What's it planted in? If its in the ground, how much soil is there? It's just I'm puzzled as to why it got blown over so easily, and also the fact it has a good thick trunk would indicate a plant that's a lot older than 3 years, so I'm wondering how much root room its got beneath those pebbles...

Hi Bamboo,

It was already here when we moved in 2 years ago. It was standing alone (without stakes) and looked beautiful. The neighbours said that it was only planted the previous year and that it was growing quickly.
We had 90mph winds a few months back and although it fought against it with such strength,unfortunately, we came home one day to it blown over. Now I have replanted it, this time mixing soil with some sand that the garden centre advised. It isn't planted too deep, but isn't too shallow either. It is in the same position that it was growing beautifully in last year.

Now the wind has calmed down, it has been firmly in position, so I am hoping that it has at least 6 months for the roots to settle again.
Since the 2nd picture, I have peeled off the leaves that we're easy to come off.

Do you think the green leaves that are coming from the middle are a sign it's still alive Bamboo?

People tell me to give up with it and throw her away, but I am so passionate about saving her as she was a beautiful tree x

Hmm, well it doesn't look good, to be honest - one thing I'd like to check though, in the second photo, at the bottom of the trunk on the right hand side, there's a yellowish whitish patch - is that just a loose pebble or is it a bare part on the stem, where the bark is missing?

Would you worry about it being planted right next to the drain Bamboo? Don't know anything about growing cordylines but have had trouble with roots in drains!

Ok, now it doesn't have any patches etc on the trunk whatsoever, that is a small pebble on the second photo. I have just uploaded a few more which is how it looks after pulling off the dead, loose leaves.

It shows no sign of infection (patches anywhere), and it doesn't smell bad which I am told can be a sign that it is damaged.
Where I have peeled the leaves off, it looks like a nice white and clean tear where they came away easily.

Good point about the drain, but as I said earlier, it was no problem to it growing before.

On the second time it had blown over, we were on holiday. My neighbour had kindly picked it up with her husband and placed it in her back garden until we got back.
She had placed it on her planting bed full of compost and it was sat on there till we got home. It was out of its home for around 12 days just sat on her flowering bed. When we came to collect it, it was in poor condition, and this is the problem we have had since.
Now I removed lots of dead leaves about 10 weeks ago, the day we put it back into its original home. It only had about 6 or 7 leaves sprouting from the top. So as you can see, more are definitely coming through, albeit new ones are brown half way down. Now are the brown bits on the leaves the bits that we're damaged earlier, as the rest of the newly sprouted leaf is green?
Have a close look at the new pictures :) It is raining here and the photo of the top of the trunk doesn't do it any justice really. What looks like gunk on the photo is just a wet trunk after pulling off the dead leaves.

I really appreciate all your help Bamboo x

Okay, if the trunk has no soft spots anywhere, try cutting it down by at least half, at an angle to allow rain to run off, although that procedure is best carried out mid spring, so its a bit late now.

That, though, isn't what I'd do - I'd take the thing out and bin it, and go and buy 3 Yucca flaccida 'Golden Sword', and plant those in a sort of triangle shape, 18 inches apart, preferably not to close to the drain. The reason I'd do that is, that area is obviously very open - wind in this country is now a frequent problem, and this form of Yucca will not be blown over by it nor affected particularly. (Note the varietal name though - I'm not proposing you plant Yucca gloriosa.)

Hardiness is rated as H3, which means its hardier than your Cordyline, but still vulnerable in a very cold winter, specially where you live. Phormium is another option, but again, hardiness is H3, though you'd only need one of those. Failing that, I'd think carefully about choosing some other evergreen plant rather than hanging on to something that should be tied and wrapped in winter and which is likely to blow down again.

Yes you are right Bamboo, it is very open here and we always get the wind really really bad. The thing is, it stood its ground the last two Winter's before this one, and they were especially bad with wind, snow and frost etc.

If I managed to save it, I will fleece it in future.
I am thinking maybe I should put it in the back garden after cutting it. We have an enclosed garden and it would probably have a better chance of settling and growing in there than it does out in the open. I am just worried that moving it 'upsets' it again, as I know they don't like to be moved.

I will have a look at these Yucca Flacida's and maybe invest in a few for that spot.

Also what type of fertiliser would you recommend for the Cordyline? I am also reading that they should be fertilised once a year which is something else I didn't know about!

Thanks again Bamboo! :)

Just a handful or two of something like Growmore (granular feed) lightly turned in to the soil round the base in April or May, though I never bother to feed them directly, they grow just fine without - its when they're in pots they may need a feed.

Steragram - forgot your query, no, I wouldn't be particularly worried about cordyline roots and the drain, but its far too close for something like a tree...

Excellent! Thanks for all your advice Bamboo :)