Re: Cordylines
Moira wrote:
>Have you ever come across the australis cv Albertii (aka Sir Victor
>Davies of D and D)? This is quite popular here especially for containers
>and is certainly beautiful with leaves striped in creamy yellow
>sometimes flushed with pink. Apparently it was selected in Belgium early
>in the century. I have never grown it myself and wonder if it is
>somewhat tricky, as it is never all that common.
Yes it was the first variegated cv we saw here too and it was treated
with a good deal of reverence (which it needed) when it was the only
one. Now this has been superseded with a far more vigorous form
'Torbay Dazzler' which I believe was raised here. It is very similar
in colour to 'Albertii', possibly more brightly coloured, with very
strong pink intrusions at certain times of the year. In terms of
hardiness and vigour there is no comparison - the newer clone being a
very rapid grower and almost as fast as the straight species. It is
barely less hardy too making it an extremely good garden plant.
I was looking at a 4 metre high specimen in someone's front garden the
other week and although it had been planted with the usual,
astonishing want of imagination (dead centre in a lawn!), I could not
help but admire it. I'm even tempted to put one in to accompany a
Yucca glauca x recurvifolia which is now taking on tree like
proportions. Surrounded with purple leaved Cannas and silver leaved
Euryops it should make quite a brave feature out at the front. Maybe
I'm being too harsh in my dismissal of Cordyline australis after all.
>C indivisa is very tricky in the dryer hotter parts of NZ.
Yes I believe it almost demands cooler, more humid conditions and is
more typically 'gondwanic' in its requirements. I have several spots
which barely see anything more than dappled shade and remain cool and
humid on the hottest of days. In one, Cyathea dealbata grows away
vigorously and I assume that Cordyline indivisa will be equally as
happy.
>C banksii I haven't actually encountered, but I gather it is much more
>inclined to produce a family of stems than australis. Our local guru
>suggests it is more suitable for small gardens than australis becoause
>of its more modest size.
Its a lovely thing with very attractive flowers tending to produce
clumps of stems and attractive, rather lush foliage. Considered by
many to be very unreliable here, I do know of someone who has grown it
successfully in the comparatively chilly wastes of Cambridgeshire,
where mean winter lows are a good many degrees lower than here.
Getting hold of the thing is problematic, but my pal from Aus. who is
bringing stuff over here at least twice yearly, has promised a small
batch for next spring. Fingers crossed.
>I also raised the energy to go and look at the label and confirm the
>name is indeed 'Red Fountain"
This sounds absolutely wonderful and I almost envision something
approaching a slightly broader, red leaved Dasylirion. I've put that
on the list of 'must gets' - I wonder if it is grown down in Tasmania
- getting plants from there is not too difficult and several offerings
from nurseries there are now being marketed here.
Dave Poole
TORQUAY UK
http://www.ilsham.demon.co.uk/gardenviews.html
