Let's talk about Cordiline straight: care at home, description, diseases, pests and more.
general description
Straight cordyline really does look like a palm tree, especially when the lower leaves begin to die off as the plant grows, exposing the trunk and leaving petioles on it.
Cordyline is large in size: it often grows up to two meters in height and boasts elongated lanceolate leaves that sometimes grow up to half a meter long. Its roots are fleshy and creeping, and its leaves have jagged edges. Small cordyline flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences.
Photo
Cordyline straight: photo of this variety.
Home care
Features of care after purchase
Like many cordyline plants doesn't like frequent changes. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right place for the false palm, protected from drafts, temperature fluctuations, excessive sun and excessive moisture.
Lighting
False cordyline palm prefers partial shade or diffused light. But here it is important to find a “golden mean”, because with insufficient lighting the plant loses its decorative effect, but direct rays of the sun also have a negative effect on its appearance.
Therefore, it seems ideal with western or eastern windows. If it is not possible to provide sufficient natural lighting, an artificial light source will save the situation.
Temperature
Cordilina straight loves cool weather, so it is often planted in the open ground of a summer cottage for the summer. At the same time, it is better to protect it from the wind - the palm tree does not like it. In room conditions, she prefers moderate temperatures without changes and drafts.
Air humidity
false palm loves high humidity. Therefore, she will be grateful for daily spraying with cool water. She will also like it if the pot with her is sometimes placed on wet pebbles.
Watering
In spring and summer, watering is required twice a week, in winter - once every seven days.
Excess water from the pan must be removed from the pan in a timely manner so as not to provoke root rot.
However, complete drying out of the earthen coma should also not be allowed.
Fertilizers
The most active growth of cordyline occurs from the beginning of April to the end of August. At this time, it is best to feed it with fertilizers intended for indoor flowers.
They can be purchased in specialized stores. Loosening the top layer of soil will also be beneficial - this procedure is carried out in spring and summer.
Transfer
Transplantation is carried out as Cordyline grows, when its root system no longer fits in the same container. For a new pot you need to prepare a mixture of coarse river sand, peat and leaf humus.
Adding charcoal will help avoid the appearance of rot, and brick chips will add additional favorable looseness to the soil.
Growing
Cordyline reproduces in several ways. It could be apical cuttings, when the top is cut off and takes root in greenhouse conditions. Reproduction is possible by air layering from the upper part of the “palm”. Stem cuttings up to 7 cm long can also germinate, from which the leaves are removed and rooted in the ground.
The longest way is growing from seeds: They are sown in early March in a mixture of equal parts of turf and sand, and seedlings appear within three months. Less often they resort to the method of dividing the rhizome.
Diseases and pests
Due to dry air, the plant may develop ticks- they need to be eliminated with the help of special preparations, and to prevent their return, it is necessary to increase the humidity.
It is also possible that thrips- they need to be removed from the leaves with a cotton swab dipped in beer.
Leaves turn black cordilines from too dry air, draft or insufficient watering. The appearance of light spots on the leaves is caused by direct sunlight.
Foliage curls due to hypothermia, and turns yellow and dries due to dryness or lack of nitrogen in the soil.
If only the lower leaves turn yellow, there is no need to worry - this is a normal, inevitable process.
Conclusion
Cordyline straight pink is popular not only for its unpretentiousness. Its bright appearance can bring tropical exoticism to any floral collection and home interior.
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The article will discuss an exotic plant that differs from others not only in shape, but also in the color of its leaves. Most often they are colored red or pinkish. This plant is called cordyline. Caring for her at home is not difficult. The main values of cordilina are ease of care and incredible beauty.
Appearance Features
The birthplace of this flower is considered to be the tropical and subtropical latitudes of Asia, America, and Australia. If they grow in the wild, the height of some representatives can reach 20 meters; at home, such results cannot be achieved.
The name of the plant literally means pine cone. Cordyline roots have this shape. An adult Cordyline kiwi (home care is described in this article) has a fleshy, cone-shaped and slightly swollen root system. The popular name of this plant is false palm.
The usual leaf color is green. However, many species of this plant can boast of the presence of red, pink and even cream spots.
In appearance, Cordyline fruticosa (care at home is simple) is somewhat reminiscent of dracaena, which is why they are too often confused, but these plants are completely different.
