# New Zealand cabbage tree

*Cordyline australis*

Its extremely tough leaves were woven by Māori into durable sandals, capes, and ropes, and its taproot was harvested as a sweet, slow-cooked food source.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Asparagales › Asparagaceae › Cordyline
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** decreasing
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Wetlands, alluvial plains, forest margins, and damp coastal areas.
- **Diet:** Photoautotrophic (sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water)
- **Range:** New Zealand
- **Size:** Up to 20 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 meters
- **Lifespan:** 100 to 150 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Sudden Decline disease caused by a phytoplasma parasite, habitat loss, and grazing of seedlings by introduced mammals.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. You can safely approach and touch this tree. Avoid sliding your hands quickly along the leaf edges, as the tough fibers can cause minor cuts. No medical action is needed upon contact.

## About

Cordyline australis , commonly known as the cabbage tree , cabbage-palm or tī kōuka , is a widely branched monocot tree endemic to New Zealand.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/7e6f192a-25e1-4e03-9b02-c2d57198cb63
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/50191
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyline australis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/591762032/medium.jpg (Kahuroa, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), PD, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.