The Ti plant, also known as cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa), has leathery, spear-shaped leaves that come in a range of hues. The evergreen shrub’s leaves can be any color, including green, red, yellow, white, purple, or purplish-red. Early in the summer, certain cordyline plant kinds produce white, pink, or lavender blooms and berries.
Both indoor and outdoor environments are favorable for cordyline types. Although flowering is more probable in outdoor forms, cordyline can nevertheless occasionally produce blooms when grown indoors. Southeast Asia, eastern Australia, Hawaii, and other Pacific islands are home to the cordyline plant.
The dracaena family member cordyline is a tropical plant, and it prefers climates with average daily temperatures exceeding 55°F. A highly sunny location is ideal for a cordyline plant indoor houseplant.
How should a cordyline be maintained outside?
Maintaining Cordyline Terminalis
- Make sure the soil is evenly hydrated and that the plant receives some shade or full light.
- Since the plant naturally thrives in regions with high rainfall, give it around 1 inch of water for every week that it doesn’t rain.
- To keep the leaves dry, give the plant a hose or soaker irrigation.
Is cordyline used inside or outside?
Beautiful tropical plants called cordylines are indigenous to the Pacific Islands and parts of Southeast Asia. They may give much-needed color to any indoor environment with their eye-catching colors and brilliant leaves. It’s simple to select a cordyline plant that will thrive in your home, but you must be certain that you can provide it with the correct environment. Cordyline may grow both indoors and outdoors in the warmer climates. Your cordyline should only be an indoor houseplant, though, if you don’t reside in a warm, tropical area. We’ll show you how to bring these lovely plants into your home and make sure they survive for the best cordyline care because they’re fortunately fairly simple to cultivate indoors and will add color and interest to your collection of houseplants.
The soil should dry out in between waterings. If the soil around the plant is still wet, don’t water it. Fill the pot with water until it drains out of the drainage holes at the bottom. During the winter, avoid fertilizing the plant.
When there is no longer a risk of frost and nightly temperatures are above 45 degrees F, move the cordyline back to its outdoor placement. To reacclimate the plant to the outdoors before putting it in its permanent summer residence, place the cordyline in a location with part shade and let it out for about 3 hours on the first day. The following week, progressively increase sun exposure and outside time.
Where to plant
Both borders and containers can be used to grow cordylines. They prefer a warm, protected location with healthy soil that drains well. Learn how to evaluate the state of your garden by reading our guide.
For cordylines with green leaves, full sun is optimal, but for those with colored or variegated foliage, mild shade is preferred because direct sunlight can diminish the vibrant colors.
The ideal way to raise delicate species—like Cordyline marginata, C. stricta, and C. fruticosa (syn. C. terminalis)—indoors during the winter is in containers.
How to plant
- Follow our detailed instructions for planting shrubs when creating border plantings.
- Use multipurpose or loam-based compost, such as John Innes No 2, when planting in a container, whether it be for a houseplant or summer container displays. See our planting guide for containers.
- Choose John Innes No. 3 compost, with extra grit to promote drainage, for planting in a long-term container. Read our container gardening guide for more information.
Once planted, cordylines typically require little maintenance and require little irrigation. However, they need constant feeding and watering when planted in containers, as well as winter protection, unless the climate is warm. Therefore, be ready to either bring them inside or relocate them to a protected location and wrap them in fleece.
Watering
During their first summer, newly planted cordylines in borders should receive regular irrigation. Established plants can withstand droughts and shouldn’t need watering.
During the growing season, cordylines in pots require routine watering; however, during the winter, they should be kept quite dry. Plants kept indoors over the winter only require sporadic watering, but those left outside should be relocated to a protected area to avoid heavy winter rain. They might be killed by prolonged cold and rainy weather.
Can cordylines be grown in pots?
