Cordyline or Yucca. Can you tell the difference?

inishindie

The winter frosts turned a lot of mature palms into mush as their tender heads got frostbite. Can you tell the difference between a mature cordyline and a yucca though? I have problems....

kindredspirit · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject:

That's a Cordyline.

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:44 am Post subject:

Hi Inishindie,

Now that I have seen your cordyline, I know mine is completely dead, so I will have to cut it down and start again. The joys of gardening!

Protein · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:48 am Post subject:

don't cut them down yet.. it has a good chance of spouting new growth - question is will is sprout on the trunk, or at the base.

You can remove the growing tips if you are certain they are burnt.

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:31 pm Post subject:

I cut it down this morning as when I went to remove the dead leaves I discovered the top of it was rotten. There is new healthty growth at the base of the trunk, I left a large part of the trunk it looks weird like modern art! Should I cover the new growth in a garden fleece to protect it from frost?

inishindie · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 3:11 pm Post subject: Progress report

Further scrutiny of the cordyline...The leaves are going all over my drive and I took action. The inside of the top of the stems it totally rotten. I was going to just trim them back then noticed seepage from the bottom of the trunk...I don't think this one will recover...I'll leave the main trunk for a while and dangle some bird food on it )

BlackBird · Rank attained: Ash Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 227

looks like its giving a big two fingers to the frost that killed it. Laughing

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:50 am Post subject:

I know the feeling Inishindie, my poor cordyline looked even worse than that. It is now in the recycling centre.

medieval knievel · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:53 am Post subject:

ever tried to burn a cordyline trunk? don't waste your time trying to find out.

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:24 am Post subject:

Actually, My husband had that brainwave when I cut the cordyline down, so at least now I can tell him I did the right thng bringing it to the recycling centre.

kindredspirit · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 3:18 pm Post subject:

inishindie · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:00 pm Post subject:

The insides are like a fibrous sponge...you could squeeze the water out of it.... Would take some burning...

Maeve Drogheda · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 8:28 pm Post subject:

I am not going to risk burning it. That is why my local recycling centre got it last saturday morning. By the way, the garden waste section was full to bursting with cordyline bits!! And I have yet to see a healthy on around here.

medieval knievel · Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:20 am Post subject:

James Kilkelly · Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:32 pm Post subject:

I suppose that's part of their downfall folks when it comes to hard freezes.
Lots of water inside to expand and cause damage to itself