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Cordyline
Helena Birch
Posts: 3
i have just planted a green Cordyline into the garden. It has lived in a pot for about 6 years. It has started to turn yellow and I wonder if I should return it to a pot. I moved it to allow it to grow, it's about 4 feet. The soil is clay although I dug in some compost when I planted it. Advice needed.
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Clay won't suit a cordyline Helena. If you want to keep it in the garden I'd dig it up and put a bucket full of grit in the base of the planting hole. It may need some winter protection depending on the variety, although mine, the Australis had been in my garden for 18 years and is very hardy. It's very well drained. Like most plants though it's often not the cold they succumb to but the wet feet.
Thank you. I will definitely try that.
It's surprising how tough Cordyline australis can be. There was a 12ft high one in the front garden of this house when we moved in in 2007. We live on the east side of Manchester, about 450 ft above sea level. The tree was shaded from the south and the soil was clay; quite wet clay to. It is no longer with us as my younger son casualy ring barked it as he was fascinated by the corky bark and pulled it off. Even then new heads sprang from the roots, but i took the opportunity to get rid as I wasn't over fond of it.
Thanks everyone. I will probably put it back into a pot and hope it recovers.
but find potting them up with loads of grit in basic compost gives me best results.
If its really cold I move them into the greenhouse. They always put new growth in spring. Good Luck with yours anyway I hope they survive when repotted..
Damp but well draining soil is what they get back in their native New Zealand, where they are found everywhere but especially on hillsides. Amended clay soil should actually be perfect for them. I have lots of large Cordylines growing fine in my heavy clay (amended and free growing)