Draceana Burgundy Spire

I have two. Bought them both at the same time and they were very close in size. For a while I had them potted on my patio. They didn't seem happy. They didn't look sick just didnt seem happy. In the spring I put them in the ground.

I will post pics of both.

This one is planted on the southwest corner of the house. It is placed so that it only gets the direct western sun in the evening.. The rest of the day is indirect as it is actually on the western wall. It has grown quite a bit. It looks pretty good.. Tho to me a pic does these plants very little justice.

Here is the other: The sad one.

It is on the northwest corner but it is actually on the corner, not on the western wall like the other.. I'm assuming it is getting too much direct sun.

I have been thinking about transplanting it in the spring over by the one that is doing well. Only thing causing hesitation is it seems like they both went through some serious shock when moved until they rooted into the ground and then started to perk up...

Maybe its lonely for its sibling... lol ; )

Question: Will your draceana survive the winter where you live?
I brought mine inside a couple weeks ago. Mine isn't the burgandy, however...it's the green one with the red edge (marginata)

JulieQ,

I sure hope so. I am in zone 8b. According to everything I have read.. it should be fine.. I may protect them to be sure.

Yeah, I left mine out last year in a protected area, under the deck next to the house, and it lived most of the winter. haha

Since you are in 8b you will probably be ok... hopefully.

I really do hope so as I paid $25 each for those plants and hope to have them for a long time to come. Thanks for your insight.

Daisy, you are on the borderline with your Cordyline australis. It is hardy to zone 9

http://www.monrovia.com/learn/plant_catalog/detail.php?id=4451

Hmm. Do you think covering it during freeze will help or should I dig them up and put them back in pots? Honest opinions please... I don't want them to die.. I'm still a novice and I'm open to all suggestions..

Here is an interesting note... Scroll down and read about C australis...cabbage palm...same plant you have, and can take temps down to about 20 degrees....You may want to mulch well and cover in the event of a hard freeze...especially until it is fully established.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4903528_grow-cordyline-plants.html

Thanks Moon,

We rarely get down to or below 20 degrees but it has been known to happen.. I will cover them with a sheet or blanket.. Though I am afraid a blanket with deform the plant. Will a sheet be enough? Is the point to keep it warmer or is it to keep the frozen dew off the leaves?

I plan to move the smaller one over near the bigger one.. I read somewhere that moving plants in the fall gives them plenty of time to adjust, root well, and just get established in their new home before they are expected to do their thing and look beautiful for the spring/summer.

please advise..

Move the other one to the protected side, now....give them the proper spacing and mulch well. Just cover with a sheet (cloth) to protect from freeze burn. to the leaves...they should do well. make sure to read about their care so you can make them happy....grin

Thanks Moon, I will take care of it this weekend.. and I am also going to move some of those yuccas to that area as well. : )

Have fun....should have some rain moving your way Sunday or Monday....That will help settle them in.

Darn, They are forecasting our rain to arrive tomorrow. I don't want that, I need it to wait until Monday..... I have too much to do!!

That mess must be planning on picking up speed, doggone it...It is raining in Houston...about 300 miles west of me, and I am about that far from you....must have speed skates on....grin

For Cordyline australis to survive any cold temps it needs to be a larger mature plant.

In Zone 8 it will be very risky to survive the winter outdoors. I would consider bringing it indoors till cold weather passes.

Daisy, you could get a couple large cardboard boxes to use to cover them if the weather gets stupid....grin. When the new USDA hardiness zone map came out, I moved from 8b to 9a. I have Cordyline australis, the common green one which is often called C indivisa growing in the ground, and it has been for a couple years...transplanted from a 1 gallon pot. It didn't blink at being buried in the snow last winter. According to plant files, the C australis is hardy to zone 7b.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/131988/

I'm not sure I trust the 7b hardiness--if you look at some of the other cultivars in PF some of them are listed to 8b, some to 9a, some to 9b. Other sites I've seen mention hardiness down to 20 or sometimes 15, which would put them as 8b/9a. I'm not sure what their true hardiness is, but I have a couple of smallish Cordylines in pots and they've never suffered any frost damage here (and we get quite a few frosty nights) so in 8b I would think you'd be safe if you cover them up anytime it's getting into the mid-20's or below.

That was my thought, too. I have found cardboard boxes with a plastic trash bag over them make good mini greenhouses for those really cold nights. I turn the flaps out and weight them in place with bricks. they are easy to move as needed.

Maybe construct a small cold-frame for the plants that can be placed over them during spells.

You guys (and girls *wink*) are wonderful I will do just that. I don't want to lose them. Bringing them back in the house is not an option now. I have so many that had to be brought in when the temps started to cool, I'm running outta space.. I'm looking into a Greenhouse next. Going to need one before next winter...

daisy- from what I've read about dracs, they are basically a patio plant, that like bright indirect light and not too wet...
25 dollars apiece?? wow
I let mine almost wilt before watering--once they decline from too much water, it can take awhile to recover

Hi GoodGreen. What daisy has is actually a Cordyline Australis rather than the more tropical Dracaena. These guys do just fine in full sun.

http://www.monrovia.com/learn/plant_catalog/detail.php?id=4451

Well, I'm sorry to say I think I lost them.... We never have such a long cold snap.... Completely out of the norm, we had 12 days where we barely if at all got above freezing during the day. Its the craziest thing I have ever seen.....

I had already made mini greenhouses for these two plants... I used them the entire time, but they still look like crap. Just my luck and what I get for putting too much faith in the weather I have enocountered here for my entire 39 yrs..

I will try to post pics. I just dont know if there is any hope for them or not.

I wouldn't give up hope yet--foliage will be damaged/killed at warmer temperatures than what it would take to actually kill the plant, so I'd leave them alone and see if they come back in the spring. I've had tons of plants get frost damaged and look horrible and I was convinced they were dead, but I left them alone and they came back in the spring.

Thanks ecrane.. Does this mean just leave them alone, meaning don't even remove the dead foliage? I just want to do this right. I sure hope the roots are okay and they come back in the spring..

Thanks for your input. It certainly gives me hope.

If the foliage is rotting then it's best to remove it, but if it's just dead & dried up then leaving it there can help provide some additional protection for the live parts of the plant if you get any more cold weather. There are never any guarantees of course for things coming back in the spring, but I've had so many things that I thought were dead but weren't that it's definitely worth waiting and giving things a chance.

They are mulched well.. So I will just keep my fingers crossed...

Here is a pic of the larger one... : (

That appears to be dry foliage, so just leave it in place. As e-crane said, it will afford a small amount of protection. Huge chunks of my yard look like your plant, and most everything returns from the root. It is a set back, and may take a few months, but don't give up yet. What is the old saying? Hope Springs Eternal. Have patience and keep hoping....grin

Update: I am happy to report both of my "Cordyline australis" burgandy spires are coming up new from the root.. They look a little scraggly but I'm sure that will improve as they continue to grow.

Thanks so much ecrane and themoonhowl for all your advice, support and encouragement.

Glad to hear it pulled through!

Daisylovin, so glad to hear they survived. They will just get stronger each year.

Thanks!! They are doing quite well. I keep a close eye on them. : )