Caruba Black Cordyline

Caruba Black Cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa 'Caruba Black') is about as dark as garden foliage gets. Broad glossy leaves in deep burgundy, near black in good light, sit on an upright stem that reaches about 2m tall and only 1m wide. That narrow habit is the point: a strong vertical accent in a courtyard, a pot or a narrow bed where a shrub would be too wide.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that holds all year. The near black foliage is the display. There is no waiting for a flowering season and no off period.
• Tall and narrow. At roughly 2m by 1m it adds height to a tight space without crowding anything planted around it.
• Contrast against everything. Dark leaves make pale render, silver foliage and bright flowers read far more strongly.
• Slow and undemanding. Growth is steady rather than quick, so it holds a designed look for years.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A pot 400mm or wider holds it for several years, giving height without spread, and it can be moved into shelter when the weather turns.

Feature and mass planting. One plant works as a full stop at the end of a bed. Massed at 60cm apart, a run of them makes a dark vertical band behind lower planting.

Indoors. A bright room with filtered light suits it, and indoors your climate stops mattering, which counts with a plant this frost tender.

One caution: the leaves contain saponins and are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Keep it out of reach in a home with pets.

Growing Caruba Black Cordyline in Australia

Position and climate. Bright filtered light or morning sun gives the deepest colour; harsh afternoon sun scorches the leaves. This is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate plant, and it is frost tender, so anywhere with real winter frost means a pot that comes inside.

Soil. Free draining and rich in organic matter. In pots use a premium mix and a pot that genuinely drains, because wet feet in cold weather is what kills these.

Water and feed. Keep the mix evenly moist through the warm months and ease right off in winter. It likes humidity, so group pots together through dry spells. Feed with a controlled release fertiliser in spring.

Pruning. Remove tired lower leaves at the stem. If a plant grows leggy, cut the cane back to about 300mm in spring and it will reshoot, often with more than one head.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is sold as tube stock, so expect a young plant with a short stem and a few leaves rather than a 2m specimen. It is a slow grower, so plan on two to three years for real height, longer in cooler gardens.

Leaves can mark or crease in transit, which is cosmetic. Pot it up promptly, keep it bright and out of direct sun for a fortnight, and expect new growth once the weather is warm. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a warm climate garden that holds up year round.
• Compare the full cordyline range.
• Browse other plants for balconies and courtyards.
• See the wider tropical garden range.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The leaves contain saponins, toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, bringing on drooling, vomiting and loss of appetite. Keep it off the floor if your pet chews foliage.

Why has the colour faded to green?

Almost always too little light. Move it somewhere brighter, still out of harsh afternoon sun, and new leaves come through dark again. Faded leaves will not recolour.

Can I grow it in a cold climate?

Not outdoors. It is frost tender and a single hard frost will damage it. In cool temperate gardens grow it indoors, or keep it potted on a sheltered patio and bring it in for winter.