Family Asparagaceae
Originating from New Zealand
- Broad, lime-green leaves with golden yellow streaks
- Upright, compact, creamy white scented flower spikes, loved by pollinators
- Compact, tropical flair for contemporary designs
- Fully hardy in most of the UK, thrives in coastal spots
Shake up your garden with the Cordyline Jive cabbage palm, a New Zealand native that dances with vibrant lime-green leaves streaked in creamy yellow. This evergreen beauty brings tropical flair to Urban Jungle borders with its bold look year-round.
Its compact habit is useful, however it maintains a rewarding rate of growth, forming a lush column of foliage 1.5m tall in just 5 years. Also, its upright, creamy white flower spikes add a scented summer show, drawing bees and butterflies. It’s fully hardy in most of the UK and loves well-drained soil with full sun, shining in coastal or urban plots. Slightly tenderer than Cordyline australis, it may regrow from the base after a harsh winter.
Care Tips for a Cordyline Jive Cabbage Palm:
- Soil & Sun: Grows in well-drained soil, even heavy clay once established—full sun’s best
- Planting: Plant in pots, large planters, or directly in the ground
- Watering: Tolerates drought once established, low fuss
- Pruning: Gently pull dead leaves to tidy; trim firmer or less pristine leaves with secateurs
This Cordyline Jive cabbage palm adds a lively beat to any garden. Because its zesty foliage and scented flowers create a tropical focal point, it’s easy to love and grow.
Its columnar, striking form and colours are beautifully complemented by the arching Phormium ‘Yellow Wave’ or Phormium ‘Blondie’, or contrast with the dark Phormium ‘Black Velvet’.
Alternatively, go wildly tropically exotic, pairing it with Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange‘, Musa lasiocarpa, or Dahlia ‘Izarra’.
Check our Encyclopedia page, or explore more at https://treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/cordyline/cordyline-australis/.
