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Cordyline Flower Spike Removal

Paul_Williams1972Paul_Williams1972 Posts: 12
in Problem solving
Hello there. I have two Cordylines planted in the ground in my back garden in South Wales. They have been there for 5/6 years and are doing very well. This year for the first time, one of them has developed a flower stem/spike; it's quite long and almost as thick as my arm. The problem is; I don't like the flowers on Cordylines; I think they are ugly and I don't want a multi trunked tree. Can I just cut the Flower stem off and if so, how?

Many Thanks

Paul

 

Posts

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I see no reason why you can't remove the flower spike.  As long as you don't cut the main trunk as doing that will often encourage new trunks from the base.
    As to how you do it, I guess it will depend on the height and how adept you are with loppers or pruning saw.
    Perhaps others may be able to advise on the best technique  :)
  • Paul_Williams1972Paul_Williams1972 Posts: 12







    Yeah, that's my issue. I want rid of the spike but I don't want to harm the plant. You can see from the pics that the spike is right in the middle so I don't know if it's just a case of sawing it off as low as I can get or will that cause more problems?

    Cheers

    Paul

  • Paul_Williams1972Paul_Williams1972 Posts: 12
    Does anybody else have any input on this as I'm eager to get rid of the flower spike?

    Thanks

    Paul

  • Tom BirchTom Birch Posts: 6
    Yes - you can cut the flower stem off at it`s base. But be careful not to cut into the main stem. It will be congested at the lowest point for cutting and you will need either very sharp secateurs or a sharp knife/pruning saw with an edge which you can use for sawing.
    Personally, we left the four large whitish flower stalks (each just over a foot in length) on our four stemmed mature cordyline because they became an added feature and attracted numerous bees and other pollinators and then cut the stalks off as they dried out.
  • Paul_Williams1972Paul_Williams1972 Posts: 12
    Thank you. I managed to saw it off as low as I could get. No idea what will happen next. 😊
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I arrived too late.  You will have lost the scent.  Theremight be fresh flower stalks, or is always next year.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'm sure it'll be fine @Paul_Williams1972. If you didn't cut into the main trunk, as @philippasmith2 and @Tom Birch say, it won't have harmed it, and you won't be promoting those new shoots lower down.  :)
    Many people lost their cordylines this winter, so you must have been fortunate - possibly more coastal?
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Paul_Williams1972Paul_Williams1972 Posts: 12
    bédé said:
    I arrived too late.  You will have lost the scent.  Theremight be fresh flower stalks, or is always next year.
    Thanks but I’m ok with that. As I said, I don’t want the flowers. 
  • Paul_Williams1972Paul_Williams1972 Posts: 12
    Fairygirl said:
    I'm sure it'll be fine @Paul_Williams1972. If you didn't cut into the main trunk, as @philippasmith2 and @Tom Birch say, it won't have harmed it, and you won't be promoting those new shoots lower down.  :)
    Many people lost their cordylines this winter, so you must have been fortunate - possibly more coastal?
    I’ve no idea if I cut the main stem. I just grabbed the flower spike stem (about 1.5” in diameter) and cut it as low as I could go. There’s still a stump left so fingers crossed. 

    I’m about 30 mins from the coast so not that close. Why have people lost their cordylines this winter? 

    Paul

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Coastal environments are  much more suited to that type of plant because they're less inclined to get severe frosts, and the soil is often more free draining and sandy. Doesn't mean there aren't frosts and severe weather, but that tends to be further north - north west highlands. 
    It was the the mild/wet weather in autumn, followed by a very sudden drop with harsher frosts/ice that saw them off. Wet cold is always worse for plants than dry cold, and it was those big swings in temp/conditions that were the problem.  :)

    If you left a little stump, I think you're fine. Getting into them without stabbing yourself in the eye is the tricky bit!   
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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