Cordilina is an evergreen plant from the Asparagus family. Distribution areas are the tropics and subtropics of Australia, Africa, and Asia; one of the flower species is found in Brazil.
The name of the plant comes from the Greek word kordyle, which translates as nodule, a knot.
Description of cordilina
Cordilina is a tree or shrub with a thick and strong root system. The shape of the leaves depends on the variety and is linear, lanceolate and xiphoid. White, red or purple flowers.
When grown in a home environment, grows to 1.5 meters. As it grows, death and decay of the lower foliage take place, as a result of which the plant takes on the form of a false palm.
Home Growing Species
There are several types of cordilina that are suitable for breeding at room conditions:
| View | Description |
| Apical cordilina | Tree-like, with a direct false trunk (sometimes branched) and a height of two meters. Axillary paniculate inflorescences. The flowers are small, white or red. Foliage covers the tree from the soil, so it remains compact for a long time. |
| Cordilina kiwi | Fluffy shrub. The foliage is dark green with yellow stripes and rich raspberry fringing. |
| Straight | Shrub with a thin trunk that can grow up to three meters. The foliage is large, green or purple. |
| Australian | The highest variety of cordilina, in nature reaches 12 meters. Outwardly resembles a palm tree. The xiphoid foliage, up to 90 cm long. Inflorescences up to 1 meter, contain rather fragrant flowers. |
| Red | It has the form of a bush and in nature reaches 3 meters in height. The color of the foliage is dark green or deep red. The diameter of the fruit is about 1 cm, have a bright red color. |
| Mix | This is not a variety, but a variety of species collected in one palette. |
| Fruticosis | The color of the foliage can be dark green, raspberry or pink. Inflorescences are presented in the form of a loose panicle. |
| Benksa | Shrub with a straight trunk, reaches a height of 3 meters. The length of the foliage is about 1.5 meters, dense bundles are formed. The outer side of the leaves is green, and the inside is gray-green. Flowers have a white color. |
| Undivided | It has a thin and practically non-bending stalk. Foliage is belt-shaped, in the center is a red vein. |
| Tricolor | Three-colored foliage, a combination of green, pink and cream color. |
| Purple Kitcompat | A small shrub with lush purple-green leaves. The trunk is small but strong. |
| Chocolate queen | The foliage is elongated and wide, chocolate and green. |
| Snow | Green foliage with strokes and stripes of white color. |
Home Care
When caring for cordilina at home, you need to pay attention to the season of the year:
| Season | Temperature | Lighting, placement | Humidity level |
| Spring Summer | The shrub, as a representative of the tropics, is thermophilic and negatively related to sudden changes in temperature. In the spring-summer season, + 22 ... + 25 ° C are considered comfortable, with quality care up to + 30 ° C. It is recommended to protect from wind and sun. | Cordilina prefers placement in well-lit places, but does not tolerate direct exposure to the sun. The amount of light is directly related to the color of the foliage, the brighter it is, the brighter the place is needed for the location of the pot with cordilina. Shrub is recommended to be placed on the east and west window. | An average air humidity of 50-60% is required. In the warm season, it is recommended 1-2 times a week to spray the shrubs from the spray gun. |
| Autumn winter | During this period of the year, a comfortable temperature for growing cordilina is + 10 ... + 13 ° C. Some varieties even during this season prefer a temperature of + 20 ° C. | The shrub is placed on the windowsill, do not produce additional illumination. | The required humidity level is 50-60%. A container with shrubs is recommended to be placed away from heating appliances. |
Planting and replanting: soil and pot selection
Young Cordilina individuals need an annual transplant. When the bush turns 4 years old, the frequency decreases to once every three years.
The pot for planting must have wide edges and be deep, since the bush has a developed root system. The next important point is the preparation of high-quality soil.
For soil preparation:
- low acid soil, sand and peat are taken in a ratio of 3: 1: 1;
- everything is thoroughly mixed;
- a layer of drainage (small pebbles) is poured into a new pot, and the prepared earth is on top.
If the roots of the plant occupied the entire pot, then a second transplant will need to be carried out in the coming spring.
