Removing a Cordyline australis anyone know how deep the root ball is ?

Sorry if this advice is too late, but here goes anyway...

I have quite a bit of experience with Cordylines (I specialise in Exotic gardens).

I'm not sure if you are simply taking the thing out, or transpanting elsewhere? In summary, a tall cordy can be a nightmare to move and transplant, but dead easy to simply dig up - the roots are easy to chop through.

If you are planning on planting it elsewhere, then my advice is be careful. I have rarely had one move ok, except when less than around 6foot in height. A cordyline sends down a long and deep root, almost like an underground extension to its truck (to anchor what is basically a tall spindly plant) and then has lots of smaller fibre like roots. If you break the underground stem, then chances are the plant will not make it. But here is the thing, it wont look dead for several months or more, so for a while it will look like you've got away with it, only for it to collapse later on!

The only way I know stacking the odds in your favour is to remove almost all the leaves, and then keep well watered. This allows the trunk a chance to grow more roots without having to support a full head of leaves. It is sometimes possible to simply get a peice of truck to shoot new leaves (much like a yucca) but so far I've not found a reliable way of doing this - sometimes it works, other times not.

Replies

Adrian Geraint Castree March 25, 2010 at 6:49pm

thanks, i'll do the same if i cant get all root ball,

Ace Garden Services - John said:
I tried to dig out a fairly large/old one once with a trunk diameter of about 10", I didn't have a winch and decided after a while just to cut it off below ground level. I then attacked it with an axe, chipping it up as much as possible and covered with a foot of soil.
It didn't send up any new shoots/suckers.
PRO

Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd March 25, 2010 at 6:50pm

I have never had a problem with digging out a Cordyline. The roots are quite soft so just keep at it with mattock/axe/bar until it gives in :)
David Beasley Garden Design March 25, 2010 at 6:58pm

Dig a hole at the side of it about 2ft x 2ft x 2ft and push/pull it over!

If I remember right, the side roots are quite easy to chop through.
Brighton Cycling Gardener March 27, 2010 at 12:39pm

It won't have a tap root anyway because it's a monocot.

In my experience the trunk continues underground with fibrous roots coming off it, really easy to remove.
Adrian Geraint Castree March 27, 2010 at 8:58pm

thanks everybody for the replies
aiden

Brighton Cycling Gardener said:
It won't have a tap root anyway because it's a monocot.

In my experience the trunk continues underground with fibrous roots coming off it, really easy to remove.
Ben Candlin March 30, 2010 at 11:38am

Sorry if this advice is too late, but here goes anyway...

I have quite a bit of experience with Cordylines (I specialise in Exotic gardens).

I'm not sure if you are simply taking the thing out, or transpanting elsewhere? In summary, a tall cordy can be a nightmare to move and transplant, but dead easy to simply dig up - the roots are easy to chop through.

If you are planning on planting it elsewhere, then my advice is be careful. I have rarely had one move ok, except when less than around 6foot in height. A cordyline sends down a long and deep root, almost like an underground extension to its truck (to anchor what is basically a tall spindly plant) and then has lots of smaller fibre like roots. If you break the underground stem, then chances are the plant will not make it. But here is the thing, it wont look dead for several months or more, so for a while it will look like you've got away with it, only for it to collapse later on!

The only way I know stacking the odds in your favour is to remove almost all the leaves, and then keep well watered. This allows the trunk a chance to grow more roots without having to support a full head of leaves. It is sometimes possible to simply get a peice of truck to shoot new leaves (much like a yucca) but so far I've not found a reliable way of doing this - sometimes it works, other times not.