This plant is rarely called a flower, more often a Fire-Breathing Dragon tree, due to its special arrangement of spectacular bright red or spotted green foliage. However, only the upper leaves are brightly colored.
How to choose the right healthy plant?
When purchasing this plant, you need to take into account several factors, neglect of which may result in you not being able to enjoy appearance flower, but you will only try to save it.
Before you buy a plant, you need to carefully inspect it. The leaves should be bright, their petioles should grow directly from the base of the cordyline. To start growing would be better suited young plant. It is quite easy to recognize: it has not taken on the appearance of a thin stem with a bunch of leaves at its top.
The most popular variety is “Prince Albert”; it is the one that can most often be found in a flower shop. With proper care, its height can reach 60 cm, which is quite a lot for a houseplant. There is another large representative - the Lord Robertson variety. For lovers of miniature indoor flowers, the “Red Edge” cordilina variety is suitable, which is notable for the color of its leaves (they are completely green, and only have a red border at the edges).
Basic conditions of detention
Growing this plant is not for everyone. But if you have at least a little experience in caring for indoor flowers, then you can definitely cope with cordilina.
With proper care, even at home, you can bring the plant to flowering. However, some owners may be disappointed, because in this case one of the main rules of nature applies: the brighter the leaves, the more inconspicuous the flowers can be. In this plant they are small, usually yellow or pink, collected in so-called panicles. At the end of the flowering process, they must be removed so that the cordyline can continue to develop its foliage.
Soil preparation
After purchasing a plant, it must be replanted immediately. Further, this procedure must be carried out once a year. It is enough to replant older flowers once every three years, but the top layer of soil still needs to be updated every year. Drainage is required in both cases.
Nutritious, slightly acidic soil can be used as soil. The acidity level in this case should be at pH6. You can buy this soil ready-made at any flower shop or prepare it yourself. In the second case, you will need the following components:
- 1 part peat;
- 1 part sand;
- 1 part leaf soil;
- 1 part peat soil;
- 1 part humus;
- 3 parts garden soil.
In addition, you can use regular peat or clay soil mixture.
Temperature
Since cordyline is a tropical plant, the temperature regime must be special. First of all, you need to make sure that there are no drafts or temperature changes in the room, since this plant does not tolerate such stressful situations well.
The cordyline plant loves warm and humid air. Home care should be comprehensive. In summer, even temperatures of 30 degrees above zero will be comfortable for her. However, in this case, the plant must be constantly sprayed, otherwise, instead of beautiful and luxurious foliage, you will get yellow and curled leaves.
In autumn and winter, the air temperature in the room needs to be lowered. During this period, the ideal temperature will be about 10-15 degrees, the maximum permissible is about 18 degrees, despite the fact that the plant is tropical. This is necessary so that the flower can easily enter a dormant period during which it simply does not grow. A period of rest is necessary for the plant to gain strength for the new active growth in the spring.
Watering rules
The genetic characteristics of the plant indicate that it loves moisture very much, and it must be added not only through the soil, but also through the leaves.
IN summer period During the life of a flower, watering should be quite abundant, but this does not mean that the water level in the pot should not be monitored. The water in the pan should not stagnate, otherwise you can achieve the opposite effect, that is, rotting of the roots, which is quite difficult to revive. Since cordyline apex (almost everyone can care for it at home) or any other plant loves light, slightly acidic soils, you need to prepare for the fact that moisture will be absorbed quite quickly. Therefore, you need to carefully ensure that the soil in the pot is not too wet or too dry.
For irrigation, you can use water that has previously settled for at least a day. Cordyline needs to be watered more often in spring and summer than in winter and autumn. The frequency of watering in summer is 1-2 times a week, in winter - 1 time a week. You need to spray the plant 2 times a week, either in the morning or in the evening to avoid possible burns. If the air temperature exceeds the permissible 24 degrees, it is better to spray the plant every day.
Fertilizer application
The frequency and composition of fertilizing, as well as watering, depends on the time of year. In summer, this procedure should be carried out about twice a month, in winter much less often (once a month is enough, or even less often). As fertilizers, you can use ready-made fertilizers, which are sold in stores. Typically, these are liquid fertilizers that have been specifically formulated for plants in the agave family. It is better to avoid various growth stimulants or fertilizers that are applied as sprays on the leaves. This will not bring the desired effect, but it can cause harm to the plant, since the cordyline may simply die from such stress.
