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Cordyline 'Red Star' dying...?

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  • 09-08-2010 9:16pm
    #1
    Greenview
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭


    Hi all, I've a plant for about four years (see attached) - growing well & a nice dark red colour until this year, when it appears to be dying (losing colour, spikes losing rigidity, splitting etc.).

    At the base, I've noticed new growth & so, just looking for some advice. Do I cut it back to new growth, leave alone etc...


    Thanks
    John


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    #2
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    A lot of cordylines were knocked for six by last winter, the red ones are not as hardy as the green ones. Just cut off straight across the trunk at whatever height you want the new growth to appear, you may get two or three or even more trunks growing from that spot.


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    #3
    goat2
    Registered Users Posts: 4,939 ✭✭✭goat2


    looks like the frost got it, but it is doing well at the base, you have it growing beautifully from base, feed well and all will be fine, as feeding will keep it going during winter months
    dont fear, you will have a far finer plant than last tear as all these shoots will make one fine big specimen plant


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    #4
    juuge
    Closed Accounts Posts: 792 ✭✭✭juuge


    Don't worry about it!
    They are very deep rooted and that's what protects it from bush fires in it's native habitat. I lost some last winter to the severe frost, I cut them at the base and already they are beginning to sprout again.


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    #5
    Greenview
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭Greenview


    thanks to all for your feedback.

    Another question - I have three new plants emerging from the base, but would ideally like to end up with one (where the original was)... as it's quite close to a corner & allowing the three new plants to just grow would swamp/overtake the corner (I imagine), so for clarity, I will cut the original plant just above where the offshoots are growing & then - cut out two of the new shoots?

    thanks.
    complete novice!


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    #6
    jezko
    Registered Users Posts: 454 ✭✭jezko


    Greenview wrote: »
    thanks to all for your feedback.

    Another question - I have three new plants emerging from the base, but would ideally like to end up with one (where the original was)... as it's quite close to a corner & allowing the three new plants to just grow would swamp/overtake the corner (I imagine), so for clarity, I will cut the original plant just above where the offshoots are growing & then - cut out two of the new shoots?

    thanks.
    complete novice!

    From the photos, I would say you have three Shoots from the main trunk, not three new plants (they share the same Original root system) but removing the other two shoots you will give yourself one new stem leader ... however I might wait until after this coming winter and with luck all three shoots survive you will then have a full year to grow stronger main/leader stems


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    #7
    wayne76
    Registered Users Posts: 683 ✭✭✭wayne76


    i planted two red star's out the back in the spring both get the same light water feed etc. yet one seem's to be growing a lot bigger than the other is there any particular reason for this??


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    #8
    Misty Midlands
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭Misty Midlands


    Hi,
    I have an 8 month old cordyline, the leaves have turned brown and look dead, i did tie them up during the snow and tied again today, I wonder if it is too late to save.
    I lost my 7 year old cordyline last winter during frost and snow, it had rotted right down to the roots. Replaced it last summer as heard then,the arctic winter comes only once in 40 years!!!! Seeing as it is a yearly occurence, if this cordyline dies (it cost 60euro) I will not replace with another although they are my favourite tree for a front garden.


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    #9
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    Misty Midlands wrote: »
    Hi,
    I have an 8 month old cordyline, the leaves have turned brown and look dead, i did tie them up during the snow and tied again today, I wonder if it is too late to save.
    I lost my 7 year old cordyline last winter during frost and snow, it had rotted right down to the roots. Replaced it last summer as heard then,the arctic winter comes only once in 40 years!!!! Seeing as it is a yearly occurence, if this cordyline dies (it cost 60euro) I will not replace with another although they are my favourite tree for a front garden.

    €60!!! you must really like them. We'd need a little more information. Is it red or green, how big is it, in a pot or in the ground, what's drainage like?
    If your user name reflects your location then we're really in uncharted waters this winter, with air temperatures below -20°C and ground temperatures several degrees below that.
    Brown leaves are not necessarily a sign the plant is dead, it could be wind damage. I wouldn't do anything just yet except, if feasible, cover it with horticultural fleece. It's possible that all the frost may not have come out of the ground yet so mulching vulnerable plants could be counterproductive. Wait for the weather to improve and see does it recover.


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    #10
    Misty Midlands
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭Misty Midlands


    Thank you for reply bmaxi, my cordyline was green, it is planted in the ground and soil is normal. I live in the Midlands so it is very cold, I bought this cordyline in Cork last June, it was expensive at 60 euro but was around 3 foot tall then and grew a few inches since, thanks again for your advice, I hope it survives as I love cordylines.


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    #11
    bmaxi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,859 ✭✭✭bmaxi


    Misty Midlands wrote: »
    Thank you for reply bmaxi, my cordyline was green, it is planted in the ground and soil is normal. I live in the Midlands so it is very cold, I bought this cordyline in Cork last June, it was expensive at 60 euro but was around 3 foot tall then and grew a few inches since, thanks again for your advice, I hope it survives as I love cordylines.

    The good news is that the green ones are usually hardier.
    Cordylines are quite easy to propagate, both from seed or from offshoots at soil level so, if it recovers you could try making some "insurance" plants.


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    #12
    HuggedRugger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭HuggedRugger


    Hi, I have 2 green cordylines, one about 25ft+ in damp soil. has a single trunk up to the top then a bunch of branches, the other about 8 feet tall with loads of branches spreading from just above ground level up

    anyway they have been shedding chunks of their leaves this week and the branches seem to be rotten. the leaves are still attached to each other and healthy looking on the ground but the branches dark and rotten at the ends

    the smaller one looks like it been trimmed back a few times but the tall one probably never and also has a dark black patch on its bark near the base. if the rot is on the bark down low is it in danger of falling down? could it be saved if the rot is showing on the outside?

    Thanks


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