I have a Cordyline Australis "Red Star" that needs companions in his pot. All the plants I keep thinking of, need shade or too much water. Any suggestions for something nice to mound and trail and complement the red spikes?
Thanks! Here it is last summer. It's grown a bit and I'll probably put in in a taller pot.
Deb
Deb, I always like to combine plants with bright gold or ice blue foliage with burgundy plants similar to your Cordyline. Only "blue" plant I can think of right now is Euphorbia myrsinities (Donkeytail) which would trail over the edges of the pot. A couple of bright gold possibilities: Sedum rupestre 'Angelina' (bright gold foliage with red hues in the winter), Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' (Creeping Jenny) - both which would be "trailers". There's another Lysimachia if you can find it - not sure of its name but it's similar to L. congestiflora 'Outback Sunset' or 'Walkabout Sunset' - but the foliage is a deep orange-yellow with somewhat red margins. It does have bright yellow flowers, but it's grown more for the foliage than the flowers. However, this one may not be perennial for you, thinking it might be Zone 9?
For mounding, there are some wonderful new Euphorbias this year that might work. 'Helena's Blush' has interesting tri-color foliage http://www.provenwinners.com/plants/detail.cfm?photoID=7959 and 'Efanthia' is another - has maroon foliage during the winter months and reportedly with a more compact habit http://www.provenwinners.com/plants/detail.cfm?photoID=5858&doSearch=1&searchKeywords=Euphorbia&. Lots of other Euphorbias as well, only some of them might be a little taller than you would want - but they are easy plants, drought tolerant, etc. and would probably work well if you intend to plant the Cordyline in a larger pot.
There are probably plenty of other possibilities in your Zone 8 that I don't have experience with (Zone 6a here), but I'm sure someone else will be along with more suggestions. Be sure to post a picture whenever you get your combo done!
Debbie
Debbie: Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to look them all up. I'm familiar with creeping jenny (and I have a bunch of it elsewhere) but I thought it would need too much water. I also have angelina sedum and that one hadn't even occurred to me for this pot. Good idea!
Going to PF now- :)
Deb
Hi Deb,
Here is a picture of what I did with mine last year.
Goldfinch: Thanks! That's oxalis, isn't it? That's a nice combination. :)
Deb
Thanks Deb. Yes, that's oxalis. It bloomed it's fool head off all summer!
Due to a political protest today in San Francisco I had to make a detour from my normal route.
I found myself in a very upscale neighborhood where people spare no expense in their gardens.
Perpendicular across the street from actor Robin Williams' house was a spectacular English Tudor home that had a series of beautiful big Italian terra cotta pots lining the entry path . The pots were planted with a red Cordyline ( thought it to be Red Sensation ) and a chartreuse lime green helichrysum petiolare.
I just about rear ended another vehicle gawking at this combination.
It was traffic a stopper !
Next time I go into the city I hope to remember to take my camera. This was one knock out combination !
This message was edited Mar 19, 2007 8:19 PM
I found this lovely combination in my neighborhood last fall. All the colors surrounding just add to the delight. The black planter and chair was a stroke of genius. The red cordyline was just deep and rich enough to make you think it might be black or a deep mahogany when it played off the black.
D_D: I hope you can get a photo next time, but that combination sounds great. I have plenty of Sw. Potato vine that I could use as a bright green but I think it'd need too much water. I'm going to look into the helichrysum petiolare. Thanks for that!
Sempervirens: I like the combo in your photo. The plant in the container with the cordyline looks familiar but I can't think what it is. Do you recall?
Deb
Helichrysum. I think it must be used often with the cordyline in the silvery or lime color.
Sempervirens,
I think you are quite right. I have seen several different magazines, books and container gardens that have used the pairing of helichrysum and cordyline together for quite some time.
If my memory serves me correctly I recall seeing old photographs in garden history books of the famed garden at Hidcote England using a Cordyline or a Draceana combined with a helichrysum. Those photographs date back to the 1930's .
I've also seen Victorian era photos using this combo.
( Ha ! and we thought we are so original ! LOL ! )
The helichrysum called " lime light" was a knock out combined with the red cordyline.
To my minds eye, I like it a bit better than the silver helichrysum and red cordyline combination.
That helichrisum "lime light" would be awesome. I think I may have to order some as I've never seen it at the local garden places. And there I was, thinking I wouldn't be ordering any more plants this season. Ha! LOL!
Deb
