Annuals

Cordyline australis 'Red Sensation'

Red Sensation cabbage palm

Red Sensation cabbage palm at Chanticleer Garden

Long bronze-red leaves create a strong upright accent among softer flowering plants. Young cordylines are useful as the center of a large seasonal container. This is a woody plant in warm climates, not a winter-hardy bedding grass for the Cincinnati area.

At a glance

Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Moist but well-drained
Life cycle: Frost-tender seasonal plant locally

Sizes & prices

4.5"$5.99

Catalog updated September 8, 2026. This is not a live stock count; please call to confirm availability and price.

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Resistance & tolerances

Wet soil: Avoid waterlogged soil and standing water.

Growing & care

Interest: Upright, sword-shaped foliage
Soil & drainage: Use freely draining garden soil or a container with drainage holes.
Pruning: Remove dead lower leaves; avoid cutting the central growing point.
Winter: Move container plants into frost-free shelter.
Size & season: A young seasonal container accent here, but a long-lived tree in mild climates. RHS lists eventual growth of about 13–26 ft. tall × 8–13 ft. wide over 10–20 years; that is not one summer’s growth in Kentucky.

Sources & photo credits

Royal Horticultural Society

Photo: Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Image notes: Red Sensation cabbage palm at Chanticleer Garden; resized without cropping.

Reviewed September 22, 2026. Growing conditions vary by location.