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 Many homeowners enjoy adding color to their gardens with plants that are hardy and require little care. The Ti plant (pronounced like the word “tea”) is a beautiful example of a colorful plant, tolerant of most soil conditions and will grow in direct sunlight or in shaded areas. In some cases, the stems can grow as high as 8-10 feet.
Ti plants are extremely popular worldwide for their intense leaf colors and leaf shapes, and are very easy to grow in Central Florida gardens. Native to Eastern Asia, the leaves of these plants were used to thatch the roofs of houses, wrap and store food, and were eaten as food or used as medicine. They are known as the good luck plant, and in ancient Hawaii, these plants were thought to have spiritual powers, having been worn by high priests and chiefs during certain ritual ceremonies.
Many of the local nurseries stock these plants and they can be easily propagated by taking small cuttings from the stem. In cooler weather, some of the leaves become “raggy” and turn brown, however, removing these leaves in the spring will allow new red leaves to appear. With little care, Ti plants can be wonderful houseplants as well; stem cuttings can be inserted in a vase with 2 inches of water and roots will develop.
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