Plants
Cordyline
Cordyline fruticosa · Asparagaceae
The cordyline brings South Seas colour into the living room: depending on the cultivar, its sword-shaped leaves glow purple-red, pink or copper, held in a tuft atop a slender stem. At first glance it is often mistaken for a dragon tree, but it is more colourful — and slightly more demanding. We buy our cordylines in strongly coloured quality at the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Bright to very bright without direct midday sun; variegated and red cultivars need more light than green ones.
- Watering
- Evenly, lightly moist with soft, room-temperature water; water a little more sparingly in winter.
- Care level
- Medium
- Botanical
- Cordyline fruticosa
In its Polynesian homeland, Cordyline fruticosa is a cultural plant with a long history as the ti plant: its leaves were made into skirts, roofing and food wrappings, and the plant itself is considered a symbol of luck and protection to this day. It arrived in Europe as a houseplant in the 19th century.
The difference from the similar dragon tree is botanically clear: cordylines have stalked leaves and creeping white to pink rhizomes, dracaenas sessile leaves and orange roots. More important in practice: the cordyline needs more light and humidity than the undemanding dragon tree.
Popular cultivars include the deep-red Firebrand, the pink-glowing Kiwi with striped foliage and the compact, dark-green Glauca. As with the croton, colour intensity depends on light. Placed too dark, the reds fade and new leaves emerge greenish.
The classic care mistake is hard, cold tap water combined with dry heating air — the answer is brown leaf tips and margins. Soft, room-temperature water, an evenly and lightly moist root ball and regular misting keep the foliage flawless. This tropical plant should not sit below 18 degrees Celsius for long.
An important point for pet households: the cordyline contains saponins and is toxic to cats and dogs. Cats in particular like to nibble the grassy leaf tips — in homes with animals the plant belongs out of reach or should not be brought in at all.
In styling terms the cordyline is a colour anchor: against the calm green of schefflera or calathea, its purple foliage acts like a permanent bloomer without a flower. Older, bare-legged specimens can be rejuvenated with a bold cutback — the stem reshoots below the cut, and the top cuttings root in a glass of water.
Is Cordyline toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Mildly irritating
- Cats
- Toxic
- Dogs
- Toxic
The cordyline contains saponins and is toxic to cats and dogs; for children it is considered mildly toxic. Keep out of reach in pet households — the grassy leaves tempt cats in particular to nibble.
Typical symptoms: In animals after ingestion: vomiting (in cats sometimes with blood), drooling, loss of appetite and lethargy; cats may show dilated pupils.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Place bright without harsh midday sun — the more light, the more intense the leaf colours.
- 02Keep the root ball evenly, lightly moist; neither let it dry out nor tolerate waterlogging.
- 03Use only soft, room-temperature water — hard water causes brown tips.
- 04Raise humidity: mist regularly, especially in winter.
- 05Keep warm year-round, not below 18 degrees Celsius for long.
- 06Feed lightly every two weeks from spring to autumn.
Frequently asked
- Is the cordyline toxic to cats?
- Yes. After nibbling, the saponins it contains cause vomiting, drooling, loss of appetite and sometimes dilated pupils in cats. Since the leaves look like play grass to cats, the cordyline should not be freely accessible in cat households.
- What is the difference between a cordyline and a dragon tree?
- They look similar but are different genera. The cordyline has stalked leaves, white to pink rhizomes and usually more colourful foliage; the dragon tree has sessile leaves and orange-yellow roots. In terms of care, the cordyline is thirstier and needs more light and humidity.
- Why is my cordyline getting brown leaf tips?
- Brown tips are almost always a combination of dry air and hard tap water. Switch to soft, room-temperature water, mist regularly and keep the plant away from directly above a radiator. Existing brown tips can be trimmed off cleanly.
- My cordyline is going bare at the bottom — what can I do?
- Gradual balding of the stem is natural in older plants. If it becomes too much, a bold cutback in spring helps: the stem reshoots below the cut, and the removed top roots in a glass of water — one plant becomes two.