Botanical Name: Cordyline australis
Common Name(s): Cabbage bark, tree heath, cabbage palm, grass tree, cabbage tree, cabbage-bark tree.
Description:
With a palm-like stem and grass-like foliage trailing from the terminal point, C. australis is a useful form plant for giving a palm-like effect in cold areas. C. australis ‘Albertii’ has cream and green- striped foliage; new leaves have a salmon tinge in the middle. C. australis ‘Atropurpurea’ (Purple cabbage tree) has brownish-purple, evergreen foliage and prefers full sun. it is an exciting accent plant, but not quite as tall growing, reaching to 3m. ‘Red Sensation’ has wine-red, curved leaves that are slightly wider. The fast-growing ‘Burgundy Spire’ has broad, dark wine-red leaves.