Mountain cabbage tree is a monocot tree in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae) native to New Zealand. It prefers growing in the mountains of New Zealand in high rainfall, cool temperatures, and misty conditions. It can grow up to 18-26 feet tall with a single trunk of 1.5-2.5 feet in diameter. As a potted plant, it will grow only 4-6 feet tall. As the plant matures it will drop the lower leaves leaving the trunk exposed similar to a palm. The Genus name Cordyline is from the Greek kordyle meaning ‘club’. The species name refers to the single trunk. The strap-shaped leaves are 3 to 6 feet long and 2-8 inches wide with colorful red or yellow veins. The flowers occur in drooping clusters in spring to early summer and appear under the leaves, unlike others in the genus. Flowers are followed by a fleshy purple/black fruit. It rarely blooms in a pot. This plant can be difficult to establish and it is best to start with a young plant. They are sold as a rosette of leaves on a short stem. It prefers cool moist fertile soil in full sun to part shade and is not a fan of hot humid weather. If growing outdoors in the summer provide the plant with part shade and keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. In the winter bring indoors or into a greenhouse and reduce the water. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. In hot dry weather, the tree tends to collapse. More information on Cordyline .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheCanna indicaCitrus x aurantiumLantana camara 'Miss Huff'
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, > 6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Large green strap-shaped leaves have red and yellow veins on the leaves that are distinctive to this species. They are clasping, hairless, leathery and have entire margins. They are 3-6 feet long and 2-8 inches wide. Leaves droop with age.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Large dropping clusters of small yellow to whitish to mauve flowers appear in spring to summer. They have three petals and are fragrant. The cluster arises from under the base of the foliage. Rarely flowers in a pot