Broad Leaved Palm Lily

The Broad Leaved Palm Lily (Cordyline petiolaris) is an Australian native for the shaded, difficult part of the garden where most things sulk. It grows to about 3m tall and only 1.5m wide, with broad glossy leaves in a loose crown on slender canes. Cream flower sprays are followed by heavy trusses of red berries that birds strip through late summer.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. At roughly 3m by 1.5m it lifts a bed only a metre and a half deep.
• An Australian native that suits shade. It grows in the rainforest understorey of eastern Australia, so filtered light is where it performs.
• Red berries the birds work over. The pendulous fruit trusses hold long after the cream flowers finish.
• Little maintenance. No pruning schedule, no spraying, and drought tolerant once established.
• It multiplies. Established plants send up new canes from the base, so one plant thickens into a clump.

Where it works best

Mass planting under trees. Plant 1m apart. The crowns overlap into a continuous layer of foliage at head height while the canes stay visible below.

Small gardens, entries and courtyards. A single clump beside an entry gives a tropical outline, and the narrow footprint fits a side passage or a bed against a fence where a 3m shrub would be too wide.

Pots and containers. A pot 400mm or wider suits it, and container growing holds it closer to 2m.

Growing Broad Leaved Palm Lily in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to full shade, with morning sun at most. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and takes light frost only, so cold inland and frosty southern gardens need a sheltered position or a pot that can move under cover.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of organic matter. Work compost through the bed and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the canes.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. Drought tolerant with age, but better for a drink. Feed a slow release native fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer.

Pruning. Almost none. Remove spent flower and berry stems, and cut older canes to the base if a clump gets top heavy; new shoots come from below the cut.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes are grown: 140mm packs of ten and 200mm packs of six for an understorey drift, and single 300mm plants for a feature. The packs arrive as single stemmed young plants around knee height and take two to three seasons to build a crown; a 300mm plant already carries a proper head of leaves.

The broad leaves can crease in transit and a few of the oldest may yellow and drop in the first fortnight. Both are normal, and new growth follows within four to six 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

• Browse the full cordyline range
• More Australian native plants
• Plants suited to partial shade
• Bird attracting native plants

Common questions

Will it grow in full sun?

It will grow, but it will not look good. Leaves bleach to a pale yellow green and scorch at the edges.

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

No. Cordylines are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, and the berries are the most likely part to be eaten. Worth knowing in a pet household.

How fast does it grow?

Moderate. Expect roughly 200mm to 300mm of height a year in a warm shaded garden with water and feed, and slower in cooler southern districts.