Cordyline 'Little Red Star'

Planting Advice for your Cordyline:

• Shrub roots generally tend to spread out rather than down, so dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you're planting and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill once the shrub is in place.
• Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots and add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker.
• Place your shrub in the hole at the same level at the pot and refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling).
• Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball and water in well.
• Mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc.
• If you’re planting into pots, place some old rocks, stones or gravel in the bottom of the pot for drainage and ballast.
• Use the best compost you can buy such as our premium professional compost along with some sand or grit for drainage.

Aftercare Advice:

• Water plants freely during the growing season, and sparingly in winter.
• Feed monthly with a balanced, liquid fertiliser from spring to late summer.
• Top-dress or pot up in spring.
• Although frost hardy, young Cordyline plants, and also coloured varieties are more prone to cold damage.
• This can be prevented by tying up the foliage to reduce wind damage and prevent water collecting around growing points and causing rotting.
• In areas prone to severe winters, wrap the trunk with layers of fleece and place a 15cm layer of mulch, such as bark, over the root area.
• Move container grown plants to a frost-free location, such as a greenhouse, during periods of cold or wet weather - temporary shelter in a shed or garage will do.

Pruning Advice:

• Pruning is not normally necessary, just remove any dead or damaged leaves with a sharp pair of secateurs.