The tried-and-true Cordyline is another hardy plant option that is great for growing in containers. Traditional beach communities have a lot of Cordyline containers adorning their seafronts. It is a great specimen for mixed and focal plantings because of its exotic, palm-like appearance, and it also makes a fantastic choice for architectural plants. Although removing the bottom older leaves will tidy up the plant and help it form a stem, little to no pruning is necessary. When growing during the summer and sparingly during the winter, cordyline prefer regular irrigation.
A few years ago, Cordyline australis was the alternative that was easiest to find, and it has stems that tend to grow more noticeable as it ages. Cordyline banskii cultivars, which develop many shoots at the base and give the entire plant a more clustered appearance, are also readily available right now.
For more permanent planting, cordylines must be potted into big pots because they require room when planted in a pot. Mature plants that have a pleasant aroma can yield flowers. When the flowering season is through, cut flower stalks to the root.
Like other Cordyline, they do well in a sunny to somewhat shaded location. The best choice for planting in containers is John Innes No 3, though multipurpose can also be added in for larger pots.
The range of Cordyline for container planting has been greatly expanded in recent years by extensive breeding for enhanced leaf color:
- Where it all began with long, strap-like leaves in green was Cordyline australis.
- Australian cordyline The distinctive bronze-purple foliage of Atropurpurea is present.
- Bold pink stripes and edges decorate Cordyline Southern Splendor.
- With an upright form and leaves that are a good, rich red color, Cordyline Red Star is a favorite.
- Australian cordyline Similar to the previously mentioned Red Star, Red Sensation features larger leaves and darker purple foliage.
What are cordylines used for in the winter?
preventing frost damage to palm trees and cordylines Gathering the leaves and covering them in horticultural fleece will shield the crown of cordylines. The garden fleece will be forced to form a safe air pocket around the exposed crown as the leaves attempt to fan out.
Do cordylines tolerate direct sunlight?
Cordylines with warm or cold climates prefer full sun to partial shade. They may grow in a variety of soil types, although they require adequate drainage and, once established, can withstand dry weather. Some species can withstand cold and low temperatures of 15C. Although the foliage will be harmed, it will regenerate in the spring.
Why keep killing my cordylines?
Overwatering may be to blame if the leaves on your cordyline are getting dark brown and mushy, whereas underwatering may be the cause if they are turning a crispy brown color.
When the top 25 to 50 percent of the soil is dry, water. These plants prefer a moderate amount of moisture, but never waterlogged soil. Water the area thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage hole, then drain any extra.
The tap water you used to hydrate your plant may have caused the yellowing and browning of the leaves. This type of sensitive plant may be harmed by fluoride and other additives found in regular tap water. Use distilled or rainwater if at all possible. You can let some tap water sit out overnight to let some of the contaminants evaporate if this isn’t possible. Even if you use filtered water, I recommend asking the brand’s manufacturer if fluoride is removed throughout the fluoride filtering process. most don’t
These plants prefer a warm, humid climate because they are from the warm tropics. Mist frequently, incorporate a pebble tray, or put a humidifier close by.
Is cordyline a perennial or annual plant?
While cordyline is a perennial in warmer climates, it is very well-liked as an annual in cooler climates to lend vertical flair to summer plantings. In bright to medium light, these tropical leaf options can flourish as houseplants.
Planting Instructions
Use a hoe, spade, or power tiller to break up the existing soil to a depth of 12–16 inches to prepare the garden (30-40cm). As soon as the soil is loose and simple to work, add organic material like manure, peat moss, or garden compost. Organic components enhance drainage, supply nutrients, and promote earthworms and other soil-healthy organisms. Add a starter fertilizer or all-purpose feed that promotes blooming to plants to give them a boost (for example fertilizers labeled 5-10-5).
For recommended spacing and the plant’s maturity height, refer to the plant label. Plants should be arranged such that shorter plants are in the foreground and taller plants are in the center or background of the landscape design. Gently support the plant’s base while you tip it sideways and touch the pot’s exterior to loosen the plant before removing it from the container. Till the plant easily emerges from the pot, rotate the container and keep tapping to release the soil.
