Since 1987, some species of Cordyline in New Zealand have been affected by a disease called "Sudden Decline", caused by the pathogen Phytoplasma australiense.

The sudden death of some specimens of C. indivisa in cultivation and in the wild has been attributed to this disease, but it is still not clear if this was in fact the case.

It is a very attractive tree, but it has a tendency to collapse suddenly during high temperatures or in times of water shortage.

It prefers cool moist soils, and semi-shade, and is easy to grow in the cooler parts of New Zealand.

North of Hamilton, it can only be grown with great difficulty but few plants survive long enough to flower in lowland areas.