Cordyline Paso Doble - Cabbage Tree

Cordyline 'Paso Doble', a hybrid of C. banksii, is currently the pinkest and brightest variety. Its upright foliage can be admired up close as it grows close to the ground, in a very colourful cluster. This plant remains decorative even in winter. It deserves a prominent place on a patio, balcony, or in the centre of a small exotic-inspired flower bed. In open ground, it should be reserved for coastal climates. Elsewhere, it can be cultivated in a large pot, to adorn a conservatory out of season.

Cordyline 'Paso Doble' is a recent horticultural creation that carries the genes of C. australis and its lesser-known cousin C. banksii, which has a more modest growth rate and lower hardiness. These arboreal perennial plants from the Asparagaceae family are endemic to New Zealand. Cordyline is found in various habitats, such as forest edges, river banks, and open areas, especially near swamps.

The 'Paso Doble' variety has a modest stature and a moderately fast growth rate. The plant has a rosette-like leafy habit in its juvenile state (for many years), then it forms a sort of small tree with a very short single trunk, whose few branches are adorned with tufts of leaves. This variety will reach a height of 1.5m (5ft), with a spread of 1m (3ft) by the age of 10 years. Ultimately, it will not exceed 2.25m (7ft) in all directions. Its leaves are evergreen in winter. They are long and narrow, sword-shaped, pointed, slightly arched, and measure 40 to 70cm in length and 3 to 6cm (2in) in width at the base. They have numerous parallel veins. Their colour is a mix of pink, red, purple, and violet tones, applied in broad brushstrokes. Flowering occurs in September-October, on mature plants. Each stem can branch out as soon as it has produced a flower stalk. The small cream-coloured flowers are melliferous and delicately scented. They are borne on large dense panicles measuring 60cm (24in) in length.

Resistant to wind and salt spray, and water-efficient once well-rooted, it is a good plant for coastal areas. Cordyline 'Paso Doble' can withstand temperatures ranging from -5 to -7°C (23 to 19.4°F). It can be cultivated in a large pot that can be moved from the patio to a conservatory in winter. In a pot, pay attention to watering and fertilisation. Easily create a beautiful scene by planting a purple heuchera (Heuchera 'Plum Royale') or Alternanthera 'Purple Knight' at its base, for example. This remarkable plant, just like banana trees, cannas, bamboos, mimosas, or castor oil plants, will give a truly exotic look to gardens and patios.