Ensuring the right level of illumination
Although the plant is native to tropical latitudes, it does not like bright light. This also applies to direct sunlight. The main rule in growing cordyline: the darker the foliage of the plant, the less light is required for its active growth. Cordyline mix (care at home is quite simple) or its other species will feel great on the east, west or north side of the room, and the window should not be dark. It should be bright, but the light on the plant should come in the form of diffused sunlight. If the leaves of your flower are too dark, then the pot with it can be placed in the back of the room, the plant will only benefit from this.
How does cordyline reproduce?
There are three ways to propagate this plant.
- Dividing the rhizome is the simplest. It is carried out in the spring, new shoots are planted in a lightweight substrate, and only after rooting in the soil familiar to the flower.
- Cuttings are carried out only if the shoots have begun to become covered with wood. The temperature for rooting cuttings is 30 degrees.
- Seeds. This method is not applicable at home, since it takes a lot of time and is not always effective.
Possible problems when caring for the plant
Like any other indoor plant, cordyline (care at home consists of many factors) is susceptible to pathogens and pests.
The main enemy is the scale insect. To get rid of an insect, the plant first needs to be treated with a soap solution, and why with a special insecticide.
At low humidity in high-temperature rooms, thrips may form. The plant can be cured by chemical treatment with insecticides.
There will never be any problems if Cordyline receives care at home. Leaves dry out due to low air humidity. Spraying the leaves may not always solve the problem. It's better to buy a humidifier.
If you carry out proper care If you grow cordilina at home, strictly follow all the rules, then there will never be any problems with the plant.
Cordyline is a perennial evergreen plant of the Asparagus family (according to modern classification), which contains about 25 species of shrubs, trees and subshrubs. Previously, the plant was classified as a member of the Agave or Dracaena family (due to its resemblance to dracaena). Grows in the tropics and subtropics of Africa, Asia, and Australia. From the article you will learn more about the cordyline plant, caring for which at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. We will also talk about some types and possible problems in growing.
Cordyline is a plant with a hard trunk that can reach 15 m in height.
In nature, cordyline can reach 15 m in height. The trunk is solid, practically does not branch, and is covered with petiolate leaves. Over time, the leaves fall off and the plant begins to look a lot like a palm tree. At home, the tree cannot grow more than 2 m in height, so it is often called false palm.
The leaves are mostly green, but there are also variegated varieties. Such plants may have leaves:
- pink;
- red;
- with multi-colored spots;
- with stripes.
The flowers are pink or white, tubular (have a perianth fused into a tube at the base). The inflorescences are paniculate, long, located in the axils of the leaves. The fruits in the form of berries dry out immediately after ripening. Cordyline roots are fleshy, knotty, and creeping. They produce many shoots with sprouts that can be used for propagation.
Plant varieties
Let's look at several popular types of cordyline.
Apical (Cordyline terminalis)
Cordyline terminalis, Kiwi variety.
A lush flower with a leafy trunk from the very base. The leaves are rich green. At home, for a long time it does not grow more than 25 cm in height. Prefers to be located in the shade, which does not affect the color of the leaves. Red, white and purple flowers are collected in long panicle inflorescences.
The shape and color of the leaves may vary depending on the variety. For example, the Kiwi variety is a lush shrub with oval or oblong leaves. The color of the leaves is dark, with a yellow stripe in the center and a crimson border along the edges.
Cordyline banksii
The plant reaches a height of 3 m. Long elongated leaves, pointed at the top, are attached to a thin straight trunk. The color is green above, green-gray below. The inflorescence is large, the flowers are white.
Cordyline rubra
Tall shrub (up to 4 m), the trunk does not branch. The leaves are leathery, with veins. Flowers of a lilac hue.
Cordyline indivisa
A tall tree, reaching 12 m. The trunk is thin but hard. The leaves are belt-shaped and have a red midrib. The inflorescence is drooping, branched, the flowers are white.
Southern Cordyline (Cordyline australis)
Tree, up to 12 m in height. The trunk does not bend, it thickens towards the base. The leaves are leathery, with a wide light vein in the center. The flowers are white and have a pleasant aroma.
Beautiful cordyline inflorescences can only be observed in nature, and indoor shrubs almost never bloom.
How to care at home?
Cordyline is grown, depending on the type, in warm or cool rooms. For varieties that grow up to 3 m in height, greenhouses or a winter garden are more suitable. The plant attracts gardeners, first of all, with its decorative leaves.
