Slender palm lily

Sun

Partial shade or bright filtered light; tolerates deeper shade. Avoid exposed positions with hot afternoon sun.

Water

Keep the root zone moderately moist during active growth, allowing the surface to dry slightly between waterings. Water less in winter, especially in containers.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic to neutral. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

6-15 ft (1.8-4.5 m)

Spread

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m)

Flowers

Branched sprays of small lilac to purple flowers in spring and summer, sometimes followed by purple-black berries.

Foliage

Evergreen. Long, narrow, glossy green leaves arch from slender upright stems, giving a lighter appearance than broad-leaved cordylines.

Growth

Moderate in warm, moist conditions; slower in cool climates or deep shade.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   3 ft (0.91 m)

3. After 2 years

   4 ft (1.3 m)

4. After 3 years

   6 ft (1.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   8 ft (2.5 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

Australia

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant in a position sheltered from cold winds and strong afternoon sun.
• Water deeply during dry spells, particularly while establishing and when growing in a container.
• Apply a light dressing of balanced slow-release fertiliser in spring.
• Mulch the root zone with composted bark or leaf mould, keeping mulch clear of the stems.
• Move containers into a bright, frost-free place before winter frosts; do not rely on fleece during prolonged freezing weather.

Pruning. Remove dead leaves and spent flower stems as needed. In spring, shorten over-tall stems just above a sound node to encourage branching, or remove selected old stems near the base to thin a crowded plant.

Spring

Plant out after frost risk has passed, or repot container plants if their roots have filled the pot.

Spring

Feed lightly, refresh mulch and prune damaged or over-tall stems once new growth begins.

Summer

Check soil moisture regularly and water containers before the root ball dries out completely.

Summer

Inspect leaf undersides and stems for scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites.

Autumn

Move container plants under frost-free cover before the first frost in cold climates.

Winter

Keep sheltered container plants in bright light and water sparingly without letting the root ball become completely dry.

• Use as a slender vertical accent beneath a high tree canopy, with ferns and other shade-tolerant plants.
• Plant in sheltered courtyards where its narrow stems provide height without a heavy canopy.
• Grow in a large container beside a shaded entrance or seating area.
• Group several plants behind lower foliage plants for a layered, subtropical border.

Garden styles it suits: Australian native, Modern tropical, Woodland, Modern courtyard, Architectural minimal and Green on green.

Plant it with: Bird's nest fern, Cast-iron plant, Clivia, Soft tree fern, Lilyturf and Native violet.

Wildlife: Flowers provide food for visiting insects, and birds may eat the berries, particularly within its native Australian range.

• Scale insects or mealybugs: inspect stems and leaf bases, wipe off small infestations and use a labelled horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if needed.
• Spider mites in dry indoor conditions: look for fine webbing and stippled leaves; rinse foliage thoroughly and treat persistent infestations with a labelled product.
• Root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage, empty standing water from saucers and let the surface of container compost dry slightly between waterings.
• Brown or damaged leaves from frost, wind or strong sun: move containers or provide shelter; remove dead growth after frost risk has passed.

Keep leaves and other plant material away from cats and dogs: cordylines contain saponins that can cause drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. Species-specific information for Cordyline stricta is limited, and its toxicity to horses and people is not well established; do not treat the berries or other parts as edible.

• Cabbage tree (Cordyline australis)

  Usually develops a much stouter trunk and larger, denser heads of stiff, sword-shaped leaves; its flowers are white rather than lilac.

• Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

  Has much broader leaves, often with red, pink or cream colouring, and needs warmer conditions.

• Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata)

  Typically has narrower leaves edged with red and more tightly tufted crowns; it is commonly grown as a houseplant.

Cordyline comes from the Greek word for a club, referring to the thickened underground stems of some species, while stricta means upright.

Propagation. Take stem or cane cuttings in spring or summer and root them in a warm, free-draining propagation mix. Rooted basal shoots can be separated carefully; fresh seed is another option but is slower.

Accepted botanical name

Cordyline stricta

Native range

New South Wales and Queensland.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.