Cordyline, Red

Cordyline fruticosa, commonly called Ti plant, typically grows as a short tree or shrub to 10’ tall in its native habitat of tropical Southeast Asia, eastern Australia and some Pacific islands including Hawaii. In the United States, it can only be grown outdoors in far southern Florida, southwestern United States and Hawaii. As a houseplant in the zones 5 and lower area, it more often grows a 3-6’ tall. This is a lonlived broadleaf evergreen that features thin lance shaped leaves (to 30” long and 6” wide) that emerge pinkish red, but mature to deep green. Scented, white to pale lavender flowers appear in panicles (to 12” long) in summer and are followed by red berries. Houseplants rarely flower and fruit, however. As the plant ages, it loses its lower leaves. Leaves of this plant have been used in Hawaii to make hula skirts and edible rhizomes for food. Varieties in commerce include plants with colored or variegated foliage. Synonymous with C. terminalis.