Light
Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux
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Asparagaceae
Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta'
- Curated selection:
Every plant is hand‑picked for health and visual appeal, so you receive a strong, well‑established plant.
- Representative photos:
Product images show a typical plant of this variety. Natural differences in leaf number, shape or variegation are normal, your plant will still match in type and quality.
- Size details:
Listed sizes refer to pot diameter (cm) and approximate overall height (cm) from the base of the pot to the tallest leaf or stem.
- “Get What You See” items:
If you are buying the exact plant shown in the photos, this is clearly stated in the size section.
- Individual photos:
One‑off photos are only provided when this is explicitly mentioned in the size section. - For special traits or small quirks, please check the full product description.
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Your new plant has just travelled a long way and needs a calm start in its new home. For step-by-step unboxing and first-week care, check our after-delivery care guide. For deeper tips on how your plant settles in over the next weeks, read our houseplant acclimatization guide.
- Care basics , Main hub with links to all houseplant care guides.
- After delivery & first week , Unpacking, first placement, and early recovery.
- Light, How much light houseplants really need indoors.
- Watering , When to water and how to avoid root rot.
- Substrates & roots, Potting mixes and drainage for strong root systems.
- Humidity, When humidity matters and what actually helps.
- Fertilizing, Simple feeding routine without burning roots.
- Problems & pests, Yellow leaves, brown tips, bugs, and fixes that work.
- Semi-hydro, How to run low-maintenance mineral substrates.
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Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta'
Quick Care Guide
Watering
Water when ~40–60% dry
Substrate
Moisture-retentive but aerated • Evenly moist • Organic-leaning • Fine-medium
Temperature
Ideal: 18–28 °C • Avoid below: 10 °C
Humidity
Moist 50–60 %
Growth habit
Upright cane-forming woody perennial.
Support
not needed
Growth speed
Average
Max size indoors
Max. height: 90 cm • Max. spread: 50 cm
Toxicity & safety
Toxic
Origin & habitat
Cultivar of Cordyline fruticosa; species native from Papuasia to western Pacific
Outdoor growing
Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot
How to read these values
These care values are quick reference points for indoor growing. Use them as a guide, then adjust for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.
For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.
- Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
- Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
- Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
- Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
- Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.
- Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
- Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
- Growth speed: expected pace under suitable indoor conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.
- Max size indoors: realistic long-term indoor size under good conditions.
- Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
- Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
- Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.
Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta'
Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta' grows as a compact Ti plant with upright stems and dense purple-red leaves. The leaves sit close around the stems, keeping the plant upright and compact. This is a warm-growing tropical cordyline, so it needs steady warmth indoors and more even moisture than the hardier New Zealand cordylines.
The species comes from Papuasia to the western Pacific, where it grows in wet tropical habitats. Indoors, it prefers bright filtered light, a warm room, higher humidity and a potting mix that stays lightly moist without becoming waterlogged. Cold draughts, dry heat and strong direct sun through glass can quickly brown the leaf edges.
Warmth, moisture and leaf colour
- Compact Ti plant with upright cane-like stems
- Purple-red leaves held closely around the stems
- Warm-growing tropical foliage plant
- Needs bright filtered light, warmth and steady moisture
- Mature stems can be propagated from cuttings
Tropical growth
The accepted species name is Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A.Chev., and it belongs to Asparagaceae. The species grows as a shrub or small tree, with leafy stems and many colourful cultivated forms. 'Purple Compacta' describes the compact growth and purple-red leaves.
Keep the mix more evenly moist than a cactus mix, while still keeping it airy around the roots.
Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta' care
- Light: Give bright filtered light. Gentle morning or evening sun is fine after acclimation; strong midday sun through glass can scorch the leaves.
- Watering: Keep the substrate lightly and evenly moist. Let the surface begin to dry, then water thoroughly.
- Substrate: Use a loose mix with bark, fibre and mineral drainage. It should hold some moisture while still draining freely.
- Temperature: Keep warm year-round, ideally above 18 °C. Choose a warm spot away from cold windowsills, draughty entrances and unheated rooms.
- Humidity: Higher humidity helps reduce dry leaf edges. A humidifier in a bright, warm spot is more useful than wetting the leaves.
- Feeding: Feed with diluted fertiliser during active growth. Reduce feeding when growth slows in darker months.
- Repotting: Move into a slightly larger pot when roots crowd the container or the mix dries too quickly.
- Pruning: Older stems can be cut back during active growth to encourage new shoots below the cut.
- Propagation: Mature stem sections can root in warm, humid conditions.
Leaf and stem problems
- Brown leaf edges: Often caused by low humidity, watering gaps, mineral build-up or cold air.
- Soft stems or yellowing lower leaves: Check for too much water or compact, wet soil.
- Dull colour and stretched stems: Light is too low. Move gradually into brighter filtered light.
- Sticky residue or cottony patches: Check stems and leaf bases for scale or mealybugs.
Pet safety
Cordyline fruticosa is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested. Keep Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta' out of reach of pets and small children.
Species name
Cordyline comes from Greek kordyle, meaning club, referring to swollen underground parts in the genus. Fruticosa means shrubby, matching the species’ cane-forming habit.
Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.
Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta'
Sale price€10,75
FAQs about Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Compacta'
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