Cordyline fruticosa
In my 24 - plus years on Earth , I ’ve found that it ’s difficult to feel cadge out in a tropical paradise .
If you ’re trying to land a taste of the tropics into your home and lighten the mood , why not grow a Hawaiian ti plant ? Pull back the spectre , put on some Jimmy Buffett , and it ’ll almost feel like you ’re at the beach !
electron beam of sunlight and “ Margaritaville ” aside , an indoor space with aCordyline fruticosaor two can be really bid .
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With lush , colorful leave and an oculus - catching sizing , a Hawaiian Cordyline terminalis plant makes for a delightful addition to almost any room .
But keep a Hawaiian titanium plant healthy and happy indoors require that you cater to its physiologic want so that itfeelslike it ’s in the tropic … and that can be baffling if you do n’t know how .
That ’s why we ’ve whipped up this guidebook : to give you that necessary know - how . After reading it , you ’ll be able-bodied to keep your Hawaiian - theme repair attend quite on - brand .
Here ’s what we ’ll cover :
What You’ll Learn
What Are Hawaiian Ti Plants?
Hawaiian Cordyline terminalis plant – akaCordyline fruticosa , or but ti works – are broadleaf evergreen plant perennials which acclaim from tropical regions of maritime Southeast Asia , north Australia , and west Oceania .
It ’s hard to know exactly where they originated and where they were present early on , but they ’re currently found in Central and South America , and most of Oceania .
Formerly classified as a member oftheDracaenagenus , atomic number 22 plants are stout in USDA Zones 10 to 12 .
Hawaiian ti turn over top of up to 10 feet and diffuse up to five feet when grown outdoors . But they ’ll often top out at around half of that size of it when grow as houseplants .
C. fruticosaflaunts spiral arrangements of lean , lance - shaped leaves , each about one to two metrical foot long , four inches wide , and set on a two- to six - inch petiole .
In the standard species , the color go off purple to Red River and can afterward mature to a deep green .
As the industrial plant ages , the lower leaf yellow and send packing from the central stem turn , leaving tintinnabulation of leaf scars that turn woody over sentence .
In outpouring to summertime , Hawaiian atomic number 22 plant send up panicles of small , genius - shaped flowers in white , pale chickenhearted , pinkish , or light purple color . Indoor flowering is rarified , and it typically wo n’t happen without ample sunlight and fertilization .
If the bloom are pollinated – again , not very potential when grow as houseplants – they ’ll give way to small Charles Edward Berry of a green , chicken , or ruby-red chromaticity . Below the soil line of products grow thick , rhizomatous ancestor organisation .
The intact Hawaiian ti plant life contains toxic saponin which can make hypersalivation , bloody vomit and stools , economic crisis , and anorexia if consumed by menage pets such as cats and dogs .
If they exhaust turgid quantity , it should be treated as a life - threatening emergency brake that requires swift aesculapian care and/or poison restraint .
If you ’re human , then I would n’t go eating a rawC. fruticosahouseplant , either . Although historically , the rootshavebeen steamed , fermented , or boiled to make them eatable .
Speaking of chronicle …
Cultivation and History
Despite how awesome it looks , the Hawaiian atomic number 22 industrial plant is more than just a pretty brass . possibly not the best dialect for discuss something that ’s faceless , but you get my drift .
Nowhere is this more evident than in Polynesia . other Polynesians believe thatC. fruticosahad god - like major power .
Its leaves were worn around the cervix , waist and ankles as well as hung around dwellings to guard off evil , living ti plants were cultivated for good fortune – earning them the soubriquet “ good luck plant ” – and the form ofC. fruticosawas imitated in fledge kähili monetary standard , which were displays of royalty .
Ti plants became even more important once they were introduced into Hawaii .
There , the plants became have a go at it as “ Ki , ” and they were revere as sanctified flora of the deities Lono and Laka .
Along with the above beliefs and the States , the leaves were placed in waters to screen for sharks or supernatural creatures : a floating leaf indicate rubber , while one that sank was an portent of danger .
Hawaiians also use ti roots to make beer , brandy , and laxative , and take in them straight - up as sweet treats after preparation .
A short ton of sometime - school app are still in use in Hawaii today . The leaves are used in constructing rain gear wheel , sandals , fishnets , sleds , hula dance outfit , luau laurel wreath , and roofs .
They can also be used as feed for cattle and horses , be wrapped around intellectual nourishment prior to steaming , and even congratulate entrees as an uneatable garnish .
Many Hawaiian ti variety are school specifically for their cut leaf , which is used by florist in beautiful arranging . Plus , the living specimen make terrific plantings for indoor decor or outdoor landscape painting .
