Cordyline fruticosa (Tiplant)
Cabbage Tree, Ti, Tiplant, Ti Plant, Ki, Hawaiian Good Luck Plant, Convallaria fruticosa, Cordyline terminalis, Dracaena terminalis
Popular as a houseplant for its multicolored leaves, Cordyline fruticosa (Tiplant) is an evergreen shrub or small tree with lance-shaped leaves, up to 30 in. long (75 cm), that are bright pink to the deepest burgundy, green and cream. The leaves are spirally arranged into a fanlike shape at the stem tips. It produces panicles of scented, small flowers in summer, which are followed by red berries. Long-lived, mature plants lose their lower leaves. Adding drama year-round with its bold colors and tropical look, Tiplant introduces substance to the garden or the home. Believed to bring good luck, Tiplant is widely cultivated in Hawaiian gardens as a result of its strikingly colorful foliage, which is also used as food wrappers in Hawaiian cooking. Performing well in warm and humid, frost-free climates, it is usually grown as a houseplant in temperate climates.
- Grows up to 9-15 ft. tall (270-450 cm) and 3-8 ft. wide (90-240 cm).
- Easily grown in organic, fertile, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Needs consistently moist soils from spring to fall, but reduced watering from fall to late winter. Maintain a regular watering schedule that allows the plant to dry out slightly between waterings. Consistent fertilizing (4-6 times per year) will maintain the striking leaf colors.
- Great for beds and borders or Mediterranean gardens. Ideal as an accent plant in sunny borders or in decorative containers.
- No serious pest or disease issues. Keep an eye out for aphids, scale, spider mites and mealybugs.
- Propagate by dividing clumps and rhizomes, or from cut stems called 'logs'.
- Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
- Native of tropical Southeast Asia, eastern Australia and some Pacific islands including Hawaii.
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Requirements
Hardiness | 10
– 12 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 7
– 11 |
Climate Zones | 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2 |
Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
Plant Family | Cordyline |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 9' – 15' (270cm – 4.5m) |
Spread | 3' – 8' (90cm – 240cm) |
Spacing | 84" – 96" (210cm – 240cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
Native Plants | Australia |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers |
Garden Styles | Mediterranean Garden |
Forest and Kim Starr (Flickr)
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Requirements
Hardiness | 10
– 12 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 7
– 11 |
Climate Zones | 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2 |
Plant Type | Shrubs, Trees |
Plant Family | Cordyline |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 9' – 15' (270cm – 4.5m) |
Spread | 3' – 8' (90cm – 240cm) |
Spacing | 84" – 96" (210cm – 240cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Evergreen |
Native Plants | Australia |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers |
Garden Styles | Mediterranean Garden |