Good Luck Plant (Cordyline fruticosa Mambo)

Good Luck Plant (also known as Hawaiian ti plant) is a popular air-purifying, indoor house plant. It is a colorful tropical foliage plant, with lovely glossy maroon tinged leaves that branch off a central stem. They form in a manner similar to Dracaena, with their lower leaves dying to encourage new growth as the plant develops. In warm atmospheres, it produces mauve flowers and bright red berries. An extraordinary plant to light up any edge of a room or an office environment. Good Luck Plant filters airborne toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the atmosphere. Cordyline fruticosa Mambo said to be toxic. Keep this plant away from children and pets.

Scientific Name: Cordyline fruticosa Mambo
Synonyms: Cordyline terminalis, Dracaena terminalis.
Common Name: Hawaiian Ti Plant, Good Luck Plant, Ti Plant, and Baby Doll Ti.

How to care and grow Good Luck Plant (Cordyline fruticosa Mambo)?

Light:

Ti plant does well in partial shade to almost full sun. It needs more water if grown in full sun. Indoors, Ti plant loves a splendid position, but out of direct sunlight. Although it will survive in quite low light, the foliage will never develop its full potential colors. Ensure the plant gets sunlight for a minimum of 6 hours a day when planted indoors.

Soil:

A peat (2 parts) based potting blend with perlite or sand (1 part) added works well, or other well-draining types with bark.

Temperature:

They flourish best in temperature between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They will suffer if it gets too cold and cannot tolerate freezing.

Water:

Water the plant thoroughly once the top part of the soil becomes marginally dry. During the winter water much less.

Fertilizer:

Fertilize the Ti plant each month utilizing balanced granular fertilizer in the ratio of (10-10-10). Apply manures only to the damp soil and then water immediately after fertilizing. Also use organic matter such as compost, manure, Neem oil, insecticidal soaps and baking soda to deter pest problem.

Pruning:

The Good Luck plants require hard pruning strategy and mostly preferred during the mid-spring season. Just expel the dead leaves, cut back to side shoots, basal shoots up to the ground level. After pruning encourages new growth by an application of balanced fertilizer in spring.

Re-Potting:

Re-pot once every two years when the plant is young and growing in height. Once it matures you can re-pot once every 3 -4 years and just replace the topsoil the years it’s not re-potted.

Propagation:

Ti plants are easy to propagate by taking stem tip cuttings and re-potting them. The size of the cuttings does not seem to matter. Rooting hormone can be used on the cutting to be planted, although it’s not basic.

Pests and Diseases:

There is no serious pest or disease problems. They are susceptible to attacks by aphids, scale, spider mites, and mealybugs.