Hawaiian Ti Plant Propagation
There are many unlike ways to propagate a Hawaiian ti plant . For indoor growers , you may take cane cut , apply air layering , or transplant a purchased container plant .
class and sowing from seed are other effective means of propagation , but those are substantially allow for gardener who grow theirC. fruticosaspecimens outside , since indoor plants remain more compact and do n’t bloom as easily , much less primed yield .
For a more in - depth breakdown on how to seed seed or water parting , check out our guide to growing ti plants out of doors .
From Cane Cuttings
To take cane cuttings , you ’ll need to find a ripe ti plant , whether it ’s your own or a friend ’s . If it ’s the latter , verify to postulate for their permission first . If someone cut up upmyti plant without asking , then they ’d have made an enemy for life !
If you observe the ti plant ’s construction above the soil business line , you ’ll notice that the top portion will have the leave of absence , petioles , and mild central stem , while the component part below that will be a mature , woody stem .
Using a sharp-worded and sterile dyad of hired man lopper , make your first cut at least three inches below the percentage point where the tender growing becomes mature wood . transfer the lowermost tail of basal leaves to overcompensate for the lack of stem tissue , and you ’ve pay back your first cutting .
If you return your care to the original ti plant , now you should have a lean , woody stem adhere up from the grunge lineage . To takemorecuttings , you may remove three - inch stem cut until the original radical is three inches magniloquent .
Sonow , you should have at least one cutting with the leaves still attach , and perhaps a bit of three - inch stem turn discussion section . I cognise that shoot cutting from aC. fruticosamay seem a moment more drastic than what you ’d do for other plants , but rely me – it ’ll bound back !
Stick the leafy cutting in a four- to six - inch container filled with a 50:50 mix of sphagnum peat moss and vermiculite , make trusted to submerge the lower three tail of the divest stem , and dampen the media .
Scraping your pruning hook blades along the stem beforehand to lightly damage it can help speed up rooting , although it ’s not necessary .
Your root word - only cutting should go in four- to six - inch containers filled with a exchangeable media .
Submerge three quarters of the stem section underneath the soil line , making sure it is the correct way up , and dampen the media . Just like before , feel free to lightly damage the outer Earth’s surface of the stem to push faster rooting .
Now that you have all your cuttings pot up and water in , set them somewhere indoors where they will obtain burnished , indirect light source with temperatures of 65 to 95 ° F .
check that to keep the soil moist , but not wet , and fog the air around the cuttings with a water - occupy spray bottle two to three times a twenty-four hours until root occurs , which should take two to four weeks .
At this point , supplementary piss vapor is only necessary if the ambient humidity is less than 40 percent .
Repot as require to provide the roots with an inch or two of elbow room , and you ’ll have yourself an establish houseplant after a month or two !
Air Layering
Normal layering wo n’t ferment for a ti plant as its stem is stiff and unshakable , but air layering is the perfect technique to prove .
Take a goodly and mature indoor Hawaiian ti plant , and observe the top three inches of the woody tissue . Take the bottom two inch ofthatsection , and remove the outermost tissue paper from all around the stem with a sharp , aseptic blade .
You should now be provide with a two - in - long mob of strip stem underneath a exclusive column inch of undisturbed woody tissue .
Take some moist sphagnum peat moss , clump it around the expose root , then enfold it up with some light plastic wrapper . Tie the ends so it all stays mingy , and thus start out the wait plot .
Keep the peat moist with a skinny tearing can nozzle or syringe , and ancestor should form in two months or so .
you may check for root growth by moving the peat moss apart as necessary .
Gently unwrap the solution and lop your air level by from the stem tissue paper below . Now you ’re quick to transplant !
Transplanting
Whether you have a cutting that needs repotting , an air - layer propagule that need a lasting plate , a potted Hawaiian Cordyline terminalis plant that you ’ve purchased , or you simply want a snazzy container acclivity , transplanting is the move .
Fill a container an inch shy of the back talk with a 50:50 mixture ofpeat mossand vermiculite . If you ’d favor it , coconut coiris a suitable alternative to peat .
check that that the bottom of the container has drainage holes and that its diameter is a match of inches wider than the transplant ’s antecedent organisation .
Prepare a hole that ’s large enough for the transplant ’s tooth root organization , lower the ti plant in so that its crest is level with the grime line , backfill the hole with ground , and water it all in so that the media is squeamish and moist . Presto , ya done transplanted !
For surplus credit , identify a saucer underneath the plant so that any piddle seepage does n’t damage your flooring .
How to Grow Hawaiian Ti Plants
For a tropic specimen likeC. fruticosa , it ’s extremely authoritative to provide worthy conditions to keep it happy and goodish . Let ’s discuss how !
Climate and Exposure Needs
As tropical flora worthy forUSDA Hardiness Zones10 to 12 , Hawaiian ti plants thrive in live , humid condition .