Create a hole that is up to double the size of the root ball and deep enough so that the plant will be buried at the same depth as the dirt in the container. Use your finger to gently rake the roots apart while holding the plant at the top of the root ball. This is crucial, especially if the container has been completely filled with dense roots. In the hole, place the plant.
Gently compact the soil around the roots to fill in any gaps around the root ball. By hand, tamping with the flat side of a small trowel, or even by pressing down with your foot, compact the dirt around the plant. Up to an inch above the top of the root ball or even with the soil around it, the earth should cover the planting hole. To ensure that new plantings have a strong foundation, they should be watered every day for a few weeks.
Prepare in advance for plants that will grow tall and need support cages or stakes. Cages should ideally be installed in the early spring, or during planting time, before the foliage becomes overgrown. Provide a trellis, fence, wall, or other structure that allows the plant to grow freely and spread since vining plants need vertical area to thrive.
Finish off with a 2 (5 cm) layer of mulch, such as compost or finely chopped bark, to keep the garden looking neat, prevent weed growth, and maintain soil moisture.
Watering Instructions
For the first several weeks after planting, new plants require regular watering. After that, watering may be reduced to every two or three days, depending on the weather and soil type. Expect to water more regularly in sandy areas since clay soils retain moisture less quickly than sandy soils.
Varying plants require different amounts of water. Some plants prefer to stay on the dry side, while others prefer constant moisture. Check a plant’s label to see what it needs specifically.
The root zone, or the region between 6 and 12 (15 to 30 cm) from the base of the plant, should receive watering in the ideal situation rather than the entire plant. For maintaining the health of plants and minimizing water loss through evaporation, a soaker hose is a wise purchase. A excellent technique to manage irrigation is to hand-water using a watering can with a sprinkler head attached. Try to water in the morning if the garden space is large and a sprinkler is required so that plant foliage can have time to dry during the day. Moist foliage promotes mold and disease, which can weaken or harm plants.
It is preferable to thoroughly wet the ground up to 8 (20 cm) every few days as opposed to watering sparingly every day. Deep watering promotes roots to go deeper into the soil, strengthening the plant and increasing its resistance to drought.
Use a small trowel or your finger to probe the ground and feel the soil for wetness. It’s time to water if the top 2-4 (5-10 cm) of soil is dry.
Fertilizing Instructions
When constructing planter beds, add fertilizer to the soil. In the early spring and again midway through the growing season, established plants should be fed. Don’t fertilize plants too late in the growing season. This encourages new growth, which early frosts can readily harm.
There are many different types of fertilizers, including granulated, slow-release, liquid feeds, organic, and synthetic. Choose a product with a nutritional balance intended to promote flowering and determine which application technique is most appropriate for the circumstance (such as 5-10-5).
Applying a 1-2 (3-5cm) layer of mulch or compost once a year will lessen the overall demand for fertilization. Mulch provides nutrients to the plants as it decomposes while also enhancing the general health of the soil.
Pruning Instructions
Depending on the plant’s blossoming behavior, remove individual faded blossoms or wait until the blooming period has passed before removing the entire flower stalk all the way to the plant’s base. Old flower stalks should be cut off to keep the plant’s energy directed toward strong growth rather than seed development. Throughout the growing season, foliage can be freely clipped to eliminate harmed or discolored leaves or to maintain plant size.
Plants shouldn’t be pruned after September 1st. When the first frosts come, pruning encourages fragile new growth that will be easily damaged. Perennial plants require time to “harden off,” or get ready for the winter. Cutting back to approximately 4 (10 cm) above the ground will easily remove plants that have fallen to the ground and need to be cleaned up.
The ornamental grasses’ flowering plumes and foliage make a stunning presence in the wintertime environment. In early spring, just before new growth begins, cut the plant back to the ground after leaving it intact for the winter.
Every three to four years, perennials should be pulled out and divided. This fosters future blossoming, promotes healthy new growth, and produces new plants that can be added to the garden or shared with other gardeners.