Ti Plants (Cordyline fruiticosa)

Here at Lyon Arboretum, we have lots of ti (scientific name: Cordyline fruiticosa), and we’re willing to bet you’ve seen it before!

Ti is useful for lots of things, including making ti leaf leis and skirts for hula.

Ti is really cool because there are a lot of different varieties that have a rainbow of colors, shapes, and sizes! The pictures below are all Ti plants but they are different varieties.

Koa

The koa tree, which is native to Hawaii, has totally different leaves when it is a baby (seedling) versus when it is an adult.

The “baby leaves” are the true leaves of the tree and they have lots of tiny oval “leaflets” that sit across from each other.

When the koa tree is an adult, its distinctive sickle-shaped leaves (you could also say they look like a crescent moon) appear. These “leaves” are actually the modified stem of the true leaves! Nature is bizarre!

When the trees are in their awkward teenage years, you can see both types of “leaves” on one tree. This website has more pictures and information.

Grow your own

One of the easiest ways to observe the similarities and differences between seedlings and adult plants is to plant your own seeds! The first leaves a seed puts out often have a different shape from the leaves the plant will have when it is an adult. Salad greens are especially fun for this because they grow fast and you can eat them when you’re done. Beans are another great seed to use because they are fast-growing and are more likely to be available in a regular grocery store.

Our Digital Resource Bundles are activities that can be done in your classroom, either as a pre or post field trip lesson. The bundle includes a short video about ti plants and their traits, a Google Slides Observation Activity, and other extension activites.

We are now offering the bundles for FREE!

For more information, click HERE