Indoor agriculturalist should provide a temperature somewhere between 65 and 95 ° F , and a humidity of 40 to 60 percentage . Thermostats , space heater , grouping plant , humidifiers , and mist are all effective mean value of modify temperature and humidity .
Cold and draughty areas will make the above much hard , so be sure to only “ keep it windy ” in the metaphorical sense .
promising , indirect spark will help your ti plants to flaunt those oh - so - vibrant color . They can by all odds manage with a little less light , but it ’s not optimum .
Soil Needs
A well - draining , yet wet - retentive mix is essential , along with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 . To meet these needs , an evenly - balanced blend of sphagnum peat moss and vermiculite is perfect .
You need a stain mixture that ’s premade , set for si plant , and ready - to - go powerful out of the suitcase ?
Miracle Gro Tropical Potting Mix
Try this mix that ’s perfect for tropic plant , available from Miracle Gro via Amazon .
Water and Fertilizer Needs
Irrigation - wise , optimum means keeping the media consistently moist without letting it twist soggy .
To pull this off , water whenever the top in of media feels dry to the tinge . During the wintertime month , your watering relative frequency will of course go down as your ti flora ’s charge per unit of transpiration decreases .
Ti plants are peculiarly tender to fluoride , so distilled or deionized water supply source would be ideal .
You could also utilize natural sources such as rain , snow melt , and even the water that collects in dehumidifiers .
To provide the necessary nourishment , put on a 20 - 10 - 20 NPK fertiliser once a month throughout the produce season according to the ware ’s instructions .
Jack ’s Classic Fertilizer
If you call for a recommendation , try Jack ’s Classic 20 - 10 - 20 Citrus Food Fertilizer , useable as a pulverization in one - and - a - half - Ezra Pound tubsvia Amazon .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
As a Hawaiian ti plant produce and matures , its miserable leafage may turn yellow or browned . rationalise these off where they encounter the stem as you see them , along with any other bushed , pathologic , or damaged leaves .
Pruning can also be used to insure a specimen ’s size . reduce it down to a tiptop of six inches and you ’ll rejuvenate it , as well as cause it to grow leaf lower down on the stem .
Be sure to empty any drainage - collect dish aerial if they take on water quicker than it evaporates . And do n’t forget to repot as necessary ! A cramped root system is very much no bueno .
Hawaiian Ti Plant Cultivars to Select
The colourful leave-taking ofC. fruticosaare its good feature , no doubt . And with a plethora of cultivars to choose from , you may grow one in all form of hues .
But do n’t get me untimely : the standard species is plenty pretty , and can be buy in a three - gallon container from Brighter Bloomsat Home Depot .
Now , if you ’d earmark me to harp on my three pet change …
Black Mystique
I know this gardening hobby is supposed to be all hopeful and cheery , but there ’s nothing incorrect with going a bit emo every now and then .
Growing three to five metrical unit all-encompassing and four to eight invertebrate foot tall , ‘ Black Mystique ’ flaunts beautiful , purple - black leaf that can really stand out when direct near your standard green - bequeath houseplant .
Candy Cane
Reaching a like size as the standard species , this mixed bag place upright out with its unambiguously tricolored leafage .
Lush with green foliage that are mottle with light pink and emollient , ‘ Candy Cane ’ certainly lives up to its sweetened name .
Florica
Love colors that straddle the line between bright and dark ?
Then you ’ll require to grow ‘ Florica , ’ a cultivar that grows up to six feet tall and eight feet wide while bearing reddish - purple to reddish - pink leaves .
‘ Florica ’
For a ‘ Florica ’ specimen in a three - gal jackpot , be sure tovisit FastGrowingTrees.com .
Morning Sunshine
Are you a hue enthusiast ? More specifically , alotof hues ? Then the received - sized ‘ Morning Sunshine ’ is where it ’s at .
With leaves that come in in magnificent spectre of dark-green , yellow , orange , pink , majestic , and cream , ‘ Morning Sunshine ’ has the esthetical goods to satisfy lover of colors .
Rising Sun
go along with the “ sun in the cockcrow ” theme … who says you have to step outside to catch the sunrise ?
At a height and width of three to five feet , ‘ Rising Sun ’ has vibrant , light- to moody - unripened leave with pink margins .
Juvenile leaves emerge in white bordered with garden pink , which provide a unequaled bit of visual sake during the growing time of year .
‘ rise Sun ’
you could obtain ‘ rise Sun ’ in six - column inch and three - gallon container availableat FastGrowingTrees.com .
Want More Options ?
Be sure to check out our cultivar guide , “ 15 of the Best Cordyline ( Ti Plant ) Varieties . ”
Managing Pests and Disease
Thankfully , houseplant do n’t front as many health threats as outdoor flora . But as 24 - 60 minutes bugs andactualbugs show , the home is n’t entirely free from blighter and pathogens .
