Cordyline Tana

Cordyline Tana or 'Renegade' is a variety of hybrid cordyline with very dark foliage! This trunkless bush strongly resembles a Phormium with its ribbon-like, arched leaves gathered in a clump. Their colour ranges from dark purple-red to black, passing through chocolate brown. It is compact, not exceeding 1 to 1.5 m in height and 50 to 80 cm in width. It is suitable for small gardens, coastal gardens and on a terrace, in a large pot. From May to July, long spikes of small cream-white flowers with a slight fragrance appear. It is a tender plant to be grown in pots in colder regions. Requiring little care, it tolerates salt spray, heat, and drought, although it prefers moist, well-drained soil.

From the Agavaceae family, Cordyline x banksii is a perennial tree-like plant native to New Zealand. In nature, this upright and bushy shrub can reach a height of 3 to 4 m. Its trunk branches little and does not become bare. The Banks' cordyline is particularly found on the coast and in low-altitude mountains, suggesting its great adaptability to varied conditions such as salt spray, heat, and drought. The Tana or 'Renegade' variety is a horticultural creation by Evan David Lloyd from 2006 in New Zealand. It is part of a series of cultivars known as Designline. It remains compact and forms a clump about 1 m high and 50 cm wide, sometimes a little more. Its evergreen leaves are long and narrow, sword-shaped, pointed and slightly arched. Their colour is intense and dark, almost black. Flowering occurs from May to July on mature plants. The flower stalk bends under the weight of numerous small cream-white, nectar-rich and delicately scented flowers.

Resistant to wind and salt spray, it is the ideal plant for coastal areas. Cordyline 'Renegade' can be planted in the middle of a flowerbed, in a pot on a balcony or terrace, or as a standalone feature on a lawn in a small garden. In a flowerbed with exotic accents, pair it with a red Abyssinian banana tree with lush purple-tinged foliage and add colour with the red flowers of Canna 'Red Wine' and Crocosmia 'Lucifer'. In a container, create contrast by opting for Delosperma Wheels of Wonder 'Hot Pink' with its spreading habit and fluorescent pink flowers.