Lighting
The plant is light-loving, but is afraid of direct sunlight.
Cordyline flower is a light-loving plant. It should be kept in a well-lit room, close to the window. The main rule is to protect from direct sunlight. Species with dark leaves can be shaded more often, while variegated ones should be exposed to the light as long as possible. If you grow a shrub in a dark place, it will begin to lag in growth.
Watering
The amount of water and frequency of watering must be determined depending on the time of year. In summer – more abundantly, in winter – less. Stagnation of water in the pot, as well as dry soil, is not allowed. It is better to choose the watering method through a tray or wick. It is less preferable to water from above.
Air temperature and humidity
Cordilina is kept at a temperature of 20-25 degrees in summer and protected from drafts. In winter, subtropical species tolerate 5-10 degrees of heat well, while tropical species tolerate temperatures not lower than 18-20.
The tree loves high humidity, so you need to periodically spray the leaves, keep a container of water nearby, or place the pot in a tray with water. Also, from time to time, take a warm shower to wash away dust and refresh the plant. A signal of lack of moisture is brown tips of the leaves.
Transplantation and fertilization
A young cordiline plant is replanted once a year, an adult plant once every 2-3 years, in the spring. It is also necessary to replant if the roots have filled the entire pot and began to peek out from the holes in the bottom of the pot. The soil should be slightly acidic, with the following composition:
- peat – 1 part;
- garden soil - 3 parts;
- sand - 1 part.
You can add a little birch charcoal and brick chips to the mixture. They will prevent rotting processes and absorb excess moisture. You also need to remember about the drainage layer - expanded clay or pebbles.
During the active growth period, complex fertilizers for indoor plants, for example “Ideal”, “Rainbow”, are regularly applied. You need to feed the flower every 2 weeks.
How to propagate a tree?
There are 4 ways to propagate cordyline:
- seeds;
- dividing the rhizome;
- layering;
- cuttings.
Let's take a closer look at each method.
Propagation by seeds
Reproduction by this method is possible only for the original, “mother” plants, but not for varietal specimens. In addition, the method is considered complex and is not used at home. Seeds are taken only freshly collected, before they have lost their ability to germinate.
In early spring, cordyline seeds are sown in a soil mixture consisting of turf soil and sand. To do this, use mini-greenhouses with bottom heating to maintain a high temperature. After about a month, the first shoots begin to appear.
Rhizome division
First, the rhizome is divided into parts, then all small roots are removed from them. After this, the resulting offspring is rooted in a soil mixture consisting of sand, peat and humus in equal parts.
Reproduction by layering
On the trunk under the crown you need to make several cuts across, treat it with a stimulant and tie it with moss. This is done to retain moisture. Just below, tie a bag of soil into which roots will soon begin to sprout. When they grow up, the top of the tree is cut off completely and transplanted into a pot.
Cuttings
Cuttings for propagation can be apical and stem.
- The apical cutting is the upper part of the plant with several nodes (from 1 to 4). The cut top is placed in water, adding charcoal and a little of any phytohormone. After three months, the cutting gives roots, after which it is transplanted into the ground. This method is suitable for rejuvenating adult plants in which young shoots develop at the cutting sites.
- Stem cuttings are small sections of the trunk, from 5 to 10 cm long. The sections are treated with phytohormone and placed in a mixture of sand, peat and humus. The room temperature is maintained high - 25-30 degrees, the soil is constantly moistened and the above-ground part of the cutting is sprayed. After about a month, good roots will form and the cordyline can be transplanted into a pot.
Problems and diseases
Problems during cultivation are a consequence of improper care.
Caring for cordilina at home must be carried out according to all the rules, otherwise the plant will begin to wither. How does a tree signal errors in care?
- The leaves curl and the edges become soft and brown. The plant may be kept at too low a temperature.
- The leaves are turning yellow. The indoor air is too dry and the soil lacks nutrients. At the same time, if only the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off, this is normal.
- The tips turn brown or the entire leaf becomes covered with brown spots. This is a symptom of insufficient watering, dry air. The problem may also arise if the plant is in a draft.
- The leaves are covered with light, dry spots - these are sunburns. The plant needs to be shaded.
The tree can also suffer from various pests.