Insects
Since insects can now and again vector disease - causing pathogen , it ’s doubly important to attend out for them . Here are some to keep your eye peeled for :
A usual pestilence both indoors and out , aphids are rounded , soft - bodied , and pear tree - mold insects that congregate in clustering on folio and halt .
Sucking the cosh out of works with their piercing - sucking mouthparts , aphids can cause stunt flying , wilting , reduced color , speckling , distortion , and even leaf expiration .
Plus , they also pass honeydew , which can draw ant and top to the formation of blacksooty mold .
Bonide Insecticidal Soap
Sprays of insecticidal grievous bodily harm on infested plant parts should assist a lot with controller .
Go with a Cartesian product like Bonide ’s ready - to - use insecticidal soap , available in various volumesat Arbico Organics . Do n’t ignore the underside of leaves and the gaps between them !
you could find out more about aphids and how to carry off them in our guide .
Scale are small , armored or soft - bodied insects that conglomerate in sedentary clumps on leaves and stems .
Like aphids , they employ piercing - sucking mouthpart to draw out plant life juices , which cause greensick streak that expand out from the feeding sites .
you’re able to scrape these pest off with an border prick or by paw , or you’re able to spray them with horticultural crude .
Monterey Horticultural Oil
For some oil color , try out Monterey ’s quick - to - spray horticultural oil , available in ready - to - employment and reduce formsat Arbico Organics .
Learn more about scale insect in our guide .
near insufferable to see with the naked center , spider mites are tiny , bristly arachnids that extract plant fluids , like aphids and scale , which make wilting , greensickness , and stunted growing .
Clumps of webbing will discover their presence from afar , while a hand lens will foreground the private pests .
Insecticidal Georgia home boy and neem oil are both effective forms of controller , along with strong spray of water to physically smash the plague off of flora surfaces . For the latter , be sure to take the specimen outside first !
We ’ve got more information about wanderer mite here .
Disease
desexualise your clipping implement , forfend splashing the foliage , and promptly removing unhealthy leaf are all solid techniques for preventing possible infection .
But for more specific disease bar tip , read on .
A quick tone before you do , though : the following fungal diseases may be prevent by the use of fungicide sprays .
If you choose to use them , be sure to take your specimen outdoors prior to program . If you ’d rather not use them , no worries – ethnical prevention can be just as effective .
have by species ofFusariumfungi , Fusarium radical androot rotis promoted by excessively lactating and humid condition .
In conditions of in high spirits wet , the fungus can set on the plant which make dieback , loosening bark , and basal lesions . Internally , the woody tissue paper can become arid while the roots turn mushy and brown .
Prevention is best achieve by guarantee adequate drain and not overwatering . If a plant is found to be infected , go ahead and slope it – it ’s worth it in the long rivulet .
Thanks to a “ slur ” ofPhyllosticta dracaenaefungi , the older leaves of specimen afflicted with Phyllosticta leaf touch will attest small spots of a roundish , unorthodox anatomy , edge with purple and surrounded by yellow halos .
The spots hinder a plant ’s ability to conduct photosynthesis , and are ugly to boot . septic leaves should be pruned like a shot . Excess water is a causal gene of this condition , so do n’t forget to bring home the bacon plenteous drain and keep the soil from becoming soggy !
have by the fungus - same oomycetePhytophthora nicotianae , Phytophthora leaf blot causes the lower leafage to take on a water - soaked visual aspect and become riddled with patches of brown necrotic tissue .
As this pathogen like to advert out in the land , you should dispose of the septic specimen , sanitise its container , and replace it with fresh growing mass medium .
As with the other disease mentioned , reining in spare moisture makes a world of preventative dispute .
Best Uses for Hawaiian Ti Plants
A ti industrial plant can be used in all sort of ways throughout the home . you could place it alone as a focal point , set it near another industrial plant as an accent , or even grouping multiple specimens together in a beautiful dependency !
And salubrious leaf can make for a delicious addition to flowered arrangement , if that form of matter tickles your fancy .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
For Instant Glee, Go With Some Ti
No , not that melodious dramedy television series – I ’m speak about vestal delight . The kind that you feel when you ’ve got a beautiful Hawaiian ti plant life animate up the place .
playfulness to give care for and even more play to search at , the Hawaiian ti works definitely deserve some veridical estate in your home . And after you make some rise experience , you too will be singing its kudos !
Need some more houseplantsto keep the tropic theme going ? Then you ’ll really want to add these to your indoor garden :
© require the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photograph via Arbico Organics , Bonide , Brighter Blooms , FastGrowingOrganics.com , Home Depot , Jack ’s Classic , Miracle Gro , and Monterey . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Joe Butler
