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Products > Cordyline australis 'Red Sensation'   Cordyline australis 'Red Sensation' Note: This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.     Habit and Cultural Information Category: Tree Family: Dracaenaceae (~Agaveaceae) Origin: New Zealand (Australasia) Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: NA Bloomtime: Infrequent Fragrant Flowers: Yes Height: 15-25 feet Width: 8-10 feet Exposure: Full Sun Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 0-10° F Cordyline australis 'Red Sensation' - This is a palm-like, sub-tropical tree that grows with an upright habit and with age will branch to produce several heads. This cultivar is a showy plant with dense clusters of arching long, broad leaves colored purplish red. Like the other colorful Cordyline australis cultivars this plant should grow to be a branched 10 to 20 foot tall by 5 to 10 foot wide evergreen tree and produces large panicles of small, sweet-scented flowers in late spring to summer. Best in full coastal sun to light shade - some shade protection necessary in hotter inland gardens. It is drought tolerant in coastal gardens but responds well to occasional to regular irrigation. Useful in dry gardens but also offers a tropical look. A great container plant. It can tolerate coastal conditions if protected from direct sea winds (Zone 2) . It is hardy to around 15° F, growing well in USDA zones 9-10 (and possibly warmer Zone 8 locations). Some report that this plant is the same as 'Red Star' but we grew the two side by side and they are definitely different plants. Compared to 'Red Star' this cultivar has slightly wider leaves that are more purple (less red) and have a more green venation (especially prominent on older leaves). We grew this cultivar when we were not able to get stock of 'Red Star' but discontinued growing it in 2003 after securing ample stock of Cordyline 'Red Star'.  The information provided on this page is based on research we have conducted about this plant in our nursery's library, from what we have found about it on reliable online sources, as well as from observations in our nursery of crops of this plant as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens. We will also incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if it includes cultural information that would aid others in growing  Cordyline australis 'Red Sensation'.     [MORE INFO]