Family Asparagaceae.
Originating from New Zealand.
- Lush, broad, sword-like evergreen leaves form an architectural crown.
- Strongly fragrant white flowers bloom in summer on tall panicles.
- Easy to grow and drought-tolerant in sheltered gardens.
Cordyline obtecta in Your Garden
Bold, abundant crowns of luxuriant leaves are both jungly and spiky, spanning exotic and Mediterranean styles. Cordyline obtecta is a rare and very desirable species, offering a more refined look than the common C. australis.
Half hardy in southern and coastal UK gardens, it reaches 3–5m tall and 1.5–2.5m wide in 10–20 years. Ideal for hot, sunny, sheltered spots in Norfolk’s seaside gardens, it will slowly form a multi-headed architectural specimen. It makes the perfect patio-plant for coastal gardens in Suffolk’s contemporary planting schemes, planted in pots or raised beds.
A fantastic species for waterwise gardeners, it grows in poor, free-draining soil and is drought-tolerant when established. Its large flower spikes (inflorescences) bear multitudes of sweetly scented blooms in summer, heavenly for humans and pollinators alike.
Growing Tips for Your Norfolk Island Cabbage Palm
(It’s not a cabbage or a palm, btw, but it is a member of the asparagus family!)
- Soil and Sun: Plant in well-drained potting compost, or in any soil except heavy, wet soil in winter. Poor, free-draining soil is preferred, and full sun is essential.
- Planting: in spring or early summer. Never plant a dry plant! Plunge or stand in water for 30 minutes to drench the root ball before planting.
- Watering and care: drought-tolerant once established. Water regularly in the first summer while rooting out. In pots, water and feed regularly in summer, not at all in winter. Reasonably hardy in protected southern and coastal regions, elsewhere grow in a pot and move to a frost-free environment for winter.
- Pruning: None required, although branches can be cut where they meet the trunk in early spring if the crown becomes too wide.
- Trimming: Old leaves can be removed or left to form a natural-looking skirt by gently pulling them from side to side. If they do not come off the trunk easily, cut them near the base. Expired flower spikes can be cut out as low as they can be reached in the crown.
Like many members of the Asparagaceae family, Cordyline obtecta stems fork after flowering. New shoots appear around the base of the flower spikes, forming new crowns and making a dense, lush head of leaves. Over time, a well-branched multi-headed specimen forms, making a stunning architectural patio-plant for coastal gardens.
Planting Ideas for Cordyline obtecta
Use the lush, luxuriant crown of this lovely architectural species to create a lavish jungle escape. Perfect for sunnier parts of exotic woodlands, its foliage is broad, dense, and heavy enough to create a tropical effect. Plant alongside Trachycarpus fortunei, wagnerianus, Catalpa ‘Purpurea’, Musa basjoo and ‘Bengal Tiger’ for a fantastic foliage effect. Add Hedychium ‘Devon Cream’ and Canna ‘Red Velvet’ for a floral flourish.
Create a calming, contemporary composition that highlights the architectural qualities of this upright, spiky yet soft species. Plant in large pots and place alongside Yuccas rostrata, rostrata ‘Blue and Blue’, linearifolia and glauca. Add large statement palms specimens, Brahea armata and Butia capitata, to complete a serene, structured space.
