The Cordyline plant is a member of the Asparagus family. Most members of this genus live in the Australian tropics and subtropics and in New Zealand and Brazilian forests. In nature, such plants turn into large shrubs or trees with a lush crown, and their height reaches 16 m. Home cordilins are more compact and develop much more slowly, adding only 15 cm per year. The maximum height of such specimens reaches 1.5 m, but on average the cordilins reach only 60 cm in height. Young trees have more foliage than adults - as they develop, their leaves fall off, and the trunk begins to thicken. As a result, cordilina turns into a kind of palm tree.
It is possible to admire the flowering of cordilin infrequently, moreover, it can be observed only in adult plants. During this period, paniculate inflorescences, formed by small asterisk flowers, appear on the tree. But the main decorative effect of the cordilines is given by their foliage. Its coloration includes tones of green, white, scarlet, pink, burgundy and purple. Leaf blades can be plain or decorated with bright stripes. Thanks to their elegant leaves and easy care, cordilins are often used in home floriculture.
How to distinguish cordilina from dracaena
Cordilina is often confused with dracaena: these plants are really quite similar and are considered "false palms". Previously, both genera belonged to the Agave family, but now they are considered Asparagus. Dracaena is sometimes isolated into an independent family. Many types of cordilina, however, are also called dracaena, but they are different plants.
You can distinguish cordilina from dracaena by the foliage. The leaf blades of the cordilina are usually located on the petioles, and also have a pronounced central vein from which all the others diverge. Dracaena foliage has no petioles and is covered with parallel veins.
You can also distinguish these plants by the appearance of their roots or fruits. The dracaena has a straight root, colored yellowish-orange on the cut. The roots of the cordilina are knobby and white at the cut. It was the type of roots that determined the name of this plant - it comes from the word "knot". The fruits contain up to 20 seeds, and the dracaena fruit contains only one.
Brief rules for growing cordilina
The table shows brief rules for caring for cordilina at home.
| Lighting level | Green-leaved species can tolerate shading, while others require bright, but diffused light. |
| Content temperature | Approximately 18-24 degrees in summer. In winter, lowering up to 13 degrees is permissible in the absence of irrigation. |
| Watering mode | In summer - at least 2 times a week (for broad-leaved species - more often), in winter - weekly. The soil should have time to dry about 3 cm deep. |
| Air humidity | The humidity level must be high. The tree is removed further from the heaters, sprayed twice a week and put on a pallet with wet pebbles. |
| The soil | Growing cordilina requires a mixture of garden soil with 1/3 parts of peat and sand or perlite. A thick drainage layer is laid in the pot. |
| Top dressing | During active growth - once every 2 weeks, using liquid formulations after watering. |
| Transfer | Adult specimens - every 3 years, young - annually, in the spring. For transplant, use a container 2 cm wider than the old one. Plants are replanted when they completely cover the soil ball with roots. |
| Bloom | Indoor cordilina blooms very rarely. |
| Dormant period | In winter, the plant begins a dormant period. |
| Reproduction | Division of bushes, cuttings, seeds. |
| Pests | Scabbard, aphid, spider mite, thrips, mealybug. |
| Diseases | Fungal disease. |
Caring for cordilina at home
Cordilina growing in a pot can quickly get used to home conditions, but they must meet the minimum requirements of the flower. Only in this case, the plant will not cause trouble for the owner.
Not all cordilins are suitable for growing in a pot, but only some of their types. Most varieties of this plant are too sensitive to dry air and need abundant lighting and natural space. But trees that can grow at home also require certain conditions. Despite the general unpretentiousness of the plant, the cultivation of cordilina has some features. The tree has a rather thin trunk, which is not always capable of supporting a heavy crown. For balancing, a support is used - a tube wrapped in coconut fiber, or bamboo sticks. Mature and thicker-stemmed trees are able to grow without additional support.
When caring for cordilina, it is also important to avoid drafts and try to ensure that the temperature in the room with the plant does not change too sharply. To stimulate the development of fresh foliage, weak branches are recommended to be removed. Wiping the leaves with a soft, damp cloth will also help to remove dust and improve the health of the tree.
