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Cordyline australis 'Red Star' (Red Grass Tree) - 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 and vigorous plant with very dark reddish-bronze sword-like leaves. 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 moderately 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 and 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).
The species Cordyline australis is a tall tree endemic to New Zealand where it grows from the far northerly subtropical areas of the North Island to the chilly southern areas of the South Island. It is typically found in forest margins, riverbanks and open places, and is also abundant in wet swampy area. The name Cordyline comes from the Greek word kordyle, meaning "club," a reference to the enlarged underground stems or rhizomes and the specific epithet is the Latin word for "southern" as in southern hemisphere.
We feel this to be the best of the reddish bronze selections of Cordyline australis. It is a vigorous plant, and we have several large specimens (one over 20 feet tall) in the nursery garden. We originally received this plant in 1993 from Twyford Plant Laboratories and have continued to grow it ever since. Some report that this cultivar is the same as one called 'Red Sensation', but we grew these two varieties side by side and they are definitely different plants. Compared to 'Red Sensation' it has slightly narrower leaves that are a rustier red (less purple) color and have a more prominent green edge.
The information displayed on this page about Cordyline australis 'Red Star' is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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