pink Champagne', Pink Passion ('Seipin'), 'Red Sensation', 'Red Star'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cordyline
- Species:
- australis
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The tree is used as food and medicine and the use of its fibres for weaving and ropes is common.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- New Zeland
- Distribution:
- California and the southern United States, England, Ireland, Tasmania.
- Edibility:
- The stems and fleshy rhizomes of the tree are high in sugar and used as sweetener. The leaves are eaten raw.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-trunked
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- White
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small, white berries. A favorite food source for New Zealand birds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Panicles of small, fragrant, white flowers bloom in late spring to early summer; however, container-grown plants rarely flower.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Sword-shaped gray-green leaves to 3 feet long, but only 2 to 3 inches wide.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Bark Description:
- Pale to dark grey bark is corky, persistent and fissured, and feels spongy to the touch.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Patio
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
- Wind
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
