Cordyline Guide: How to Plant and Care for Cordylines

Cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa), also known as the Ti plant, grows leathery, spear-shaped leaves in a variety of colors. The leaves of the evergreen shrub can be green, red, yellow, white, purple, or purplish-red. Some varieties of the cordyline plant bloom white, pink, or lavender flowers with berries in the early summer.

Cordyline varieties can thrive as outdoor plants or houseplants. Flowering is more likely in outdoor varieties, but the houseplant cordyline can occasionally bloom flowers, too. The cordyline plant is native to southeast Asia, eastern Australia, Hawaii, and other Pacific islands.

Cordyline is a tropical plant in the dracaena family, and its ideal hardiness zone is where the average temperature is generally above 55°F. A cordyline plant houseplant should live in a very sunny spot.

Cordyline is toxic to animals. If you have a house cat or a dog (or any other animal that likes to chew on plants), cordyline is not a safe indoor plant. Although there are sprays that deter pets from chewing on your plants, cordyline is so toxic that it’s best to avoid as a houseplant for pet owners.

The cordyline plant has different varieties, generally with colorful leaves. Depending on where you want to put your cordyline plants, they can grow to nearly a foot in height.

1. 1. Cordyline fruticosa: This version has glossy, colorful leaves that change according to the cultivar used. Also known as Cordyline terminalis, the trunk grows straight up and can be up to 10 feet tall.
2. 2. Cordyline pumilio: Also known by the common names of dwarf cabbage tree or pygmy cabbage tree, this variety comes from New Zealand and is used to sweeten foods. It only grows up to 3 feet with no trunk and its green leaves look like grass to the untrained eye.
3. 3. Cordyline Australis: The Red Star plant has large, pointed red leaves that arrange in a circle as well as white flowers that bloom in early summer. Unlike other cordyline varieties, the Red Star Ti plant prefers a dry climate and less humidity, as well as partial sunlight instead of full sun. Since the tap root is long, the Red Star also needs a very deep container for planting.
4. 4. Cordyline Electric Pink: The long, pointed leaves of this cordyline variety are shocking pink and stand out in any garden. It is much more tolerant to lower temperatures and can still thrive in temperatures as low as 15°F.
5. 5. Cordyline Red Sensation: An equally bright variety of the cordyline with long red leaves. This hardy version of the cordyline can thrive as a small indoor plant or grow to a large shrub outdoors in a large pot. It’s very tolerant to drought and low temperatures.
6. 6. Cordyline Red Sister: The Hawaiian Ti plant, or Red Ti, is recognizable for its dark green and deep pink leaves and was commonly called the good luck plant. The Red Ti thrives best in tropical climates with regular watering and moist soil when planted outdoors.

There are a few things to know before planting cordyline in your home or back garden.

1. 1. Find sunlight: Whether you’re outdoors or planting cordyline inside, the sun is the first consideration. The outdoor cordyline plant needs full sun while the indoor cordyline varieties need a bright spot, but not direct sunlight.
2. 2. Assess your soil type: Cordyline can survive with dry soil if necessary. However, moist soil that drains well is the most ideal. The soil pH that works best for cordyline is neutral to alkaline (6-6.5).
3. 3. Set up drainage: If your cordyline is a houseplant, then you need to let the soil drain. They shouldn’t be placed in a pot with a saucer because the soil has to drain and dry before watering again. To keep the plant humid, you can put pebbles or gravel around the plant to make sure it stays damp and avoid root rot.
   
4. 4. Control the climate: Since they are tropical climate plants, cordylines do best in humid weather. If you’re planting them as houseplants, consider using a humidifier near your cordyline for optimal conditions. You can also spray them with a mister every once in a while. If you have the Red Star cordyline variety, there is no need to mist the plant because it prefers a dry warm climate.

The climate that your cordyline requires may affect your other indoor plants or garden.

If you have planted cordyline outdoors in a cooler climate, repot the shrub and bring it inside for warmth in the winter. You can then choose to bring the cordyline back outside, or keep it as a houseplant.

Cordyline plants are subject to pests like plant scale, spider mites, and mealybugs at the base of the plant. Spray the cordyline every week or so with an insecticide in order to curb the pests.

The water you use might affect cordyline as well. If the leaves start to turn brown, it could be due to an excess of fluoride in the water. Instead of tap water, consider using bottled water to treat the issue.

To propagate cordyline, you simply need to cut 3- to 5-inch sections from the stems of a mature cordyline. Then, prune the leaves from the cutting and place them in a layer of sand. The eyes of the stems will then grow shoots. When the shoots have at least four leaves, you can repot them.

When repotting, it’s important to use a potting soil that holds onto moisture. There should also be a drainage hole at the bottom.

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