Bauer's Cordyline

Light Needs

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

5 Feet

Mature Spread

3-5 Feet

Feature

Bauer's Cordyline adds instant structure with a slender trunk topped by a wide crown of burgundy, sword-like leaves. The color holds through the season, so it keeps working even when nearby plants are between bloom cycles. Scientifically known as Cordyline baueri, this warm-climate evergreen looks more like a small palm than a typical shrub. We recommend it for tight side yards or patio corners that need height without a bulky footprint.

In the ground, Bauer's Cordyline handles heat well once established and stays upright. You’ll occasionally see fragrant white flower clusters in early summer, but the foliage is the reason it’s planted. Use it poolside or near light stucco and stone, where the dark leaves show up cleanly day and night. In colder regions it’s best treated as a summer container centerpiece that can be moved indoors before frost.

Bauer's Cordyline Care

Give Bauer's Cordyline full sun to partial shade, with brighter light producing the strongest leaf color. Plant in average to enriched, well-drained soil that never stays soggy. Soil pH isn’t a consideration as long as drainage is solid.

Water regularly through the first growing season. Once settled, let the top of the soil dry slightly between deep soakings. In containers, water when the surface feels dry, because pots dry faster in wind and heat. Feed with a controlled-release fertilizer in spring to support steady new leaves.

Skip hard pruning, since this plant doesn’t respond well to being cut back. Instead, remove spent or weathered leaves as fresh growth emerges from the crown. If you overwinter it indoors, place it in bright light and water lightly until outdoor nights warm up again.

Bauer's Cordyline Spacing

Plan on about 4–6 feet of space in the landscape so the crown can widen without rubbing walls or neighboring plants. For containers, start with a pot around 18–24 inches wide with a drainage hole, and step up as the trunk gains height. In the landscape, pair it with agapanthus and liriope to echo the strap-leaf look at ground level, and add rosemary nearby for a dry-tolerant, sun-loving mix. In containers, underplant with lobelia and begonias for a full base that softens the trunk while the cordyline stays tall and clean.

SKU:

TRO-COR-BAU-NA-1G-LGL