BBC Gardeners' World

Plant details

• Common Name: New Zealand cabbage palm
• Genus: Cordyline
• Species: australis
• Cultivar: 'Torbay Dazzler'
• Skill Level: experienced
• Exposure: full sun, partial shade
• Hardiness: tender
• Soil type: well-drained/light
• Height: 5m
• Spread: 4m

This stunning foliage plant has spiky, variegated leaves with bold cream stripes and margins. A native of New Zealand, it makes an excellent container plant for patios and elsewhere. It needs warmth and shelter, and is not quite hardy inland - plants are best protected before the winter frosts by bundling up the foliage in a sleeve of sacking, wrapped around in several layers and then covered with a plastic bag to keep the leaves dry. Potted plants can be brought under glass for the winter.