Cordyline fruticosa

Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev.

Common Names: Cabbage Tree, Purple Cordyline

Family: Asparagaceae

Habit: Cordyline fruticosa grows as a caulescent, semi succulent shrub to 4 m in height.  The leaves are arranged essentially in whorls along the stem.  The deep red/purple/maroon and variegated leaves are sessile, linear/lanceolate, to 100 cm in length and 25 cm in width and entire margins.

The incomplete, perfect actinomorphic flowers are arranged in a terminal panicle to 60 cm in height.  The perianth has 6, fused at the base into a tube, white tepals.  There are 6 unfused stamens.  The superior ovary has 3 locules and numerous seeds.  The fruit is a red berry at maturity.

Habitat: Cordyline fruticosa grows in Human Altered environments (gardens, yards).

Distribution: Cordyline fruticosa is NOT native to the Lucayan Archipelago. It is native to the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia but it has been grown ornamentally globally.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Cordyline fruticosa is not used medicinally in the Bahamian Archipelago. 

It has been used as an ornamental.