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| Category: Tree |
| Family: Dracaenaceae (~Agaveaceae) |
| Origin: New Zealand (Australasia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Red/Purple Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: White |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Fragrant Flowers: Yes |
| Height: 20-30 feet |
| Width: 8-10 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: <15° F |
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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 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). 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, river banks 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. 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 nearly 20 feet tall) in the nursery garden. We originally received this plant in 1993 from Twyford 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 the two side by side and they are definitely different plants. Compared to 'Red Sensation' it has slightly narrower leaves that are more rusty red (less purple) color and have a more prominent green edge.
This information about Cordyline australis 'Red Star' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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