However, in the UK, they can be damaged by draughts, dampness and winter cold or wet, regardless of whether they are grown inside or outside.
Underneath we explain how you can revive a fully-fledged outdoor cordyline or a small potted plant that you are at risk of losing.
Cordylines are popular ornamental plants, but like any plant, they can struggle and show signs of decline. If your cordyline is looking poorly, don’t give up on it just yet! With some TLC, you can often revive a dying cordyline and restore its health and beauty.
Signs Your Cordyline is Struggling
Here are some common signs that your cordyline is ailing:
- Wilting or drooping leaves
- Leaves turning yellow or pale
- Leaf tips turning brown
- Soft, mushy areas on the stem
- Dieback of stems and leaves
These symptoms indicate the plant is stressed and in decline. The culprit is usually either overwatering, underwatering, or exposure to cold. Fortunately, early intervention can help bring an ailing cordyline back from the brink.
Causes of a Dying Cordyline
Before attempting to revive your plant, identify what factors are causing its decline.
Underwatering
Insufficient water causes leaves to wilt, brown, and shrivel. The soil will be very dry. Cordylines prefer moist, but not soaked soil. If the soil dries out completely for too long, lower leaves will brown and die.
Overwatering
Too much water causes root rot, where roots turn mushy and rot away. Stems and leaves then wilt as the plant struggles to take up water. Overwatered soil stays wet for too long.
Cold Exposure
Cordylines are tropical plants and dislike cold. Prolonged exposure to temperatures below 50°F (10°C) damages leaves and stems. Frost is especially harmful.
Once you’ve identified the problem, take steps to remedy it and restore your plant to health
How to Revive an Underwatered Cordyline
If dry soil and shriveling leaves indicate underwatering, recovery simply involves watering properly going forward.
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Immediately water the plant thoroughly until water drains from the drainage holes. Use room temperature, filtered water if possible.
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After watering, remove any dead leaves or stems, trimming back to healthy growth.
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From now on, water when the top inch of soil becomes dry. Water deeply until water drains out.
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Cordylines prefer consistently moist soil. Allow soil to dry out only 1-2 inches between waterings.
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Give the plant a thorough soaking initially to rehydrate tissues. Resume normal watering when leaves perk up.
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Move to a shadier spot if possible while recovering.
With attentive watering, an underwatered cordyline should show signs of recovery within weeks as new leaves emerge.
How to Fix an Overwatered Cordyline
Reversing the effects of overwatering takes a bit more effort:
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Stop watering and allow the soil to dry out completely before watering again.
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Gently remove the plant from its pot and inspect the roots.Trim away any mushy, rotten roots.
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Repot in fresh, well-draining soil. Choose a pot with drainage holes.
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After repotting, water sparingly initially. Wait until the plant shows signs of recovery before watering normally.
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Leach excess salts from the soil monthly by watering until water flows from the drainage holes.
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Remove dead leaves and stems to focus the plant’s energy on new growth.
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Move the plant to a sunny location to encourage drying out of the soil.
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Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer at 1/4 strength to stimulate new growth.
With time and reduced watering, an overwatered cordyline should regain health and vigor.
How to Revive a Cold-Damaged Cordyline
For cordylines damaged by cold:
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Move to a frost-free location if outdoors. Provide heat if growing indoors.
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Water lightly at first to avoid shocking the roots. Resume normal watering when new growth appears.
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Cut away all damaged leaves and stems until only healthy tissue remains. This stimulates new growth.
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Apply a balanced houseplant fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during the growing season.
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Prune away dead leaves and stems at any time to improve appearance.
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Mist the leaves daily for added humidity. Cordylines appreciate 40-50% humidity.
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Be patient! It takes time for new leaves and stems to grow after cold damage. But with care, the plant will regenerate.
Proper care after cold exposure helps cordylines regrow beautifully. Place in a protected spot to prevent future cold injury.
General Cordyline Revival Tips
A few tips to help all stressed cordylines recover:
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Prune away dead leaves and stems to improve appearance.
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Use sharp, sterile pruners to avoid spreading disease.
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Disinfect tools between cuts with isopropyl alcohol or diluted bleach solution.
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Repotting provides fresh, appropriate soil.
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When repotting, choose a pot with drainage holes and well-draining soil.
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Water with room temperature filtered or distilled water to avoid shock.
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Move plant away from drafty spots with fluctuating temperatures.
