Torbay Dazzlers - what is happening?

Apologies if this is not 'tropical gardening' but I need help with my cordyline.
I have 2 Torbay Dazzlers. One looks quite dead (see first photo) and it died very quickly; all the leaves went brown and there are a couple of green protusions coming out of the bark.

The other (second photo) has a few brown leaves and it doesn't look very healthy. It might have the same problem as its friend but may be I can sort it out.

I cannot see any pests on either cordyline. They stand either side of my front door which has a covered roof so they are reasonalby well protected from the elements. I have fed them a couple of times in the past few months but I'm not sure I've watered them enough given that they don't get rain where they are.

Any ideas please?

 

they died from the cold winter?

 

it isn't dead, the OP mentions "green protrusions" which are new leaves sprouting from the stem

 

1st one looks exactly like one that a client had planted in his garden .... it died from the cold ... but only started to show browning in April

I'm only guessing .... and it would be interesting to hear for how long they have been in the pots ....

Tesco and other supermarkets were (and still are) selling these as outdoor plants .... they don't do well at -18 degrees C

 

if they are new leaves, there's about 3 of them coming out half way up the stem. But why have all the leaves at the top suddenly died? The stem is turning brown and seems dry at the top, then there's a 'soft' bit of stem which I know from experience is not a good sign and then the bottom half of the stem (with the protrusions) which feels OK.

they survived the winter so I don't think its that. if it is re-genersting then great.

On the second (but lightly more healthy) plant, I just have the few brown leaves to worry about. Given they are leargely sheltered, how often should I be watering them in summer?

 

just saw your post *dim* - so they have been in these planters for about 15months. They are about 90cm high.

 

Maybe they just don't like being in a pot.. they might be severely rootbound. In my experience, Cordylines do not do well in pots, and will decline from day one unless given space to grow their rootstock.

Personally I would plant the Cordyline in the ground, let it have some more water, and give it chance to develop a root system.

In the mean time, get a Yucca, Cycad or something, that will tolerate root abuse and put that in the planter.

 

Just wondering if it might be from vine weevil damage? If you decide to take either of them out of their pots, inspect the soil for ugly fat white grubs. They chomp the roots which causes the plant to die fairly suddenly. Nasty boogers like stuff in pots!!

 

Thanks all for your comments. Just going back to Stephen's comment - can Yuccas survive outside?

 

Yes Floyd, some types of Yucca will be hardy enough.

Two of the best are Yucca aloifolia and Yucca gloriosa.

Yucca aloifolia will need gritty soil to reach it's maximum hardiness potential of -15C.. Yucca gloriosa may well take below -20C in any soil, it is a tough plant.

Pictures of them below..

Yucca gloriosa:




Yucca aloifolia



Yucca aloifolia is like a compact version of Yucca guatamalensis (syn. Yucca elephantipes).

Yucca aloifolia in the ground:

 

ps if you are going to go for a Yucca aloifolia.. do not get those that are shown as the pink-purple leaves.. they are in fact, not Yucca aloifolia.. which has green leaves.

 

thanks for your suggestions folks. as a follow-up I thought I'd post another photo as it would seems that as fast as the leaves died, there are new leaves growing from the stem. i read somewhere on this forum that its possible to propogate in these circumstances - by cutting out the area where the leaves are growing and planting horizontaly. is this so?

 

I wrote a really long post in this thread the other day (long for me, anyway),then lost it because the site was having problems.

The basis was cordylines dont like containers as has been said.

Yuccas will survive a bit better but I'd steer clear of aloifolia or gloriosa unless you like spikey plants, I have the scars to prove it.
Elephantipes might survive given some cover and kept dryish.

But personally I'd try Olive, or Irish yew.

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