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Cordyline stricta

slender palm lily

Asparagaceae Eastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Container Friendly

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Cordyline stricta is an evergreen shrub with slender, erect, cane-like stems growing 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) tall and forming clumps 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) wide as it suckers from the base. The narrow, strap-shaped leaves are 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) long and 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) wide, dark green, with finely toothed margins, arranged along and toward the tops of the stems. Branched flowering panicles 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) long carry many small mauve to purple flowers about 0.3 inch (8 mm) across in spring and summer. Flowers are followed by rounded berries about 0.3 inch (8 mm) wide that ripen from green to purple-black. Stems lengthen and lose their lower leaves over time, producing a bare-stemmed, tufted-top form unless cut back. In cold conditions the foliage is damaged below about 28°F (-2°C). The clump widens steadily by basal suckers.

Native Range

Native to eastern Australia in coastal and near-coastal Queensland and New South Wales. Grows in and along the margins of subtropical and warm-temperate rainforest, in moist, shaded gullies and on creek banks in humus-rich soils.

Suggested Uses

Grown in shaded and woodland gardens, courtyards, and as an understorey clump at 24-36 inch (60-90 cm) spacing. Used as a container and indoor plant in pots of at least 5 gallons (19 L) in bright, indirect light. The clumping, suckering habit suits massed shade plantings but can outgrow small spaces over time.

How to Identify

Recognized by slender, upright cane-like stems carrying narrow dark green strap leaves 8-16 inches (20-40 cm) long with minutely toothed edges. Loose, branched panicles bear small mauve to purple flowers, followed by purple-black berries about 0.3 inch (8 mm) wide. Distinguished from Cordyline rubra by its narrower leaves, more slender stems, and paler mauve flowers.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 10'

Width/Spread2' - 4'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

purple

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers in spring and summer, mainly September to January in eastern Australia. Branched panicles open over several weeks, with individual flowers lasting a few days. Purple-black berries follow and can persist on the plant into autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Mauve to purple

Foliage Description

Dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Tolerates up to 4 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 6.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in part to full shade in moist, well-drained soils high in organic matter and suits warm, frost-protected positions. Water regularly through the warm months to hold soil moisture; growth and leaf retention decline in dry soil. Foliage is damaged by frost below about 28°F (-2°C), and plants are grown in sheltered or indoor settings in cold-winter regions. Clumps spread by suckers and can be divided to manage their width. Spider mites and mealybugs occur on plants grown indoors or in dry air. Lower leaves yellow and shed as stems age, leaving bare lower canes.

Pruning

Cut tall, bare stems back to the desired height or to ground level in spring to prompt new shoots from the base and lower stem. Remove suckers at the edge of the clump to limit spread. Yellowed lower leaves can be pulled or trimmed away as stems age.