Cordyline protection Question

[The Codfather]

Which bit needs the the most protection....the trunk or crown ? or both ? At the moment I have only tied up the leaves and put a parasol cover over it.....but the trunk is bare.

[kata]

Trunk and crown to be safe sweet Coddy

[jezza]

I found with mine in the past that the growing point pulls out plus the trunk goes to mush and collapses, so i put a bit of fleece around both, but only on really cold nights.

[charliepridham]

Trunks start to suffer damage at around -8c they will often recover part way up at these sorts of temperature, at -10c they are normally reduced to ground level. in both cases it can take some time for the decline to happen but if it starts to look poorly its normally game over for that trunk! I think all the coloured leafed forms are less tolerant of cold. On well established plants recovery is quite quick and they are normally flowering again within two seasons.

Crowns are normally fine down here except for heavy snow which then freezes so your cover should be a good thing.

I have been lucky with the position of mine for it to have never lost all its stems but it did lose one main trunk during the recent cold winters and now has a forest of new crowns half way up the old trunk. They seem extremly variable in growth habit

[kata]

I found with mine in the past that the growing point pulls out plus the trunk goes to mush and collapses

And that happened to me too Jezza. I watched the callapse in slow motion...doink...gone. I went down to the garden and sure enough it was very dead.

I was amazed at what I witnessed whilst washing up.

[jezza]

washing up.

What's that then?

I'm trying one again outside that i planted in april. i deliberately planted it next to a 6ft fence to give it some shelter. See how it goes, if it carks it this winter then it's potted only.

[kata]

All jokes aside Jez, never witnessed the death of a plant in such a manner. This was 2010, bitterly cold and the plant was undressed...You would keel over too..lmfaooooooooooooooo

Picture this; Your washing up and just happen to look towards the plants and see that scene. To be honest Jez I thought it was hidden from elements by the tall Leylandis..obviously they need the fleece in those temps.

[jezza]

Took a couple of days for mine to keel over. The space they were in is now part of the drive so they gave their lives to make way for cars

[kata]

Mine must have been on the way out for some days Jez to suddenly flop over,

[joolz68]

Took a couple of days for mine to keel over. The space they were in is now part of the drive so they gave their lives to make way for cars

Jezza hi,i seen in another thread that you had bought a pink passion,i bought one from B&Q last week and was wondering how hardy they are?any idea? i fetched mine in from the greenhouse yest as temps where dropping,its now in the living as i didnt want to loose it thanks julie x

[joolz68]

I found with mine in the past that the growing point pulls out plus the trunk goes to mush and collapses

And that happened to me too Jezza. I watched the callapse in slow motion...doink...gone. I went down to the garden and sure enough it was very dead.

I was amazed at what I witnessed whilst washing up.

Kata, you dint half make me chuckle Iam sorry you lost your cordy thou x

[jezza]

Took a couple of days for mine to keel over. The space they were in is now part of the drive so they gave their lives to make way for cars

Jezza hi,i seen in another thread that you had bought a pink passion,i bought one from B&Q last week and was wondering how hardy they are?any idea? i fetched mine in from the greenhouse yest as temps where dropping,its now in the living as i didnt want to loose it thanks julie x

Not hardy whatsoever. I kept mine in a heated greenhouse. It grew slowly for two years and reached 3 feet tall, then last november (2011) i forgot about it and it got a light frost. it was dead within a month.

[joolz68]

Took a couple of days for mine to keel over. The space they were in is now part of the drive so they gave their lives to make way for cars

Jezza hi,i seen in another thread that you had bought a pink passion,i bought one from B&Q last week and was wondering how hardy they are?any idea? i fetched mine in from the greenhouse yest as temps where dropping,its now in the living as i didnt want to loose it thanks julie x

Not hardy whatsoever. I kept mine in a heated greenhouse. It grew slowly for two years and reached 3 feet tall, then last november (2011) i forgot about it and it got a light frost. it was dead within a month.

Im sorry to hear that i will keep mine in then and see how it goes,it did go down to -2 a few nights back in the greenhouse so it just might die off yet Thanks jezza x

[jezza]

Mine was left outside to the elements so yours in a greenhouse may have a different outcome.

[cordyman]

heres my protection this year a Haxnix large fleece bag over both for the entire winter LOL


Cordy 1 >>>





Cordy 2 got killed in 2010, the trunk went mushy and the head defoliated, quite tall too >>>





After chopping down in March this year >>>




As it stands now protected for winter, and an impressive regrowth in one season >>>