Baby Cordylines

[Shortie]

Hi everyone

One of the red cordylines in our garden has produced some off spring

The parent plant still looks nice and healthy, but I'm not sure what to do now . I guess if I leave the babies there they will cause problems for the parent plant and not grow properly themselves either. But how can I seperate the babies without killing the parent plant?

And why did the plant do it? I have another one planted the year before that hasn't done it - is this plant lacking something and it's gone into 'panic mode' and reproduced?

Thank you!

[lottie dolly]

we had a couple of green ones that sprouted babies,someone suggested snap em of and pot up,mmmmm they all died including the parent,still have 1 and it flowered this year,so it may be over now,so what ever you do shortie don't snap them of,

[Two_Sheds]

I think Sarraceniac may know what to do

[srodders]

Not sure what you mean by "babies" but cordylines grow like weeds here. They self seed like mad and also grow many stems. It just depends what look you want. My preference is to let them decide how to grow and leave them to it.

One of my jobs for today is actually to chop down one of our cordylines and get rid of all the seedlings around it. You have to cut them down right at the base and kill the roots otherwise they just keep growing back.

[Shortie]

Oh! I didn't realise they put out so many babies! but where do the seeds come from - I've not seen it flower?

Yes, I meant the stems groing off the base of the main plant..

I've had a cordyline in a pot for about 6 years now and it's grown tall, but never produced any offspring so I presumed they were all the same - they're all red/maroon ones if that makes a difference?

[Shortie]

Thanks Two_Sheds... so a deft hand and sharp spade look like it's in order. I'll check their size but I recon they must be getting near to 10 inches already - they're in a sheltered corner o f the garden so it was only as I need to step round it on a rare occasion that I spotted them!

[srodders]

You'll know when it flowers!! It is a big "thing" with lots of little flowers on. Where it flowers the main trunk divides into two. The one we have left (a redish leaved one) first flowered when it was just over 5 foot tall. Starlings love the berries that it has.

[Shortie]

Lol, no flowers here yet then