Landing
Planting and placement of the cordilina bush largely affects the rate of its further development. The plant prefers slightly acidic soil. It is prepared independently by mixing garden soil with 1/3 parts of peat and sand (or perlite), or using universal soil for palm trees.
For an adult tree, a large, high capacity is required - cordilina almost does not form lateral shoots, developing roots only in depth. A drainage layer must be laid on the bottom of the pot - expanded clay or brick debris. The plant is transferred to a new place carefully, without disturbing the roots and without changing the level of deepening.
To make such plants look more impressive, they are often planted in several pieces in one large pot. An exception is made for large varieties that prefer individual containers. You can keep the pot with cordilina both on the windowsills and on stable stands.
Freshly acquired plants are kept in quarantine for some time. This period allows you to identify possible diseases or the presence of insects without infecting the rest of the house flowers. Affected specimens are treated and, after acclimatization, are transplanted into fresh soil.
Lighting
For normal growth, cordilina requires good lighting. The exception is green-leaved species - they are able to grow in light partial shade. Varieties and varieties with bright and variegated foliage suggest abundant but diffused light. Usually they are kept in the east, north-east or north-west windows.
Cordilins growing on the south or west side of the home will need a little shading. But too dark north side may require additional lighting.
Temperature
Cordilina growing in a pot will require a constant temperature of 18-24 degrees. It is in such conditions that the plant feels most comfortable. But some types of cordilina suggest a decrease in temperature in winter - this is necessary for them to bloom. The lower threshold for a tree is 13 degrees in the absence of watering. The temperature change should be gradual. In addition, cordilins should not be exposed to a draft at any time of the year.
Watering
Cordilina requires regular, but not too abundant watering. Constantly waterlogged soil can lead to decay of the root system, but the coma should also not be allowed to dry out. Watering is carried out when the soil dries out about 3 cm in depth. In winter, watering is carried out weekly, and in summer - 2 times more often. In species with narrow and wide foliage, the need for moisture is different: in the last summer, more water is required. For irrigation, use settled water at room temperature.
Mulching will help to reduce the number of waterings. To do this, use small bark or coconut substrate. Periodically, the bushes can be washed under a warm shower or wiped the leaves with it as it gets dirty.
Humidity level
Tropical cordilina species will thrive best at high (up to 80%) humidity. This allows the plant to extract moisture not only from the soil, but also from the air. In hot weather or in winter, if the room is too dry from working batteries, the foliage should be sprayed with lukewarm and well-settled water about once a day. To do this, choose the evening hours or cloudy days - after the procedure, sunlight should not fall on the leaves. Subtropical species are more tolerant of low humidity levels.
Capacity selection
Small bushes of cordilin are planted in small pots. With each subsequent transplant, the size of the container is increased by about 1.5-2 cm. Due to the fact that the roots of the plant go down, it needs a high and deep, but stable container.
Do not plant small bushes in large pots "with a margin". Such a plant will not be able to cover the soil lump with roots, because of which they can begin to rot. The presence of drainage holes will also help prevent the development of diseases.
The soil
Homemade cordilins are not too demanding on the ground. They will be satisfied with a universal substrate for palm trees or a moderately light homemade soil of a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. It should be nutritious and loose. To improve the quality of such soil, you can add crushed coal or drainage elements - brick debris to it. Crushed sphagnum and garden soil can be added to the purchased substrate.
Before planting, it is important to disinfect the selected mixture by steaming or freezing it. Another prerequisite is the presence of drainage, which ensures the removal of excess moisture.
Top dressing
For healthy growth, cordilina will require systematic feeding that can provide the tree with all the necessary substances. During the period of the most active growth (from spring to early autumn), it is fed with liquid nutrient compositions for indoor flowers. Once every couple of weeks, cordilina is watered with such a solution after watering. Foliar dressing is also acceptable - like conventional spraying, they are carried out in the evenings or on cloudy days.
