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Cordyline fruticosa 'White'

Family Name:	Asparagaceae
Common Name:	Ti Plant, Good Luck Plant, Cabbage Palm, Palm Lily

Full Sun

Semi Shade

Moderate Water

Indoor Plant

Fragrant Plant

Ornamental Leaves

Herbaceous Plant

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Infraspecific Epithet
Name Status (botanical)
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Herbaceous Plant
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition

Autotrophic

Biogeography

Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Growth Form: Evergreen, rhizomatous shrub with a single, erect stem. Stem: Erect, single stem appears woody. Although the stem appears hard and dry, this cultivar is a monocot and therefore lacks true wood. The rhizome (underground, horizontal stem) is thick and resembles a tuber. Foliage: Smooth, glossy leaves are strap-shaped with wavy leaf margin (30 - 76 cm long, 10 - 15 cm wide). Lower leaves are solid green, while some of the upper leaves are variegated with alternating stripes of green and white that vary in thickness. The petiole is long and whitish. Most of the leaves are arranged in 2 rows on opposite sides of the stem. The petiole bases slightly overlap each other, creating a braid-like pattern. Flowers: Small, lightly fragrant flowers (1 cm wide) are arranged in branched clusters known as panicles (30 cm long). They are rarely produced indoors. Fruits: Fruit is a red, leathery capsule containing black seeds. Landscaping: This cultivar is planted for its ornamental foliage, having an interesting mix of solid green and variegated leaves. It can be potted in a large container and placed on a sunny patio or even grown indoors. For a fuller look, a large specimen can be placed in the same container with 2 smaller specimens. Cultivation: This cultivar should be planted in fertile, well-draining soil. For container plantings, use a potting mix that is based on peat moss and does not contain perlite. Allow the top inch of soil to dry before rewatering and use only fluoride-free or low-fluoride water. Feed biweekly with a half-strength, 15-5-10 NPK fertilizer that contains micronutrients. Magnesium deficiency is a common problem among Ti plants which causes leaf yellowing, so make sure the fertilizer contains sufficient magnesium. It is susceptible to a variety of pests (eg., mealy bugs, aphids, spider mites, snails, slugs, nematodes and leafhoppers) and bacterial / fungal diseases caused by Cercospora, Phytophthora, and Xanthomonas species. Propagation: Propagate by stem cuttings, rhizome division and air layering. Etymology: The genus "Cordyline" is derived from the Greek word for club ("cordyle"), referring to the thick rhizomes of this genus. The species epithet "fruticosa" is derived from the Latin word for bushy ("fruticosus"). Caution: The leaves contain saponins which are toxic to dogs and cats.

Others - Plant Morphology

Growth Form: Evergreen, rhizomatous shrub with a single, erect stem. Stem: Erect, single stem appears woody. Although the stem appears hard and dry, this cultivar is a monocot and therefore lacks true wood. The rhizome (underground, horizontal stem) is thick and resembles a tuber. Foliage: Smooth, glossy leaves are strap-shaped with wavy leaf margin (30 - 76 cm long, 10 - 15 cm wide). Lower leaves are solid green, while some of the upper leaves are variegated with alternating stripes of green and white that vary in thickness. The petiole is long and whitish. Most of the leaves are arranged in 2 rows on opposite sides of the stem. The petiole bases slightly overlap each other, creating a braid-like pattern. Flowers: Small, lightly fragrant flowers (1 cm wide) are arranged in branched clusters known as panicles (30 cm long). They are rarely produced indoors. Fruits: Fruit is a red, leathery capsule containing black seeds. Landscaping: This cultivar is planted for its ornamental foliage, having an interesting mix of solid green and variegated leaves. It can be potted in a large container and placed on a sunny patio or even grown indoors. For a fuller look, a large specimen can be placed in the same container with 2 smaller specimens. Cultivation: This cultivar should be planted in fertile, well-draining soil. For container plantings, use a potting mix that is based on peat moss and does not contain perlite. Allow the top inch of soil to dry before rewatering and use only fluoride-free or low-fluoride water. Feed biweekly with a half-strength, 15-5-10 NPK fertilizer that contains micronutrients. Magnesium deficiency is a common problem among Ti plants which causes leaf yellowing, so make sure the fertilizer contains sufficient magnesium. It is susceptible to a variety of pests (eg., mealy bugs, aphids, spider mites, snails, slugs, nematodes and leafhoppers) and bacterial / fungal diseases caused by Cercospora, Phytophthora, and Xanthomonas species. Propagation: Propagate by stem cuttings, rhizome division and air layering. Etymology: The genus "Cordyline" is derived from the Greek word for club ("cordyle"), referring to the thick rhizomes of this genus. The species epithet "fruticosa" is derived from the Latin word for bushy ("fruticosus"). Caution: The leaves contain saponins which are toxic to dogs and cats.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Foliage, Fragrant (Flowers) (Day)
Landscape Uses	General, Focal Plant, Container Planting, Interiorscape/ Indoor Plant

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Semi-Shade, Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Well-Drained Soils

Maintenance Requirements	Low
Diseases	It is susceptible to a variety of pests (eg., mealy bugs, aphids, spider mites, snails, slugs, nematodes and leafhoppers) and bacterial / fungal diseases caused by Cercospora, Phytophthora, and Xanthomonas species.
Pest(s)	Associated with
Propagation Method	Stem Cutting, Division, Air-Layering

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green, White
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Smooth, Glossy / Shiny
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate

Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Oblong)
Foliar Venation	Parallel
Foliar Margin	Entire - Wavy / Undulate
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acute
Foliar Base	Acute
Typical Foliar Area	Macrophyll ( 182.25cm2 - 1640.25 cm2 )
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Herbaceous
Root Type	Underground (Fibrous Root)
Specialised Storage Organ(s)	Underground (Rhizome)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Inflorescence Type	Panicle

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Red
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	563
Species ID	1859
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.