Ti plant

Identification and origin

Cordyline fruticosa is an evergreen shrub in the Asparagaceae family. Its native range stretches from Papuasia and Queensland through the western Pacific archipelagos, including Bismarck, Caroline, Fiji, Mariana, Marshall, Santa Cruz and Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna. People have carried and cultivated it among tropical islands for centuries. It is strongly associated with Hawaiian gardens, although it is not native to Hawaii.

Upright stems marked by old leaf scars end in terminal rosettes. The leaves are lance-shaped, arranged in spirals and can reach 2.5 ft long and 6 in wide. Botanical forms are green, while cultivars add pink, red, nearly black purple, cream or multicolored stripes. A distinctly grooved leaf stalk and white roots help separate it from dracaenas, which generally have yellow or orange roots.

In tropical landscapes it can become a shrub or small tree 9–15 ft tall and 3–8 ft wide; a container greatly restricts that size indoors. A mature plant may produce fragrant flower clusters up to 12 in long, carrying small white to lavender flowers followed by red berries. Flowering and fruiting are uncommon in a home.

Light

Give it bright indirect light to maintain the strongest leaf colors. A filtered east or west window works well; at a south window, move the pot back or add a sheer curtain. Highly colored cultivars lose contrast in a dim room. Green forms tolerate more shade, although their growth slows. Intense direct sun, especially through glass without prior acclimation, can bleach and scorch leaves. Turn the pot periodically so the rosettes grow evenly.

Watering

Use the surface of the mix and the pot’s weight as guides. Water thoroughly when the upper layer begins to dry, let the surplus leave through the holes, and empty the saucer. The root ball should remain slightly fresh during active growth without staying saturated. Constant water excludes air from the roots and encourages rot, while a long dry spell browns the tips and hastens the loss of lower leaves.

From late fall through late winter, wait a little longer between waterings because the plant uses less moisture. Humid air helps keep the foliage supple. Move the pot away from heaters and group plants if the room is very dry. Highly mineralized water may leave deposits; if tips suffer despite correct watering, try clean rainwater or water containing fewer dissolved salts.

Potting mix

Use a fertile peat- or fiber-based mix amended with a coarse material that lets water drain quickly. A compact medium stays saturated and deprives the rhizomes of oxygen. The container must have drainage holes, remain stable and be only slightly wider than the root ball. During active growth, occasional applications of a balanced foliage-plant fertilizer support good color. Do not increase the dose to compensate for insufficient light, and reduce feeding when growth slows.

Temperature

Ti plant grows best between 64–95 °F and does not tolerate prolonged temperatures below 50 °F. Protect it from cold doors, air-conditioning outlets and abrupt changes. It can spend summer outdoors when nights are warm, provided it is gradually acclimated to brighter light and brought back before fall temperatures drop. Year-round garden culture is limited to USDA zones 10a through 12b. Cold combined with wet potting mix is especially dangerous to the roots.

Repotting

Repot in spring when roots circle the root ball, emerge from the holes or water moves poorly through degraded mix. Choose a container only one size larger. Ease out the root ball, remove material that falls away readily and cut only dead, soft or black roots with a clean tool. Keep the former planting depth, fill without pressing heavily and water to settle the mix around the roots. For a large, stable and healthy specimen, replacing the upper layer may be enough.

Pruning

Cut fully yellow or dry leaves close to the stem without nicking it. Lower leaves disappear naturally as the trunk lengthens. To shorten a lanky plant, cut a healthy stem above a node during active growth; the base may produce new shoots. Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive because contact can be irritating. Clean the tool before moving to another plant.

Propagation

Division suits clumps with several shoots arising from the rhizomes. At repotting time, separate a rooted section and place it in a small free-draining container. Stem cuttings also work: sections of cane, sometimes sold as “ti logs,” can form roots and buds in a warm, lightly moist medium. A removed top can be rooted too. Keep cuttings in filtered light without excessive water until firm new growth appears.

Common problems

One symptom may have several causes. Check light, watering, humidity, temperature and pests before changing the plant’s care.

• Brown tips: dry air, an overly dry root ball, accumulated salts or roots weakened by excess water.
• Dull colors: inadequate light; move the plant gradually to a brighter position without direct sun.
• Pale, dry patches: intense direct sun or acclimation that happened too quickly.
• Many yellow leaves: excess water, cold or root rot; a few aging lower leaves can be normal.
• Leaf spots: foliage staying wet, stagnant air or fungal disease; improve circulation without chilling the plant.
• Fine stippling and webbing: spider mites favored by dry air.
• Cottony clumps or fixed shells: mealybugs or scale insects.
• Distorted young leaves: aphids or thrips hiding in the rosettes.
• Small flies around the mix: fungus gnats encouraged by constantly moist conditions.

Toxicity

Ti plant is toxic to dogs and cats because it contains saponins. Ingestion may cause vomiting, loss of appetite, depression and excessive salivation; cats may also develop dilated pupils. In people, eating it can cause digestive discomfort, while handling may irritate sensitive skin. Keep it out of reach of children and animals.