By Thecat
Lancashire,
United Kingdom 
We have a Cordyline in our front garden which over the years has grown to a height of approx 16-18ft. It is now shedding leaves, not just dead leaves ,but green new leaves at an alarming rate. I wonder if the snow and frost of the winter has killed it? If so I'll have to take it down, is the root system usually deep or shallow and easy to dig out. If not shallow any tips for removing the stump?
6 Feb, 2011
Answers
Franner's right - myriad questions on just this subject in the last 3 or 4 weeks on here. If the trunk is rotting and oozing orange stuff and its really bad, you will need to cut back past that point. It's best to wait till at least March to do this, but if its really bad, you'll have to do it now. If no rotting, then just wait and see where/if new growth appears - might be from the base or up the trunks, and you can then cut back to that.
7 Feb, 2011
Hi,
I'm no expert but had the same problem. You should read some of the other questions about Cordylines and palm trees on the board as there are many suggestions that it may grow back from other parts on the trunk or from the root stock.
I have cut mine to below where it is rotting. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get new growth!
I replanted mine from a large pot into the garden a couple of years ago and it was pot bound then so I imagine it would have quite a large root system but this is just a guess from me replanting mine.
Hope this helps,
Fran
6 Feb, 2011