Cordyline australis
Cordyline australis (New Zealand Cabbage Tree) Care Guide
Featured photocordyline-australis.jpgCordyline australis, sold as New Zealand Cabbage Tree, is a fast-growing colourful foliage plant. A New Zealand Asparagaceae shrub with long sword-shaped leaves arranged in a terminal rosette on a single woody trunk, reaching 2 to 3 m tall indoors. Mature plants produce panicles of small fragrant white flowers in summer. Like most members of the cultivated colourful-foliage group it grows fast, propagates readily from cuttings, and stays vivid in bright filtered light.
Care facts at a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Water when the top 2 cm of mix has dried.
- Humidity
- 40–60 %
- Temperature
- 16–27 °C
- Soil
- Free-draining houseplant mix with peat or coir and perlite.
- Origin
- Specific origins vary by species — Cordyline from south-east Asia / Pacific, Plectranthus and Coleus from Africa and Asia, Iresine from the Americas.
- Mature size
- 30 to 100 cm tall depending on species.
Overview
Cordyline australis is grown for its colourful foliage rather than for flowers. A New Zealand Asparagaceae shrub with long sword-shaped leaves arranged in a terminal rosette on a single woody trunk, reaching 2 to 3 m tall indoors. Mature plants produce panicles of small fragrant white flowers in summer. Most colourful-foliage indoor plants tolerate considerable neglect, root rapidly from cuttings, and stay vivid in bright filtered light.
Care Priorities
- Bright filtered light keeps colour vivid.
- Pinch growing tips regularly to encourage branching.
- Water when the top of the mix dries; tolerates brief drought.
- Refresh from cuttings every two years — older plants tend to bare at the base.
Common Problems
Pale washed-out colour signals insufficient light. Bare leggy stems are normal in old plants — restart from cuttings. Aphids cluster on growing tips and dislodge with a strong water spray.
Sources & further reading (2)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-29
- botanical-garden — accessed 2026-04-29
Frequently asked questions
Is C. australis really from Australia?
Despite the species name *australis* (meaning 'southern', not Australian), C. australis is native to New Zealand. The name reflects the plant's southern-hemisphere range generally rather than a specific country. The species is endemic to New Zealand and one of the country's iconic indigenous plants.
Why is the colour fading?
Loss of leaf colour signals insufficient light — most colourful foliage plants need bright filtered light to keep pigmentation vivid. Move to a sunnier spot and the new growth comes back colourful within a few weeks.
Can I root cuttings in water?
Yes — cuttings of most colourful-foliage plants root readily in water. Cut a healthy stem section with at least two nodes and stand it in a glass of water. Roots typically emerge within 1 to 2 weeks.
