Temperature
60–85°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Ti plant
Cordyline fruticosa
Ti plant wants bright indirect light and water every 6 to 11 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or within three feet of a south one. Pink and red forms lose their colour in low light.
Water
Every 6–11 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
45% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Moderate
Scores 3 of 5: Scores 3 of 5: straightforward on light and water, and highly sensitive to fluoride in tap water, which browns the leaf tips no matter how carefully it is watered.
Habit
Upright
Grows to 24–72 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats and dogs — poison severity low
Contains saponins. Reported signs include vomiting, drooling, loss of appetite.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says 2 sources concur
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Cordyline terminalis
- Toxic to cats and dogs · saponins
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · Saponins · Vomiting (occasionally with blood), diarrhea, lethargy, depression, anorexia, hypersalivation, dilated pupils (cats); Skin irritation or rash can occur with contact of the plant's sap.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or within three feet of a south one. Pink and red forms lose their colour in low light.
Water
Every 6 to 11 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Leaf drop this week
- Yellow leaves this week
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Mealybugs this week
- Scale insects this week
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 21 to 42 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 21–42 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Cordyline terminalis Checked 2026-09-12.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Cordyline fruticosa Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q2717614 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Cordyline fruticosa Accepted name; family Asparagaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Cordyline fruticosa Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Cliff, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY 2.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02