- Thrips are entire colonies of small insects that settle on the outside of leaves. They can appear due to low humidity and high temperature in the room. The control method is a course of treatment with insecticides.
- Scale insects are small, hard, brown insects that drink sap from leaves. Over time, the leaves become covered with brown spots and fall off. It is necessary to wash all surfaces of the plant with a soapy solution, then treat with an insecticide.
- Aphids are another insect that attacks the top of the plant and the underside of the leaves. Over time, the leaves begin to curl and fall off. For control, insecticides are used in the same way as in other cases.
Plant cost
You can buy cordyline in a pot at any flower shop or online store. The price depends on the variety, height of the plant and where you decide to buy. In general, the cost per flower varies from 300 to 2500 rubles.
The exotic southern flower Cordyline will decorate any collection if you follow all the nuances of cultivation and proper care at home.
The cordyline flower is a multifaceted and colorful indoor plant, loved by many gardeners for its ease of care and beauty. Flower growers could not pass by this spectacular and bright plant of the agave variety. This flower is native to the subtropics and tropics of Australia, America, and Asia. IN natural conditions the plant is quite tall - up to 25 meters.
The name of this shrub comes from the word kordylle, which means knot or cone. The plant is distinguished by the shape of its roots - they are knobbly, swollen, fleshy. The leaves of the flower are usually green. However, in some varieties they may have cream, red, or pink spots.
Cordyline is often mistaken for dracaena, which is why gardeners also call it false palm. But there are signs by which these trees are very easy to distinguish. The leaves of dracaena have parallel veins, wrap around the stem, and its roots are yellow-red, smooth, and straight. Cordyline has pinnate venation with a central vein, the leaves are on the petiole, the roots are white, creeping, knotty, and a large number of young shoots appear from the root sprouts, which are easily separated from the mother bush.
Popular varieties and types of cordyline
There are more than 15 varieties of cordyline that are grown at home. The most common of them are southern, apical, fructicose, and straight.
Cordyline terminalis or apical cordyline (popularly known as the “tree of luck”) is a perennial plant with a tuber-shaped rhizome and a woody stem. It is a subshrub with a thin trunk up to 1.5 cm in diameter or a small bush up to three meters high. Young bushes have foliage from the base; at home, they remain small in size for a long time. The trunk of the tree is smooth, with traces of fallen leaves.
The leaves, which reach a width of 12 cm and a length of 85 cm, have an elongated ovate and oblong shape. In the center they have a vein that is thicker than all the others. The leaves are located on a grooved root, which reaches 12-17 cm in length.
During flowering, apical cordyline produces panicle-shaped inflorescences 35 cm wide, which are planted on a small petiole. The flowers of the plant, depending on the variety, can be purple, reddish, or white. The bush is propagated by cuttings taken from the top of the plant.
The apical cordyline has different types, which differ in the color and shape of the leaves.
Kiwi is one of the most common varieties of apical cordyline, which is a lush shrub with oblong or oval leaves up to 85 cm long and up to 12 cm wide. The leaves have a crimson border and yellow stripes along the edges. From below they narrow into a grooved root, and at the base they increase slightly. The midrib on the upper side is much larger than the others and protrudes on the underside of the leaf.
Another type of indoor cordyline is Tango. This variety is perfect for a small apartment. This is a small bush with a lush rosette of bright brown leaves, which have a crimson edge along the edge, as well as white longitudinal veins.
Cordyline stricta or straight cordyline also has other names - Dracaena cognesta or Dracaena straight. This plant is a shrub up to 3 meters tall. It has highly branched trunks in the upper part and at the same time very thin. The leaves are linear or lanceolate, up to 65 cm in size, pointed at the ends, leathery. They have rough or jagged edges and are dark green in color. During flowering, inflorescences are formed - an erect panicle with small purple flowers, which form at the top of the shoot or in the axils of the leaves. The decorative appearance of this variety is Discolor.
Cordylineaustralis or Australian Cordyline in natural conditions is a big tree, which grows up to 25 meters in height. The trunk at the top has a bunch of narrow and long sword-shaped leaves (1 m by 4-8 cm) of a dark green color, and is thickened at the bottom. The young shrub does not have pronounced trunks. The flowers are white in color, collected in panicle inflorescences, approximately 1 cm in diameter. The size of these panicles can reach up to one meter.
