Cordyline - Giant Dracena, Grass Palm, Ti Plant

(Cordyli'ne)

DESCRIPTION: T 1 Plant.This group consists of fifteen evergreen trees and shrubs that are natives of New Zealand, Australia, South America, India, and Polynesia. Most of these plants are grown for their ornamental leaves. They usually form a single stem and several strong, ascending branches that are topped with a crown of leaves. Some kinds can grow to a height of 35 to 40 feet, but for growing in a home or greenhouse, small plants are preferred. Plants of the group, Cordyline, and those of the group, Dracaena, are often confused by gardeners. The colored-leaved Dracaenas are nearly all varieties of Cordyline terminalis. The main botanical difference is that in Cordyline, the cells of the ovary contain many ovules and in Dracaena, only one. The flowers of Cordyline are also smaller than those of Dracaena. C. australis (Giant Dracena) is a tender, small to medium-sized tree usually producing a single trunk and several, ascending branches, each topped with a large, thick mass of long, sword-like leaves. In early summer, large panicles of small, white flowers are borne. In unsuitable climates, this tree can be successfully grown in a warm greenhouse or home. A variety of C. australis, Purpurea, is a small to medium-sized tree with purple leaves. Sundance, another pretty variety, is a small tree having the midribs and base of its yellow leaves shaded with dark pink. C. stricta is suitable for growing in a cool greenhouse (min. temperature, 50º F), a sunny window, or outdoors in subtropical climates. This plant has a thin stem, eventually growing 6 to 10 feet high. It can be made into a handsome branched shrub by pruning. Its slender, green leaves are 18 to 30 inches long and 1½ inches wide. Old plants usually produce branched panicles of light blue flowers. C. terminalis has clusters of rosy to dark red leaves on top of a canelike stalk. They bear lavender flowers that are followed by red berries. C. indivisa has wide, leathery leaves, 3 to 4 feet long and 2 to 4 inches wide, with an orange colored mid-rib and veins. Its variety, cuprea, has copper-red foliage.

C. terminalis; Kuai Beauty

POTTING: The best compost is made up of three parts fibrous loam, one part peat, one part leaf mold and one part coarse sand or grit. Well-developed plants will not need repotting for several years but only a top-dressing of rich soil each year in March, after some of the topsoil has been removed. They thrive best in a warm, humid greenhouse. The plants with the colored leaves need plenty of sunlight to keep their beautiful colors.

PROPAGATION: These plants can be increased by cutting the stems and laying them, half buried, in peat moss and sand in a closed, moist propagating frame. Shoots will grow from almost every bud along the stems. In a few weeks, when they are well-rooted, they should be cut into single plants and potted. The tops of the plants can be inserted as cuttings into sand or vermiculite from March to August, in a propagating frame with bottom heat. Air layering is also a simple way of reproducing these plants.

VARIETIES:

C. australis & var. Purpurea, Red Star, Sundance, Torbay Dazzler.

C. Banksii;

C. indivisa & var. cuprea;

C. stricta;

C. terminalis;

Go see DICTIONARY OF BOTANICAL NAMES.

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