How to Care for a TI Plant
Ti plant (Cordyline terminalis) is an exotic plant that will provide a lush, tropical feel to the indoor environment. The colorful leaves, in shades of pink to red and variegated green and white, will add color and variety. Although the ti plant can be grown outdoors in warm, humid climates, it is usually grown as an indoor plant. At maturity, the ti plant can reach heights of 3 to 5 feet, with a 2-foot span. The ti plant is also known as Hawaiian ti or good luck tree.
Plant the ti plant in a container filled with commercial potting soil. Be sure the container has good bottom drainage, as excessive moisture will cause root rot.
- Ti plant (Cordyline terminalis) is an exotic plant that will provide a lush, tropical feel to the indoor environment.
- Although the ti plant can be grown outdoors in warm, humid climates, it is usually grown as an indoor plant.
Place the ti plant in bright, indirect light such as a window covered by a sheer curtain. You can also place the ti plant 4 to 6 feet away from a bright window.
Water the ti plant when the top of the soil feels slightly dry to the touch, but never allow the soil to become bone dry. Allow the water to sit out overnight before watering so the chlorine can evaporate, or use distilled water.
Maintain a high level of humidity around the ti plant. Place the plant on a tray filled with pebbles. Add water to the pebbles, but don't allow the water to touch the bottom of the pot. Ti plant will also benefit from an occasional misting, especially during dry weather.
- Place the ti plant in bright, indirect light such as a window covered by a sheer curtain.
Keep the ti plant away from drafty windows and doors, heat vents and air conditioners.
Fertilize the ti plant once a month, using a general-purpose, liquid houseplant fertilizer. Withhold fertilizer during the winter months.
Care For A Ti Plant
Prepare a fertile, well-drained sitefor your ti plant. Shovel and till the area to loosen the soil and remove any weeds. Choose a container that is slightly wider than the ti plant’s spread and slightly deeper than its root system. Fill your container halfway with the soil and set it aside. Inspect the roots carefully, looking for broken and deadened roots. Cut damaged and dead roots back into the healthy tissue. Irrigate your planted ti plant deeply with tepid water until water begins to flow from the drainage holes. Place your potted ti plant in a warm, sunny location that has good air circulation and is free of the extreme temperature variations that you might find near heating and air conditioning vents. Distribute the feed evenly around the ti plant’s soil while keeping the feed at least 1 foot away from the base of the plant to prevent chemical burn and resulting root rot. Look for spotted foliage, loss of vigor, nibble marks and yellowed foliage. Treat the ti plant with a fungicidal spray to treat spotted foliage and diseases such as leaf spot.
- Keep the ti plant away from drafty windows and doors, heat vents and air conditioners.
- Distribute the feed evenly around the ti plant’s soil while keeping the feed at least 1 foot away from the base of the plant to prevent chemical burn and resulting root rot.
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Writer Bio
M.H. Dyer began her writing career as a staff writer at a community newspaper and is now a full-time commercial writer. She writes about a variety of topics, with a focus on sustainable, pesticide- and herbicide-free gardening. She is an Oregon State University Master Gardener and Master Naturalist and holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative nonfiction writing.