In their homeland, southern cordilines are used in industrial production. This is a source of fiber, which is extracted from leaves, roots, and trunk. A wide variety of products are made from this raw material - from fabrics and mats to brushes. And the leaves of young bushes can be eaten, for which James Cook called this palm “cabbage tree.”
Southern cordyline has healing properties, as its juice is an excellent antiseptic.
The plant began to be grown in greenhouses at the end of the 19th century, and it immediately gained popularity. Various cultivars were created.
Today, the most popular varieties are Atrosanguinea, Veitchii, RedStar, Atropurpurea, which were bred in the 19th century. Their foliage ranges in color from chocolate to purple.
Cordyline fruticosis
If the shrub is located in open ground, it quickly takes on the appearance of a palm tree. However, as a decorative indoor flower, when properly cared for, Cordyline fructicosa or Cordyline fruticosa grows very slowly, retaining its leaves to the very base. It doesn't bloom in a flowerpot. Cordyline fructicosa has a large number of garden forms: Red Edge, Tricolor, Lord Roberts, Snow, Augusta and other varieties that differ in different leaf colors.
Cordilina: care at home
In order to provide Cordyline with proper care at home, you don’t need to put in a lot of effort. This is a rather unpretentious flower.
Reproduction of cordyline
Cordyline can be propagated in one of three ways - by seeds, cuttings, or dividing the rhizome.
Cordyline pests
The main enemy of the plant is insects scale insects, which look like a turtle shell or a hard aphid. If these pests settle on a flower, then damage forms on the leaves - spots Brown, the leaves change color and fall off as a result. In order to get rid of insects, the plant is treated with a weak soapy solution, then sprayed with an insecticide - for example, Actellik.
Also, the tree is in danger when it is infested with thrips. As a rule, this happens in rooms where there is high air temperature and low humidity. Infection is indicated by colonies of yellow insects on the back of the leaf and pollen spilling out of the stamens. In this case it can help chemical treatment insecticides - “Apache”, “Mospilan”, “Dantop”. Treatment with these drugs is carried out daily. The duration of treatment will depend on the manufacturer's recommendations.
Another pest is aphid. The lower part and top of the leaves suffer from this insect. When an aphid infects a plant, its leaves lose color, wither, fall off, and curl. Decis, Actellikt, Inta-vir and other drugs can help save the bush.
Cordyline diseases
As a rule, the cordyline begins to hurt if the owner does not care for it properly. Here are the most common mistakes made by flower growers and their further consequences:
- curling, soft leaves that are covered with dark spots are formed if the plant does not have enough heat or is exposed to drafts;
- brown unusual coloring on the edges and tips of the leaves indicates that the flower is in a draft, insufficient watering or dry air;
- Due to lack of nutrition, the leaves dry out and turn yellow. When leaf fall begins only in the lower part of an indoor flower, this is quite normal;
- light dry spots are burns that appear from the rays of the sun.
A very great danger for this plant is the increased humidity of the earth clod together with low temperatures.
Cordilina is a magnificent decorative flower that can delight the gardener all year round and does not require significant care even at home. All you need to do is provide the Cordyline with normal conditions and regularly pay attention to it; this flower will respond to you with bright and lush greenery that can create comfort in your home and lift your spirits.
Cordyline is a beautiful indoor plant with large succulent leaves. In shape it is a bit like a palm tree and attracts with reddish stains on the foliage. Caring for Cordyline is not difficult, so flower growers are happy to have this exotic guest at home. Previously, Cordyline belonged to the Agave family, but today botanists classify it as a member of the Dracaena family. Sometimes you can hear the name “Dracaena cordylina”, but these are different plants. Cordyline is native to the tropics and subtropics of the southern hemisphere, as well as some regions of East Asia.
Description of the plant
Cordyline is a tall subshrub or shrubby plant. In the natural environment, it can reach a height of 3-5 m, but in indoor conditions, cordilina does not exceed 1.5 m in height. The roots consist of several thick, fleshy branches. The cut shows that they have a whitish color. Buds and children are formed on the rhizome.
The long, erect trunk of the plant is covered with large petiolate leaves. Lateral branches are formed extremely rarely, so the foliage forms a dense mop. Over time, the lower leaves gradually dry out and the trunk becomes bare. At the same time, the cordyline becomes even more similar to a palm tree.
The leaf blades are lanceolate, belt-shaped or xiphoid in shape. They are bright green, but there are varieties with red or pink coloring. Leaves can grow up to 50 cm in length and up to 10 cm in width. The raised central vein is clearly visible on them.
