Toni, I didn't keep one over this past winter but I did do it several winters ago. I kept 2 of the green variety, and both did well, growing in a large sw window (I'm guessing 5ft tall by 6ft wide, so large window for me). Problem is they got big, when I measured their diameter after Christmas they were 4ft across, and poking guests in the face or eyes because we were so cramped for space! I wasn't gentle with them either, we'd had a light frost (-1 or -2C) for a couple of nights and I'd been toying with the idea of bringing them indoors so I could have HUGE plants to set in my containers the next year, and after the couple of light frosts they still looked okay, so I dug them out (and when I realized their roots went deep I ended up ripping them out, but this is in good potting soil, so it wasn't as violent as it sounds.) Trimmed off any lackluster leaves, gave the roots a good haircut and potted into a 1 gallon black nursery pot. Did not water for several days, and placed the 2 plants in a low light spot. Then gave water and placed in sunny window. Did not drop one leaf due to that treatment. Just continued to grow and grow. Only problem was when I went to use them the next year, there wasn't much room for the other annuals to plant in the pot, but that would be because they now had a bit of a trunk, so I'd sunk them down into the container, and their leaves were at soil level and not leaving much room for the geraniums and petunias. Oh well. Neighbor down the street from me overwintered the reddish purple ones, with the wider leaves (reminds me of the yucca plant) for 2 winters, and she stuck them in their garage through the winter, wrapped loosely in fabric to keep the cold off (from when the garage door opened and closed to park the vehicle-we get -20C days), come spring they were a bit sad, but then they perked up and looked good. But hers had to be grown in more shade during the summer - NW exposure, so maybe that's how they could survive the garage (with a north window that the plants were not set near). Last year she had to buy new ones. And our winters are long, if I am going to overwinter a plant, that means it comes in 1st or 2nd week of September, and does not go out permanently until 3rd or 4th week of May. That is a looong time. This spring I splurged (by my standards!) and forked out $7 for a red star (I think), it's like the green spike but purplie-red with the thinner leaves, I would like to try and overwinter that. The regular green ones, small size, can be bought for $1, so $7 is quite a bit more to get something a bit different, but then I've yet to see the red ones offered for sale in the little 2.5" pots. Good luck with yours. ~kioni~

You may keep them unless they are spotted from mites or leaf spot diseases. If your Cordyline is growing at an indistinguishable rate it will take longer for the plant to suck all the nutrients out of the browned leaves before dropping them naturally. Probably by now ( 9 months after your post) you can trim them off if they are the lower older leaves. Just know if you change anything about their culture they might bounce back to a deep maroon/brown green if they are lower leaves. A shocked cordyline will neglect to nurish 2/3 of lower leaves turning them an unattractive color but possibly without dropping them. If they are papery like papyrus then they are long dead and removing them is fine. Heck removing lower cordy leaves is always fine I'd just add a bit of nutrient solution to the next water bath and give them brighter shade for a few days. Remember low humidity will brown leaf edges working its way into the center. None of this applies if they are new leaves. I hope to see an update on how the color is now. I'm suspicious that the first post is actually 'kiwi' or 'pete's rainbow". Let me know if I didn't make sense or miscommunicated. My miss Andrea needs a humidifier and to be cool but my red sister doesn't and likes warmth. Hope that helps. I'm z7a in Nashville and all my Cordylines are indoor specimens that enjoy co-potting with tropical epiphytic vines for humidity and awkward small talk.

in south FL too, planted everywhere in street landscaping. and that same variegated ginger too! The one with pink tips is called 'Red Sister': the sun brings out the pinks. It's blooming right now. Ctenanthe is not that common though, the one you can see occasionally is Stromanthe 'Tricolor' (related to Ctenanthe), but in private gardens mostly. But then Monstera and giant Aroids and philodendrons are common here like petunias :). not to mention Crotons of all kind and variegated Schefflera hedges! even saw Ming Aralia just flourishing :). But then last 2-3 winters were record breaking warm.

That sounds beautiful! I was out in Vancouver last fall and was amazed at the green ones that were everywhere. I knew they grew there but to ssee some of those tres in person I was so happy. So I just did some checking back in old photos. I have had it late winter for the past 3 years. It does out grow it and not having to treat it. I always thought it was from the cooler temps in Jan, now I know! As far as I have noticed nothing around it gets infected.