Cordyline australis, commonly known as the cabbage tree, or cabbage-palm, is a widely branched monocot tree endemic to New Zealand. It grows up to 20 metres tall with a stout trunk and sword-like leaves which can be up to 1 metre long.
Cordyline australis, commonly called giant dracaena or cabbage palm, is one of the best known and most recognized of the plants indigenous to New Zealand where it typically grows as a single or multiple-trunked tree to 20-30’ tall. It was introduced into the U.S in the early 1800s and now grows in a number of locations in California and the southern U.S. It features sword-shaped gray-green leaves to 3’ long and only 2-3” wide. Impressive panicles of small fragrant white flowers bloom in late spring to early summer, however container-grown plants rarely flower. Young plants feature a fountain of grass-like leaves with no trunk and are often sold in this form as houseplants. Patio container plants will slowly develop a cane-like trunk or trunks over time, eventually growing to as much as 15’ tall. Synonymous with Dracaena australis.
