Cabbage Tree

Cordyline 'Purple Sensation'

Cordyline ‘Purple Sensation’ on 60% ETo in July showing signs of sunburn. Photo: SK Reid.

Summary

This Cordyline cultivar suffered high mortality the first summer. The remaining plants sulked through fall, and disappeared from winter through spring.  The surviving plants were evaluated from May through August. Only two plants remained by the beginning of September.  Because of the high mortality rate, it is difficult to assess any real differences of the plant’s performance on the varying irrigation levels. The main factor in this failure was most likely the full sun exposure. The grower sheet published by Ball Horticultural states, “Light: Partial shade of 25 to 50%. Will tolerate full sun close to coasts.” Other sources make similar recommendations. When we questioned the placement of this plant in full sun at the beginning of the trial, we were assured it was intentional. In retrospect, this decision may have been reached without a full understanding of the trial field conditions and/or the plant’s limitations.

The plants that survived and were measured and rated showed no real trend in preference for one water level over another. In fact, the two remaining plants in September were on each of the lowest two water levels. We suspect that if this plant were grown in light shade, it would indeed be able to perform well on low water, but we cannot confirm that without another trial in the shade.

Growth and Quality Data

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