The inflorescence in the form of a loose panicle consists of many small buds. The petals are painted white, red or purple. The fruit is a three-lobed seed capsule with up to 15 small seeds in the nest.
Cordyline species
The small genus of the cordyline plant consists of 20 species. The most popular among gardeners are the following:
A low tree that reaches 2-3 m in height in its homeland. Wide leaves densely cover the trunk and top. Their length is 50-80 cm, and their width is 5-10 cm. The short, dense petiole is directed upward. A thick central vein is visible in the lower part. Paniculate inflorescences consist of white or purple flowers up to 1 cm in diameter. The plant prefers warm rooms. Popular varieties:
- Red Edge - the leaves are not so large, but have a red stripe along the edge;
- Tricolor - foliage is covered with yellow, pink and brown stripes;
- Augusta – dark green leaves have crimson stripes;
- Cordyline kiwi - distinguished by wider leaves covered with crimson stains.
The tree has a short trunk covered with long erect leaves. The sword-shaped leaf plates reach a length of 1 m and a width of 4 cm. The foliage is often covered with red or yellow longitudinal stripes. During the flowering period, the plant is covered with whitish or purple axillary panicles with an intense, pleasant aroma. This unpretentious plant needs a cold winter (up to +3...+5°C).
The plant has erect stems and a dense crown of lanceolate leaves 30-60 cm long. The edges of the foliage are covered with small teeth. The leaf blades are painted bright green. The plant prefers cooler rooms.
A tree with a thin trunk covered with side shoots. The foliage is colored in shades of green and purple. It is easy to care for and unpretentious.
Reproduction
Cordyline is propagated by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds are rarely sown indoors; seedlings do not retain the varietal characteristics of the parent plant. Cordyline flower seeds are sown in a moist sand-peat mixture in early spring. They are buried 0.5-1 cm and covered with film. Shoots appear after 1-2 weeks and quickly begin to grow. With the appearance of 4 true leaves, the plants are planted in pots of 2-3 pieces.
The most in a simple way reproduction is the separation of root children. During the transplantation period, it is enough to cut off the young plant with a section of the root. The cutting area is sprinkled with crushed charcoal and the plant is planted in light, fertile soil.
For cuttings in spring, semi-lignified stems are cut into several parts. Each cut should contain 2-3 internodes. It is recommended to treat the lower cut with root and immerse it in the soil 2-3 cm. Cover the pot with film and place it in a bright place with an air temperature of +25...+30°C. The greenhouse needs to be ventilated and moistened daily. The rooting process takes about a month.
Transfer rules
Caring for cordilina at home involves regular replanting. Young seedlings are replanted annually, and older plants every 2-3 years. The pot should be one size larger than the previous one, but not too spacious. Drainage material and charcoal are laid on the bottom. The soil for cordyline should consist of:
- garden or leaf soil;
- river sand;
- peat
The soil is chosen with a slightly acidic reaction. Thanks to its light structure, air flows freely to the roots.
Plant care
Caring for indoor cordilina is not difficult, but it still requires certain skills. The plant needs to choose a bright room with long daylight hours. However, it needs to be shaded from direct sunlight. Varieties with solid green foliage tolerate lack of light better. It is optimal to place the flower in the southern room away from the window.
Summer indoor air temperature should be +22…+30°C. It is advisable to take Cordyline outside during the warm season. Choose a quiet place, protected from drafts. In winter, the plant needs cooler conditions. The air temperature is reduced to +12…+14°C gradually. Sharp night and winter cold snaps lead to plant disease.
The air humidity in the room where the flower is located should be high. The crown is sprayed with water twice a day, and trays with water and wet pebbles are placed nearby. In winter, you should not place cordilina near heating appliances. If the humidity is insufficient, the cordyline will begin to dry out and shed its leaves.
Cordyline is not too demanding when it comes to watering. Between irrigations, the earthen ball should dry out by half. The plant needs to be watered twice a week or less. Use well-settled and warm water. Even a slight stagnation of water is detrimental to the plant, so it is important to ensure good drainage and drain the liquid from the pan in a timely manner.
From the beginning of spring to the beginning of autumn, cordyline needs regular fertilization. Use mineral complexes for indoor flowering plants. They are diluted in water and applied twice a month.
