Cordyline

[ChrisB]

I know cordylines are not exactly rock garden plants, and in my case its a 20ft high tree with a trunk about 12inches in diameter, but the top has rotted with the extreme cold over the winter and its died.  The wind we've had the last two days have littered my garden with leaves, which we have now picked up, and there is a very sorry mess at the top.  I've been loathe to cut it down as so many little birds made it their home, especially the local sparrow population.  However, there's not much of it left now, so I may have to get it down.  Does anyone know if I am going to have to take the whole thing down to the ground, or whether it is likely to sprout from the top.  If the latter, I'd like to leave it just taking out the rotted bits, but otherwise, its timber I guess.

[David Lyttle]

Cordyline australis (I presume that is what you have) has an amazing capacity for regeneration. If there is any living tissue left on the trunk it will put our new shoots. Failing that it will re-grow from an underground vegetative structure called the 'toe'. You will not get much timber from it as the trunk is just a bundle of fibrous tissue.

[David Pilling]

It is noticeably how many cordylines have died off in the last couple of years in Blackpool, big ones that must have grown with no problem for 20 or 30 years.

I've always believed they shoot out from the bottom when this happes, which explains the multi-trunk ones. My small ones sent out shoots from the bottom last year when the cold killed the tops off.

Much better if as David L. says they can grow from the top.

[Lesley Cox]

David's right Chris. I've known several in different gardens and one at a cafe I frequently frequent, in which the tree appears to have died for whatever reason and then new shoots will appear lower on the trunk. So don't give up hope. If the top rots completely, to stop it spreading you could maybe saw the top off below the rot and this should encourage new shoots. The great panicles of creamy-white flowers, if you ever get them, are wonderfully scented.

[ChrisB]

Its most helpful to know that new shoots will come from the trunk, thanks Lesley and all.  I think we'll just cut off the damaged sections (they are actually mush) and hope it comes from high up.  Otherwise my washing line will be in the way again grrrr.  Took years for it to grow taller than the line, and now its died up there.  But the weather was so severe.  Hope you don't have a bad winter down under....