Cordyline 'Can Can'

Planting Advice for Cordyline:

• Dig a planting hole 3 times wider than the roots of the shrub you are planting.
• Mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to refill once the shrub is in place.
• We have found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges, tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through.
• Before planting, soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots. Add mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help them establish more quickly.
• Place your shrub in the hole at the same level as the pot and refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling). Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball, and water well.
• Mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel or bark.
• If you are planting into pots, place some old rocks, stones or gravel in the bottom for drainage and ballast.
• Use the best compost you can buy, such as our premium professional compost, along with some sand or grit for drainage.

Aftercare Advice for Cordyline

• Water plants freely during the growing season, and sparingly in winter.
• Feed monthly with a balanced, liquid fertiliser from spring to late summer.
• Top-dress or pot up in spring.
• Although frost hardy, young cordyline plants, and particularly coloured varieties, are more prone to cold damage. This can be prevented by tying up the foliage to reduce wind damage and to prevent water collecting around growing points and causing rotting.
• In areas prone to severe winters, wrap the trunk with layers of fleece and place a 15cm (6in) layer of mulch, such as bark, over the root area.
• Move container-grown plants to a frost-free location, such as a greenhouse, during periods of cold or wet weather – temporary shelter in a shed or garage will do.

Pruning Advice for Cordyline:

• Pruning is not normally necessary; just remove any dead or damaged leaves with a sharp pair of secateurs.