The ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) is also known as the Hawaiian ti, good luck plant and cordyline. The rhizomes of this plant provided an important starchy food source for early Polynesians and Maoris, who believed the ti brought them good luck and used the foliage to make hula skirts. Hardy only in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12, this true tropical objects to temperatures below about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. While the ti plant is not difficult to care for, it is susceptible to attacks by mealybugs. These tiny white critters look like bits of cotton and damage plants by sucking out their juices. Fortunately, mealybugs are easy to detect and eliminate.
Inspect your ti plant for mealybugs several times weekly. Pay particular attention to the undersides of the leaves and the areas around the leaf joints. The foliage of an infested plant may appear weak and dry, and leaves may drop. If you discover mealybugs on the ti plant, move it to another room to quarantine it from any other houseplants until you are sure the infestation is eradicated.
Dip a cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol and touch it to each mealybug you see. The insects will die quickly.
Mix 2 tablespoons of mild liquid soap with 1 gallon of water. Wash each of the ti plant’s leaves with a soft cloth soaked in this soapy mixture. Pour any leftover solution in a container, cap it tightly, label it clearly and store it in a cool, dark location.
Take the ti plant outdoors one week later and spray the foliage with forceful blasts from the garden hose if weather permits. If it's too chilly to take the plant outside, set it in the bathtub and give it a strong shower. This treatment removes mealybugs and many other insect pests before they have the opportunity to become well established. Repeat every other week.
Allow the ti plant’s foliage to dry completely. Fill a plastic spray bottle with the soap solution. Spritz the foliage generously to coat all surfaces thoroughly. Repeat every other week to prevent mealybug reinfestation.
Things You Will Need
- Cotton swabs
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Mild liquid soap
- Plastic spray bottle
- Garden hose
- Floridata: Cordyline Fruticosa
- University of Hawaii at Manoa Cooperative Extension Service: Hawaiian Ti
- Alpha Botanical: Cordyline
- Orlando Sentinel: Ti Plant
- University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service: Care of Plants in the Home
- Hui o Ko'olaupoko: Plant Propagation & Care Manual
- University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: Growing Indoor Plants with Success
- Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images