Cordyline fruticosa John Klass

Cordyline 'John Klass' (Cordyline fruticosa 'John Klass') is grown for its foliage and nothing else. Broad upright leaves are washed in cream, green and pink, and that colour holds all year. It reaches about 1.8m tall and only 1m wide, so it brings height to a narrow bed, a courtyard corner or a pot. Worth knowing before you buy: like other cordylines it is toxic to cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Year round colour without flowers. The cream and pink variegation does the work of a flowering shrub in a spot too shaded to flower well.
• Tall and narrow. At 1.8m by 1m it lifts the eye in a bed barely a metre deep.
• Happy in humidity and heat. Sustained wet heat that marks other foliage plants suits it, so a northern summer is no obstacle.
• Low maintenance. No shaping, no deadheading, no spraying schedule.

Where it works best

Feature planting. In a group of three against a dark green backdrop it becomes the accent in a tropical bed, holding colour where ferns and palms give only texture.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A 400mm pot suits one plant for years, and in a shaded courtyard where flowering plants sulk this carries the colour instead.

Indoors. One of the better cordylines for a bright interior. Keep it near a window with indirect light, away from air conditioning outlets.

Growing Cordyline 'John Klass' in Australia

Position and climate. Filtered light or part shade gives the best colour, since hard afternoon sun bleaches and burns the leaves. This is a plant for tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only. It is frost tender, so in cooler districts grow it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of organic matter, or a premium potting mix in containers. It wants moisture without sitting wet, so drainage still matters on clay.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly damp through the warm months and ease off in winter. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer to hold the variegation strong.

Pruning. Optional. If the lower stem goes bare with age, cut the cane back to about 30cm in spring and it will reshoot, usually with two or three new heads.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes, all sold in packs: 125mm in packs of ten, 180mm and 200mm in packs of six. That suits a group planting or a run of pots rather than a single specimen, so plan for several plants. The 125mm plants are young, usually a single stem under 40cm, while the 200mm plants already show the leaf width and colour.

Cordylines travel well because the leaves are firm, though a bruised outer leaf is normal and can be cut off at the base. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect a few quiet weeks, then new growth from the crown. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete cordyline care guide
• Browse the full cordyline range
• Plants with variegated foliage
• Plants for balconies and courtyards

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. This species contains saponins and is toxic to cats and dogs if the leaves are chewed, bringing on drooling and vomiting. Keep it out of reach if your pet chews foliage.

Why are the leaves losing their pink?

Almost always too little light. Move it somewhere brighter, still out of direct afternoon sun, and feed in spring. New growth comes through with the colour restored.

Will it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender, and cold damage shows as blackened leaf tips and collapse. In frost prone gardens grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Can I grow it indoors permanently?

Yes, in a bright position with indirect light. Indoor plants grow more slowly and stay closer to 1m, and the mix should dry slightly at the surface between waterings.