If you’re a gardener, you know that cordyline plants can definitely enhance your garden.
These plants have gorgeous foliage and a tropical appearance, which makes them an exotic option for any garden.
But like all plants, cordyline can occasionally have issues.
Never fear, we will investigate some of the most common Cordyline issues and how to resolve them.
Providing Proper Care
Avoiding many of the common problems is easy, if you simply care for your cordyline correctly.
You will have less to worry about if you adhere to plenty of care tips.
Sunlight
Cordylines require a lot of bright indirect light.
They can deal with having full-on sunlight, and they can deal with full shade, however, for the plant to thrive without burning the leaves, bright indirect light is the best growth condition.
If you are keeping your cordyline in a pot in your house, to get light to the leaves, a good place to put them is next to a window, and not so close that it’s in direct light but close enough that it’s getting light to the leaves.
Although maybe you want to plant it directly into your garden.
If you can- try to make sure that the cordyline is planted under a tree, or the shade of the gazebo. If you can’t do that direct sun is fine, you’ll just have to deal with burnt leaves.
Water
Cordyline plants require an ideal amount of water – not too much which will lead to rotting roots or not too little which causes the leaves to dry up.
If your plant is outside, you can give it an inch of water per week as long as it rains, However, if your cordyline is in a pot indoors, you may need to give it water more often.
Then, check the soil every few days, and if it’s dry, give it a good watering.
Soil
Cordyline thrives best in loose, well-draining soil.
If your plant is in a pot, you can add sand to the potting soil to ensure good drainage.
If your cordyline is in the ground, remember to pay attention to the drainage of the area. If you don’t think it drains well, you may want to use a raised bed or amend the soil with appropriate drainage materials.
Fertilizer
Fertilizing cordyline plants once a month during their growth season is the least you want to do!
You can use either liquid, or granular fertilizer.
If using a liquid fertilizer, dilute to half strength of the recommended amount on the package. Place in the soil around the cordyline, but be sure to keep it off the leaves.
Keep In Mind – If using granular fertilizer, place around the cordyline, then water it in well.
Temperature and Humidity
Cordyline plants thrive in warm but not hot weather.
They can tolerate temps down to about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but they will start to suffer when the temperature drops much lower.
If you live in a climate zone that dips below 60 degrees, you can try and grow your cordyline outdoors in a pot, and then bring it indoors during the winter months.
The highest temperature the cordyline should be sitting in is 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
At this temperature, the leaves turn brown faster, the soil dries out fast, and *the roots can burn from the heat.
Cordyline plants also prefer high humidity, though they will do just fine in average household humidity.
If you live in a pretty dry climate, you may want to mist your cordyline plant once in a while, or put your plant on a pebble tray.
Cordyline Issues and Their Cures
Don’t be put off by the number of problems in this section. Simply fail to probably buy a cordyline for your home or backyard.
As you will soon discover, all of these problems have straightforward solutions, and by following the care from above, you will eliminate most of these problems.
Dull Colors
Cordyline plants come in a range of colors. They can be purple or pink as well as different shades of green. It doesn’t take long to notice that the colors start to dull.
When this happens, it means that the cordyline is not receiving enough light. You can slowly start working the plant into a brighter location, taking time to do so.
If you have a severe winter, the dull color can also be a result of temperature.
The cold prevents the plant from producing as much chlorophyll, which is what gives the plant its color.
There is not much you can do about it other than wait for spring when the weather starts to warm up.
Fungal Leaf Spot
Fungal leaf spot is a typical problem with cordyline plants.
It is a common fungal disease that causes black spots on the leaves.
Later, these spots will develop into holes in the leaves.
There is no treatment for fungal leaf spot, but prevention is possible.
There are some ways to prevent fungal leaf spot:
- Be sure to give your cordyline plant adequate sunlight.
- Water your cordyline plant and maintain the soil moisture but not wet.
- Be sure to clear the area around your cordyline plant of debris and weeds.
Root Rot
Root rot is mostly caused by the Fusarium fungus, which lives in wet and cold soil.
The main signs of root rot include wilting, yellowing leaves, and eventually the death of the plant.
If you suspect that your cordyline has root rot, the first step you should take is to check the roots of your plant. If the roots are soft and mushy, it is likely your plant has root rot.
To treat root rot, the best thing to do is to remove the affected plant from the pot (or the ground) and gently, remove as much of the rotten roots as you can.
Nice Tip – Once you have removed the rotten roots, it is best to replant the cordyline in fresh, well-draining soil. If you are planting in a pot, make sure the pot is clean and has drainage holes.
In mild cases of root rot, you can apply a fungicide around the plant in the soil.
Slime Flux
Slime flux is a disease caused by bacteria in cordyline plants.
Slime flux will produce a sticky, slimy ooze from the stems and leaves of the plant.
The bacterial cells that cause slime flux can also cause damage to the plant’s tissues, allowing for opportunistic diseases to infect the cordyline.
If you have cordyline affected with slime flux, there are several approaches to treating this disease:
- First, prune away the affected leaves or stems.
- Second, disinfect your pruning tools in a bleach and water solution.
- Third, spray the plant with a copper-based fungicide.
- Lastly, in the case where the plant is too affected, you may have to discard the plant and start all over with a new cordyline.
Mealy Bugs
Mealy bugs are a soft-bodied insect that can infest cordyline plants.
They feed by sucking the sap from the leaves and stems.
If you have a few mealy bugs you probably will not harm your cordyline plant too much.
However, mealy bugs can weaken the plant in large numbers.
If you come across mealy bugs on your plants, you can wipe them off with a damp cloth for easy removal.
Other Options: Which also works well- they sell insecticidal soap and neem oil. Heat will also kill mealy bugs. If the cordyline is already in a pot, try to put it in full sun for a few days.
Scale Insects
Scale pests are small, sap-sucking pests that can infest your cordyline plants.
These pests attach to the plant’s leaves and stems, sucking out the sugars in the leaves, and scarifying the plant for nutrients.
If you suspect your cordyline has scale insect, you may want to treat it with insecticidal soap or neem oil.
You also can try to physically remove the scale insects from the plant, using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Spider Mites
Spider mites are very small pests that can cause damage to cordyline.
You can identify them by their small red bodies and the webs they create.
To treat an infestation, remove any damaged leaves from the plant and spray the plant with an insecticide.
If you like, you can also try to remove them physically with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Thrips
Thrips are small, flying insects that can harm cordyline plants.
They feed on the leaves and stems of the plant, making them brown and drying them out.
To remove thrips from cordyline plants, spray them with a heavy stream of water.
You will dislodge the insects with this method and they will fall onto the ground where they can be gathered and disposed of.
Alternatively, a pesticide spray can be used to kill the thrips. But please follow the instructions on the packaging because some pesticides can harm the plants.
Final Thoughts
Cordyline plants have many different diseases, pests, and problems that can affect them.
Most of these will not require the plant to be removed; instead, they will just require some simple steps.
Now that you know how to take care of a cordyline plant and what to watch out for, you can enjoy your plant for years to come.