Cordyline Australis Purpurea | 20+ Seeds | Cornish Palm

Please find for sale 20+ seeds of  Cordyline Australis Purpurea better known as the Cornish Palm as well as a host of other names such Purple New Zealand Cabbage Tree, Purple Cabbage Tree, Ti Kouka, Ti Cabbage Tree, Palm Lily, Grass Palm and Purple Torbay Palm,

PLEASE NOTE: All orders received before 8pm (Mon-Fri) will be dispatched same day

SAVE PACKAGING MATERIALS  - SEE OTHER INTERESTING & UNUSUAL SEEDS & PLANTS IN MY SHOP

INSTRUCTIONS - TO SAVE PAPER I NO LONGER SEND OUT WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CUSTOMERS. INSTRUCTIONS ARE BELOW SO PLEASE BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. 

Cordyline Australis 'Purpurea' is the purple-foliaged cultivar of Cordyline Australis, the popular New Zealand Cabbage Tree. It can be grown indoors as a very attractive houseplant or grow outside if given a good root-run in a relatively sheltered position with not too much strong sun and fertile well-drained soil. The fragrant flowers are borne on large racemes in mid-summer and are highly attractive to bees. Cordyline Australis purpurea is not fully hardy, but more mature specimens usually survive winter outdoors in milder regions (eg Cornwall, hence its nickname) or urban areas. Smaller specimens should be brought into greenhouses during the winter.

Cordylines do not like root run disturbance so if you are planning to grow this plant as a container specimen, the best advice is to plant it in a large pot (i.e. too large at the time). Ensure rich, well draining compost so the Cordyline can happily grow  without any need to re-pot causing root disturbance.

Germination Guide

1) Sow seeds at any time of year

2) Soak the seeds in hot tap water for 1 hour

3) Prepare potting mix - ideally 50/50 of regular compost mixed with perlite, vermiculite or horticultural sand. Mix should be moist but not wet

4) Put the compost mix in a plastic container and microwave on full power for 2 minutes (kills any fungus etc). Allow to cool

5) Spread the cordyline seeds over the compost surface, about 2.5cm apart. Sprinkle a 0.75cm layer of potting mix over the seeds. Lightly press down on the soil so it sits firmly over the seeds.

6)  Place the tray in a warm area out of bright light eg on a window sill but out of direct sun . Typical UK indoor room temperature is fine 17-23c. 

7) Ensure compost does not dry out. If uncovered, the best way is to pour water into the container below the seed tray, allow this water to be taken up by the compost for 30 mins or so, then once the moisture visible on the surface drain off remaining water from the container.

8) Germination can been sped up by loosely covering with a plastic bag to increase humidity - BUT I find this encourage fungal rot so prefer method in 7) above

9) Germination can be erratic for cordylines - takes 1 to 2 months

10) Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into small pots.

11) Keep indoors during winter months and gradually acclimatize the young plants outside in Spring before planting out in final position