Cordyline Fruticosa Chocolate Queen

Give your cordyline a warm spot with plenty of bright, indirect light to keep its rich chocolate and pink colouring vivid, as too little light will fade the leaves to plain green. Keep it away from cold draughts and sudden temperature changes, and give it a little extra humidity by misting or grouping it with other plants.

Water when the top few centimetres of soil feel dry, keeping the mix lightly moist but never waterlogged, and ease back in the cooler months. Cordylines can be sensitive to the fluoride and salts in tap water, so filtered or rested water helps prevent brown leaf tips, and a diluted liquid feed through the growing season keeps new growth strong and colourful.