Cordyline (ti plant) care

Light

In the wild cordyline grows on the bright edge of a forest canopy, not in the canopy and not in the open. Indoors, that translates to within a metre of an unobstructed window, sheer curtain optional. Bright indirect light keeps colours saturated. Tolerates morning direct sun. The fastest test: a hand held at the leaf casts a soft-edged shadow at noon — sharp shadow means too much sun, no shadow means too little light.

Watering

Aim for when the top 2-3 cm of soil is dry, every 7-10 days for cordyline, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Likes consistent moisture; sensitive to fluoride in tap water.

Soil and pot

Cordyline grows best in rich free-draining houseplant mix. Compost with 20% perlite; a pot with drainage holes is essential. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Cordyline sits happiest at around 50-60% humidity and 18-27°C (65-80°F). Higher humidity prevents brown leaf edges. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed cordyline sparingly. Balanced liquid feed at half strength every 4 weeks in growing season. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on cordyline in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Brown leaf tips — Fluoride toxicity; switch to filtered or rainwater.
• Fading colour — Insufficient light; move to brighter indirect light.
• Yellow lower leaves — Old leaves shed normally as the cane forms.
• Spider mites — Stippling and webbing in dry rooms; rinse foliage and raise humidity.

Propagation

Cane cuttings 10-15 cm long root in moist mix or water under warmth. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Cordyline is toxic to pets. ASPCA lists Cordyline fruticosa as toxic to cats and dogs due to saponins. Symptoms include vomiting (sometimes bloody), depression, and loss of appetite. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Cordyline deep-dive guides

Every aspect of cordyline care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common cordyline problems & fixes
• Cordyline watering schedule
• Cordyline light requirements
• Best soil mix for cordyline
• Cordyline fertilizing guide
• When to repot cordyline
• How to propagate cordyline
• How to prune cordyline
• What's eating my cordyline?
• Cordyline growth rate & size
• Cordyline cold hardiness
• Cordyline temperature & humidity
• Is cordyline toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is cordyline toxic to cats?
• Is cordyline toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Cordyline qualifies for 3 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Cordyline is also known as ti plant, good luck plant, and Hawaiian ti.

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• All 10153 plant care guides in the Growli library