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Keep humidity around 40-50%. Mist leaves or use a pebble tray.
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Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during growth periods.
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Talk to your plant and give it some love! Positive vibes can’t hurt.
With time and TLC, you can nurse struggling cordylines back to health. Be vigilant and don’t hesitate to intervene when you notice signs of decline. With early action, cordylines can make full recoveries. Don’t give up too soon! Even severely affected specimens can regain their beauty with attentive care and revival methods.
When to Propagate a Declining Cordyline
If despite your best efforts, a cordyline continues to decline, consider propagating it to salvage part of the plant. Here’s how and when to propagate:
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Take stem cuttings in spring from the healthiest parts of the plant. Select pencil-width stems with nodes.
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Remove lower leaves and cut stems right below a node. Use a sharp, sterile knife or pruners.
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Dust cut ends with rooting hormone powder to spur root growth.
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Insert cuttings in pots of seedling mix. Enclose in plastic to maintain humidity.
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Keep soil moist but not saturated. Grow cuttings in bright, indirect light.
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New roots and leaves will emerge in 4-8 weeks. Gradually acclimate to lower humidity.
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Take cuttings when lower leaves yellow and dieback advances. Don’t wait until the plant is mostly dead.
Stem cuttings allow you to perpetuate your cordyline even if the mother plant can’t be revived. With time and optimal care, new plants will grow to maturity.
Don’t throw in the trowel too soon if your cordyline starts to struggle. These tropical warriors can bounce back from adversity. With attentive care tailored to the plant’s needs, you can nurse it back to health and enjoy its unique beauty for years to come.
Immediate Action For Reviving Outdoor Varieties
Outdoor cordyline trees in the UK are more often injured by frost, damp and wet in the winter than by other problems.
The first sign is dead and dying foliage.
While this can sometimes be down to other causes, if the upper part of the main stem or trunk is not hard and stiff but feels unpleasantly soft, it is usually because the cold or wet has caused the plant to rot.
The first step is to remove the dead or dying foliage by either pulling or cutting it off.
You will also need to shepherd the injured tree through the cold season by protecting the crown as well as the roots from winter wet.
You can do so by tying together any remaining leaves and covering the crown and main stem with a waterproof horticultural fleece or plastic sheeting.
Do so only during cold and wet periods and not when the days are dry and sunny.
Also, protect the roots by putting down a layer of organic mulch around 10cm thick, leaving 2-3 centimetres around the main stem.
During periods of inclement weather, lay plastic sheeting around the main stem.
Follow-Up Care For Outdoor Varieties
The next step is a cutback or severe prune when spring arrives.
Feel your way down the trunk or main stem to the point at which it is not soft but feels healthy, firm and hard.
At least several centimetres below this point cut off the trunk or main stem.
“Make your cut using a sharp pair of loppers or a pruning saw, at a slight angle, to let water drain,” adds Peter Lickorish, a Master Horticulturist.
After angling and smoothing out the trunk or main stem, give the plant a fair amount of water, especially if the soil is dry.
Water regularly so that the soil becomes moist all through but does not get soaked and allow it to dry out between watering.
During this recovery period, I would recommend that you water the plant with filtered water that is at room temperature so you don’t cause any further damage.
Feed the tree a very moderate helping of organic fertiliser every 3 weeks, making sure to stay away from the roots when working the granules into the soil with a hand fork.
“In time, bare stems should soon produce horn-like re-growths, which develop into leaves,” adds Peter.
Cordyline australis frost damage and how to revive new bud sprouts (how to revive a dying Cordyline)
FAQ
Will Dead Cordyline come back?
Cordylines hit by frost can appear to die but may then regrow from the trunk (including the base), in spring.
What does a dying Cordyline look like?
If the leaves have brown tips and edges, the cause is likely underwatering. If the leaves through most of their surfaces are turning a sickly shade of yellow or another pale colour, the cause is likely overwatering.
Should I cut the brown leaves off my Cordyline?
If the brown leaves are located at the bottom of the plant and are old, it is normal for them to turn brown and dry out. These leaves can be cut off to tidy up the plant and promote new growth.
What is the lifespan of a Cordyline plant?
While in its native habitat in Southeast Asia and New Zealand, it grows in tropical climates but can grow well indoors. What is the Cordyline plant’s lifespan? The Cordyline in the wild can live for hundreds of years, and under the right living conditions indoors, it can reach 20 years.