Cordyline australis 'Dark Star'
cabbage palm 'Dark Star'
An upright, palm-like shrub or small tree, to around 3m high in good conditions, with upright to arching, lance-shaped, dark reddish-purple leaves held at the tips of the branches. In late spring and early summer, mature plants produce a mass of tiny, fragrant, creamy-white flowers
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Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Cream White | Red Purple | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Cream White | Red Purple | ||
| Autumn | Red Purple | |||
| Winter | Red Purple |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Cordyline are palm-like evergreen shrubs or tree-like perennials, with rosettes or tufts of linear or anrrowly lance-shaped, leathery leaves, and terminal panicles of fragrant, cup-shaped flowers followed by small. spherical berries
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. May need winter protection in cold areas. See cordyline cultivation for further information
Propagation
Propagate by stem cuttings or by removing and re-potting well-rooted offsets in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Architectural
- City and courtyard gardens
- Coastal
- Houseplants
- Patio and container plants
- Sub-tropical
- Low Maintenance
- Conservatory and greenhouse
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to mealybugs, scale insects and red spider mites when grown under glass
Diseases
May be susceptible to cordyline slime flux and honey fungus (rarely)
Get involved
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