From September to early April, the plant rests, so it does not need feeding. Such stimulation of growth will only deplete cordilina.
Transfer
If necessary, the cordilina is transplanted in the spring. Young plants need transplanting every year, but adults do not develop so quickly, so they can be moved 3 times less often. Healthy plants should not be disturbed until they completely encircle the soil ball with roots - cordilins do not tolerate the transfer procedure well and take a long time to recover. The need to change the pot can be judged by the roots visible from the drainage holes or by slowing growth. A transplant will be required when roots rot or pest infestation.
The new pot for the tree should be about 1.5 cm larger than the old one.Cordilina is transferred into it along with the soil lump. To preserve the nutritional value of the soil, you can renew its top layer every year. After transplanting, the plant should spend several days in a shady place. Top dressing can be done within a couple of weeks after moving.
Pruning
Removing weak branches helps to rejuvenate the cordilina, as well as create a more lush crown. The shoot tip removal procedure stimulates the development of lateral shoots. It is cut with a sharp and sterile instrument. The top is about 6 cm long, on which there are several leaves, to be removed. The color of the bark should not be green, but brownish - slightly woody.
Sections are processed with crushed coal. Fresh twigs will appear on the cordiline in a couple of weeks. The trimmed tip can be used for propagation by rooting it in water or light soil.
Bloom
Indoor cordilins rarely flower, but they are usually grown for their bright foliage. Adult specimens are capable of forming long peduncles with small flowers in the form of cream or pale purple stars. But some species bloom only after a cold winter.
Dormant period
Cordilins rest from late autumn to early spring. The growth of the tree for this period stops: the plant accumulates strength for the new season. For a good rest, it is advisable to provide the cordiline with coolness. The pot with her is carried away to a cool place. To prevent the bush from chilling the roots, it is placed not on a cold floor, but on a thick plank or foam bush.
If in the room where the cordilina hibernates, it remains about 15 degrees, watering and spraying is carried out much less often. Variegated forms will need good lighting even in winter, so they can be kept under lamps. Top dressing is not carried out at this time.
Breeding methods for cordilina
Cordilina can be propagated using seeds or plant parts.
Rhizome division
The cordilina bush is taken out of the pot and its roots are washed in water to clear the soil. A part is separated from the rhizome with a sharp tool, sprinkling the places of the cuts with crushed coal. The resulting cut is dried, and then planted in a substrate of equal parts of peat, leafy soil and sand. The seedling is kept in a greenhouse at 25 degrees, regularly watered and aired, and sprayed. In a month, it will form its own roots, after which it can be transplanted into a permanent container of sufficient size.
Cuttings
As cuttings, you can use both the tops remaining from the pruning, and the woody sections of the stem about 12 cm long. The tops of the shoots for rooting can be held in water to which a root formation stimulator has been added, or immediately planted in the ground. After watering, such seedlings are placed in a greenhouse and kept at 26-28 degrees, regularly removing the shelter for ventilation. As in the case of the cut, the roots are formed in about a month, after which the young plants can be transplanted.
Growing from seeds
For reproduction of cordilins, vegetative methods are most often used, but seedling plants are considered more adapted to home conditions. It is not too difficult to grow cordilina from seeds, but the seed quickly loses its germination capacity, and also does not retain varietal characteristics. Sowing is carried out in the spring. Fresh seeds are kept in a growth promoter and then planted in a mixture of garden soil and sand and kept in a greenhouse at 28 degrees. Germination lasts a long time, and seedlings appear uncommonly.
Pests and diseases
Cordilina is quite unpretentious and, subject to all the necessary conditions, almost does not get sick. If mistakes were made in the care, the plant will let you know about them with its appearance.
- Light dry spots on the leaves are sunburn, in which case shading is necessary.
- Drying of the tips of the leaves, dropping of the lower foliage - the air in the room is too dry and the need to spray.But if the lower foliage falls off adult specimens, this is a normal developmental process.
- The pallor of the foliage is associated with a lack of light.
