Can anyone diagnose my Cordylline ?

My Cordylline seems to have been in a steady decline but I never gave up as there always seemed to be new growth coming through at the centre.

However it seems that before they can ever reach their full length they just turn brown from the tips and die. I have tried feeding it off and on but no change.

I have noticed when I examined the roots that the root structure is surprisingly small inside the pot considering it has been in it for a long time.

Thoughts appreciated ??

 

It was only potted in multi-purpose compost or do you mean something of the pest variety ??

I wondered if it had suffered due to waterlogging in the winter despite the pot having drainage it did sit out in some wet weather. Since then I have tried to keep it reasonably dry with sparse waterings but all the new growth still simply dies off !!

It's already in partial shade but I will move it to a completely shady spot.

 

I've had a poke around in the compost previously and haven't seen anything out of the ordinary but perhaps I'll have another look.

If it is the case that it has been badly damaged over winter by frost/waterlogging is there any chance of it ever recovering. The summer is half way through now and any fresh growth just dies off, doesn't fill me with hope for when the weather cools down again !!

 

I've read about cutting the stem half way down and new growth can come from there. Worth attempting?

 

Gotta say, I think it died, rootwise, some time ago.
Its probably possible to bring it back from the brink, but for the price of a new one its probably not worth it.
Its obviously suffered from overwet roots at some stage.

 

I'm a bit of a fan of recovering anything I can. Get some kind of kick out of it. I always have a plant hospital on the go!

How would you recommend recovering this one Pete?

 

Firstly, take it out the pot, wash off the roots and cut away all the dead ones, if the stem seems soft at the bottom you will need to keep cutting upwards until you find good tissue with no blac rot or soft bits.
You then let it dry for a day and pot into gritty compost in the smallest pot possible, then water occasionally but better to mist spray a couple of times a day.
It would need a warm but shady position, and a miracle