RE: flowering cordyline?

Hi Nan - 

There are many Cordyline australis in our area, whcih make tall palm-like trees.  They often have panicles of creamy-white flowers, but these are generally too high up when they start flowering to appreciate up close or detect a scent.

My own C. stricta recently flowered - this more lax, shrubby species produces handsome tropical-looking foliage in partial shade and the open multi-spiked panicles of flowers are violet fading to white at their base.  The panicle stems are also purple.  They makes handsome additions to floral arrangements.  I did not note a fragrance.

This plant requires little care, thrives in partial to complete shade (depending upon how hot and dry things get - it can grow in fully sun at out mild pacific coast in the fog, but would likely perfer lots of shade and more water inland in hot interior valleys).  I am not sure if this one is currently in the trade - I have mine from cuttings taken from some particularly floriferous plants I found in an old neighborhood once full of Victoria houses and gardens in Oakland, CA.

Regards,
Seán O.

Northern California Branch, Mediterranean Garden Society
international website www.MediterraneanGardenSociety.org
(ask me about the mediterranean climate gardening forum)
www.hortulusaptus.com - 'a garden suited to its purpose'


>------- Original Message -------
>From    : N Sterman[T*@PlantSoup.Com]
>Sent    : 7/21/2006 6:39:06 PM
>To      : medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
>Cc      : 
>Subject : RE: flowering cordyline?
>
 >Have you ever seen a cordyline in flower?  In reading about them, I  
find reference to spring or summer white flowers - some fragrant.  I  
can't recall ever seeing one flower, can you?  Under what conditions  
do they flower?


Nan


Nan Sterman                                   Plant Soup, Inc. TM
TalkingPoints@PlantSoup.Com
PO Box 231034
Encinitas, CA 92023
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