Kiwi Pride Cordyline

Kiwi Pride Cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa 'Kiwi Pride') is the softer, brighter cordyline: green leaves striped cream down the centre and edged in hot pink. It sits at about 1.5m tall and 1m wide and grows slowly, which is what you want in a pot that must look right for years.

Why you'll love it

• Pink and cream all year. The colour lives in the leaf, so a shaded courtyard or an indoor corner stays bright through winter.
• Slow enough to stay in scale. At 1.5m by 1m, a potted plant holds its proportions for years without hard pruning.
• Works indoors or out. Bright indirect light suits it either side of the door, which matters in climates too cold for it outside.
• Happy in humid heat. Heat and humidity tolerant, so a tropical or subtropical summer is comfortable rather than punishing.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A container 400mm or wider carries one plant for several years, and the upright shape takes up almost no floor space.

Indoors. Near a bright window out of direct sun it works as a floor plant in a living room, an office or an entry.

Feature and mass planting. Under trees or along a shaded wall it makes a strong band of colour. Each plant fills about a metre across, so a metre between plants gives a continuous run.

Worth knowing before you buy: this cordyline contains saponins that are toxic to cats and dogs if the leaves are chewed. Keep it out of reach if your pet nibbles plants.

Growing Kiwi Pride Cordyline in Australia

Position and climate. Partial shade or bright filtered light. Direct afternoon sun scorches the cream stripes and washes out the pink margins. This is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate plant, and frost tender, so cool temperate and frosting gardens should pot it and bring it under cover for winter.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil or a good potting mix with organic matter. Cordylines want steady moisture, not stagnant water, so make sure pots drain freely and raise beds on heavy clay.

Water and feed. Keep the mix evenly moist from spring to autumn and ease back over winter. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer. Brown leaf tips point to dry air or salt build up, so flush pots with clean water every few months.

Pruning. Cut old lower leaves off cleanly at the cane rather than pulling them. If a plant becomes leggy, cut the cane back to about 30cm in spring and it will reshoot with two or three new heads.

What to expect when it arrives

Kiwi Pride is sold as a 200mm pack of six, which suits a mass planting, a set of matched pots or a shared order. Each plant is established with several fully coloured leaves and a firm cane, so plan where all six will go before they arrive.

Cordylines travel well because the leaves are firm and the canes sturdy. Some marking on outer leaves and a yellowing lower leaf in the first week is normal, and trimming those off is all that is needed. Expect new leaves within six to eight weeks in warm weather. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing the right pot size for a potted plant
• Browse the full cordyline range
• Compare plants suited to balconies
• See the indoor plant range

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The leaves contain saponins that are toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing them brings on drooling, vomiting and mouth irritation. Keep the plant out of reach.

Why has the pink edge faded?

Almost always light. Too little and the leaf turns plainer green, too much direct sun and the colour bleaches out. Bright filtered light gives the strongest pink and cream.

How quickly will it reach full size?

Slowly. From a 200mm pot expect several years to reach its full 1.5m, which is why it stays in proportion in a container for so long.