Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’

Origin and background of Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’

‘Red Star’ is a long-established red-leaved cultivar of Cordyline australis and is also sold as Cordyline ‘Red Star’. The species comes from New Zealand, where cabbage trees are familiar in open lowlands, beside waterways and on river terraces. ‘Red Star’ keeps the trunk-forming growth of the species and has bronze-red to burgundy foliage.

Indoor and container care for Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’

• Light and colour: Give ‘Red Star’ very bright light. If it has been kept in softer light, increase direct sun over several days; the new leaves should then develop stronger bronze-red and burgundy colour.
• Temperature: Cool to mild conditions suit this cultivar. Protect the pot from severe frost and from long periods when the compost stays both cold and wet.
• Water: Wait until the top of the mix is dry and the pot feels lighter, then soak it well and allow full drainage.
• Potting mix: Use a loose, well-drained mix that keeps its structure as the roots grow. This becomes especially important when cool conditions slow water use.
• Humidity: Average household humidity is enough. Airflow through the centre helps trapped moisture dry between the leaves.
• Feeding: Use a modest complete fertiliser while firm new leaves are appearing. Reduce the amount once growth slows.
• Repotting: The trunk carries the crown naturally. Repot one size up when the roots are crowded or the plant starts to feel unstable.
• Propagation: Rooted shoots from the base or suitable stem cuttings can be used to propagate the red-leaved cultivar.

Problems and solutions for Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’

• New leaves become noticeably greener: The plant is probably short of light. Increase brightness in stages and check whether later leaves regain the deeper bronze-red colour.
• Dry brown tips appear on several leaves: Watering swings or fertiliser salts are common causes in pots. Keep moisture more even and rinse the mix well if salt build-up is likely.
• Lower leaves yellow quickly while the pot stays wet: The roots need more air. Give the mix longer to dry, check drainage and inspect for soft brown roots before watering again.
• The centre of the crown browns after frost or prolonged cold rain: Cold, wet conditions may have damaged the youngest leaves. Protect the crown from further wetness and remove any soft, decomposing tissue with a clean, disinfected tool. If the trunk is still firm, it can produce new shoots.
• Fine pale specks or delicate webbing appear: Spider mites may be feeding on the leaves. Wash the foliage and keep the plant apart from other houseplants. If mites continue, use a product labelled for spider mites on ornamental plants and repeat it as directed on the label.

Cordyline australis ‘Red Star’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• It contains saponins that can irritate the mouth and digestive tract.
• Chewing may cause drooling, vomiting, stomach pain, reduced appetite or weakness. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop.

Cordyline australis: where the name comes from

Cordyline comes from Greek kordyle, meaning club, referring to its thickened underground stems. The epithet australis means southern.

Robert Brown established the genus Cordyline in 1810 in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, page 280; Philibert Commerson had proposed the name.

Johann Georg Adam Forster first described it as Dracaena australis in 1786 in Flora Insularum Australium, page 24. Stephan Friedrich Ladislaus Endlicher later placed it in Cordyline as Cordyline australis in 1833 in Prodromus Florae Norfolkicae, page 29.