Watering and fertilizer
In spring and summer, cordilina requires abundant watering, the soil should always be slightly moist. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to allow stagnation of water. The approximate frequency of watering is three times a week. In the cold season, it is reduced to once a week.
Cordilin is required to be fed throughout the year. During the growing season, the frequency of fertilizers is three to four times a month. In the autumn-winter period, the number of top dressings is reduced to once a month.
Fertilizers intended for decorative and deciduous plants act as fertilizers. It is worth giving preference to funds in liquid form.
Breeding
Shrub propagation is carried out:
- by seeds;
- cuttings;
- division of the rhizome.
All these methods are relatively not complicated, but cuttings are more popular.
Cuttings
For propagation using cuttings, it is necessary to take material for planting from the middle or top of the cordilina. If they are very long, then you can perform the division into several parts, each should have about 3-4 sheets.
Further it is required to follow such step-by-step instructions:
- the pot is filled with soil suitable for growing cordilina;
- rooting is performed - for this, the room must have a temperature of + 28 ° C;
- throughout the month, cuttings are sprayed from the spray gun, and the soil is carefully watered;
- after a specified period, rooted plants are transplanted into a permanent pot.
Seeds
If cordilina has recently bloomed, after which seeds have appeared, you can use them as a planting material.
It is important to remember that this method of reproduction is suitable only for the original species. Hybrids cannot be bred through seeds.
The use of seeds is a time-consuming method. The first shoots appear only after 1-2 months. If it is possible to cut the plant, it is better to go to this option of planting.
Seed propagation:
- Seed the seeds in the soil prepared according to the above recipe. This should be done at intervals of 1-2 cm.
- Within 1-2 months, wait for the appearance of sprouts.
- When 2-3 small leaves appear above the ground, plant seedlings.
Seeds are available at the garden store. The price for 5 pieces is 50 rubles. Growing begins in early March.
Root system division
Propagate cordiline using rhizomes should be step by step:
- Divide the rhizome.
- Remove the roots.
- Parts to put in one pot or pallet.
- Root for 1.5 months.
- When the first leaves or shtamb appear, plant the rhizomes in separate containers.
The composition of the soil is the same as when transplanting.
Diseases, pests
Cordilin is one of the plants resistant to the effects of diseases and pests. The most dangerous disease for her is root rot, but if the soil is sterilized before planting, this can be avoided.
Among pests dangerous to cordilina, aphids, thrips, scabies and spider mites are isolated. The control of these insects is carried out using insecticides.
Mistakes in leaving
When caring for cordilina, the following errors should be avoided:
- Exposure to direct sunlight. A short stay on the street, especially in the morning and evening, will not harm the plant. But in the afternoon, you need to protect it from ultraviolet radiation, because even a brief contact leads to burns.
- Lack of fertilizer. The soil should be nasty, and this requires periodic use of fertilizing.
- Wrong watering. In winter, the amount of moisture is reduced; in summer, on the contrary, it is increased. Curl of foliage indicates overdried soil, excessive softness is a sign that cordiline rots.
- Maintenance in a room with dry air. Leaves should be moistened with a spray bottle. Even better if the house has a special humidifier.
- Constant temperature changes. The temperature of the air must not be allowed to change by more than 10 ° C throughout the day. The optimum temperature is room temperature.
| Error | Cause | Correction |
| Blanching of a leaf plate. | Bad light. | Move cordiline closer to the window. |
| Rotting and falling of leaves. | Excessive moisture and low temperatures. | Reduce air humidity and watering frequency. Provide a temperature comfortable for growth. |
| Darkening and curling of leaves. | Temperature changes. | Place the flower in a room where the temperature is stable day and night. |
Mr. Summer resident recommends: Cordilina - tree of good luck
The plant helps to maintain a warm atmosphere in the home, suppresses negative energy. The shrub is advised to be placed in a room where guests are constantly visiting, since even the most friendly person unwittingly violates the established parameters of biofields. The magic of cordilina lies in the fact that it allows you to maintain a solid home atmosphere, eliminating the imprint of strangers. Even those owners who do not take superstition seriously take note that after long gatherings they no longer feel tired.
The plant cleans the air well and improves concentration, therefore it is simply necessary if school-age children or adults with complex mental work live in the house.