- The softness of the foliage, darkening or curling - the room is too cold, the plant must be moved to a warmer place.
- Rotting and falling of leaf plates - too wet soil and low temperature. The bush is transferred to warmth and watering is tried to be adjusted.
- Yellowing and drying of leaves - dry air or lack of nutrition.
- Sluggish, but not dry leaves and shoots are a sign of a fungal disease. A minor lesion is treated with fungicides, if the roots are too much affected, healthy parts of the bush can be rooted.
- Stem decay is caused by over-frequent watering. You can save the bush by re-rooting its healthy top.
- Slow growth - lack of nutrients or too tight a pot.
High dry air and hot weather can lead to the appearance of pests - scale insects, aphids, spider mites, thrips or mealybugs. Especially often they settle on the foliage of young cordilins. Only special means will help to remove such pests, therefore it is better to prevent their appearance, observing all the conditions for caring for the flower.
Types and varieties of cordilina with photos and names
Cordyline banksii
The sizes of this species can range from 1.5 to 3 m in height. Cordyline banksii has a straight and slender trunk. Elongated foliage is located on long petioles up to 30 cm long. The size of each plate reaches 1.5 m with a width of about 8 cm. They are lanceolate and pointed at the top. Outside, each leaf is green, and from the inside it is grayish. Long panicle inflorescences are formed by white flowers. A cool place is ideal for growing this species.
Apical cordilina (Cordyline terminalis)
Either shrub cordilina (Cordyline fruticosa), or apical dracaena (Dracaena terminalis). This species is thermophilic and most common in home floriculture. A semi-shrub with one or more graceful trunks up to 4 m in height. The size of its leaves reaches 60 cm with a width of up to 10 cm. The surface of the leaf has pronounced veins. The color can be green or variegated, greenish-purple with a colored border. The size of the petioles reaches 15 cm. During the flowering period, panicles up to 60 cm long are formed on the plant, composed of reddish-yellow flowers, which later turn into red berries.
In Hawaii, this cordilina was considered a ritual aid and a symbol of good luck. Parts of the plant were used by the islanders for food, and from its foliage they made clothes and made roofing of houses.
Cordilina red (Cordyline rubra)
The species is also known as red dracaena. Cordyline rubra reaches 4 m in height. It is a non-branching plant with wide, leathery foliage. Its plates reach 50 cm in length, and in width are only 5 cm. The color of the leaves is green, with noticeable veins. The petioles are about 15 cm long. Inflorescences are formed in the leaf axils, and light purple flowers on small pedicels bloom on them. The species prefers cool content.
Cordilina undivided (Cordyline indivisa)
This species forms trees up to 12 m in height. Cordyline indivisa has a strong, slender trunk and belt-like foliage up to 1.5 m long. The width of the leaf plates reaches 15 cm. They are decorated with a red or yellow central vein, and sometimes with a colored border. The very surface of the leaf is green, and the inside has a bluish tint. Inflorescences are white, drooping and branching. This species is considered especially unpretentious, but also does not like heat.
Cordyline stricta
Either Dracaena congesta or Dracaena stricta. The species is distinguished by a thin trunk up to 3 m high. It has leathery lanceolate leaves with serrated edges and a pointed tip at the top. The length of the leaf reaches half a meter with a width of up to 3 cm. The panicles of the inflorescences are formed by small purple flowers. They appear both from the leaf sinuses and grow on the top of the bush.
Southern Cordilina (Cordyline australis)
New Zealand endemic. This species forms palm trees up to 12 m in height. Due to its appearance, the plant is sometimes called the "Cornish palm" or "Isle of Man palm". Another interesting name for the species is "cabbage tree". Cordyline australis has a rigid trunk that widens downward. The foliage is sessile, xiphoid. Its leathery surface is colored green and complemented by a large light vein in the center. Milky white flowers have a pleasant scent. The size of lush fragrant inflorescences can reach up to 1 m.
The leaves of this species are considered edible, in addition, parts of the plants are suitable for the production of strong fibers.
