Ti Plant Care - Growing A Hawaiian Ti Plant Indoors

Red Hawaiian Ti Plant Infront Of Green Fence
(Image credit: Goldfinch4ever)

Hawaiian ti plants are once again becoming popular houseplants. This leads many new owners to wonder about proper ti plant care. Growing a Hawaiian ti plant indoors is easy when you know a few important things about this lovely plant.

Hawaiian Ti Plants

Ti plants (Cordyline minalis) come in a wide variety of colors, including green, red, chocolate, pink, orange, variegated and combinations of all of these. They grow in a tiered rosette and do not often flower. They make excellent houseplants on their own or can be combined with other houseplants with similar needs to make a stunning display.

How to Grow a Ti Plant

When potting up your ti plants, it is best to avoid potting soils that contain perlite, as some perlites can contain fluoride as well. Other than this, a well draining potting soil will work best for potting or repotting your ti plant. These plants cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 F. (10 C.), so be careful not to place them where they may experience drafts from windows or doors. Hawaiian ti plants typically do best in medium to bright light, but variegated or heavily colored varieties will do better in brighter light.

Ti Plant Care

As with many tropical plants, it is best to allow the plant to dry out some in between waterings. Check the ti plant weekly to see if the top of the soil is dry. If the soil is dry, go ahead and water the plant until the water comes out through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. If you have a problem with brown tips on your plant despite proper watering, try switching your water to non-fluoridated or distilled water, as fluoride is mildly toxic to ti plants. When growing a Hawaiian ti plant indoors, you will want to fertilize it about once a month in the spring and summer and once every two months in the fall and winter. If you find that your ti plant indoors is losing its vibrant color, try changing its care some. A ti plant's color will fade if the temperature is too low, it is not getting enough light or if it needs to be fertilized. Caring for ti plants in your home is easy. You can enjoy these vibrant and striking plants year round.

Heather Rhoades
Founder of Gardening Know How

Heather Rhoades founded Gardening Know How in 2007. She holds degrees from Cleveland State University and Northern Kentucky University. She is an avid gardener with a passion for community, and is a recipient of the Master Gardeners of Ohio Lifetime Achievement Award.