Cordyline australis for full sun?

[iwan]

Are there any cultivars that will take full HOT/DRY summer sun?  All of the common ones I have tried have bleached, burned or flat out died in anything other than morning sun.  My average summer temperature is 100F.

 

[Laaz]

I had three I planted from spikes 15 years ago. They were over 12 ft tall & in full sun. This past 16F freeze killed them all...

[GDLWyverex]

I have the green var, that the Ausies tell me is the only one that grows native there, growing in full blast Mexican sun and it seems pretty happy.

It is planted in VERY porous soil permitting very sharp drainage which facilitates heavy watering without root rot. We have a heavy rainy season where it rains every day for about a month and a half and plant roots rot if not in well drained soil.

 

Richard

[Palm crazy]

iwan, If you can't grow the green cordyline australis than you can't grow any of the other ones. Someone, please prove me wrong?

Laaz yours should grow back from the roots. 

[iwan]

52 minutes ago, Palm crazy said:

iwan, If you can't grow the green cordyline australis than you can't grow any of the other ones. Someone, please prove me wrong?

Laaz yours should grow back from the roots. 

Thanks, I should have specified "other than green".  There are a couple of pink ones at a local shopping center, so I know there are probably some possible clutivars.  Given that they are in a commercial planting, they are likely common, such as "Electric Pink".  I see many purpurea around town, normally on the east side of houses, but they look kind of ragged.

[Palm crazy]

56 minutes ago, iwan said:

Thanks, I should have specified "other than green".  There are a couple of pink ones at a local shopping center, so I know there are probably some possible clutivars.  Given that they are in a commercial planting, they are likely common, such as "Electric Pink".  I see many purpurea around town, normally on the east side of houses, but they look kind of ragged.

I was going to recommend C. 'purpurea', 'Dark purple' and 'purple dazzler' any of the dark leaf one would be best for you... C. 'red sensation' hates wet cold winter so that might be one to try also. Let us know what you find out. 

[Cikas]

I have ''Red star'' and ''Purple sensation''. Both of them love full sun. I keep them in pots for now.

''Red star''

''Purple sensation''

''Red star'' and ''Purple sensation''

 

[Matthew92]

All they sell in the nurseries around here are "red sensation" which wimps out in the heat and cold temps. I really want to find some red star. My grandparents have the green one in pots at their house- they get direct sun at times and they've endured 18-20 deg temps with no ill effect.

[iwan]

On 3/25/2018, 11:48:44, Cikas said:

I have ''Red star'' and ''Purple sensation''. Both of them love full sun. I keep them in pots for now.

''Red star''

''Purple sensation''

''Red star'' and ''Purple sensation''

 

Nice to see those in pots and reflected heat.  Based on your pictures, I suspect that you have much more humid summers, and maybe not as hot as it is here.  There is no way I could grow aroids in full sun here.  In my garden Alocasia/Colocasia not in standing water go dormant in the summer.  I only see them for a couple of months each spring, and they usually waste away after a few years.

Thanks everyone for the response.

[Cikas]

7 hours ago, iwan said:

 

7 hours ago, iwan said:

Nice to see those in pots and reflected heat.  Based on your pictures, I suspect that you have much more humid summers, and maybe not as hot as it is here.  There is no way I could grow aroids in full sun here.  In my garden Alocasia/Colocasia not in standing water go dormant in the summer.  I only see them for a couple of months each spring, and they usually waste away after a few years.

Thanks everyone for the response.

I have hot mediterranean climate (Cfa). Summers here are hot (during the day and night) and dry. Night temperatures are in 25-30C range most the time, day temperatures go up to 35C in shade, some days even higher. I just water my plants alot during the summer. :) 

[iwan]

15 hours ago, Cikas said:

I have hot mediterranean climate (Cfa). Summers here are hot (during the day and night) and dry. Night temperatures are in 25-30C range most the time, day temperatures go up to 35C in shade, some days even higher. I just water my plants alot during the summer. :) 

Thanks for the data point.  Our average high is around 38C and 40-45C is not unusual. 

[Pip]

The purple cultivars can sometimes burn during summer heat waves in my Mediterranean climate but recover quickly once the rain returns.

[Chris Chance]

Not sure which this one is but it grew like crazy last summer. Takes full sun till about 3 PM.