Firestorm Ti Plant

Firestorm Ti Plant (Cordyline fruticosa 'Firestorm') is grown for leaf colour, not flowers. Broad strappy leaves come out hot pink and cerise over deep burgundy, and a group of them lights up a shaded tropical bed the way nothing green can. It holds at about 1.5m tall and 1m wide, so it slots into a border or a large pot without ever needing to be cut back hard.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that lasts all year. The variegated foliage is the display, with no flowering season to wait for.
• It stays in scale. At 1.5m by 1m it fits between a path and a fence, or in a 400mm pot, without crowding its neighbours.
• Best colour in part shade. Filtered light gives richer pinks than full sun, which makes it useful under a canopy or on a shaded patio.
• Made for heat and humidity. It holds colour through a tropical or subtropical summer that flattens softer plants, and asks for a feed twice a year.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 60cm apart for a solid block of colour. At that spacing the clumps merge into a continuous band within two seasons.

Poolside. It brings colour to a pool surround without dropping fruit or timber, and it copes with humidity and reflected heat off paving.

Pots and feature planting. A 400mm pot suits a single plant, or use three in a row along a wall. In cooler gardens a pot is the only sensible approach.

Growing Firestorm Ti Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade or filtered morning sun gives the strongest colour, while harsh afternoon sun bleaches the pinks and scorches leaf tips. This is a tropical, subtropical and warm temperate plant, and it is frost tender, so anywhere that frosts it needs a pot that comes indoors or under a roof for winter.

Soil. Free draining and rich in organic matter. Compost through the backfill, and mulch 75mm deep clear of the stems. In pots, a quality potting mix opened up with perlite works well.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist through the warm months, easing off in winter, but never waterlogged. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer to keep new leaves large and well coloured.

Pruning. Optional. Strip spent lower leaves to show the cane, or cut a tall stem back to about 30cm in early spring and it will reshoot with multiple heads.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in tube stock and in 200mm pots sold in packs of six. Tubes are young single stemmed plants, cheap enough to buy in numbers, and they take a season or two to build a head of full sized leaves. The 200mm plants arrive already coloured and are the better choice if you want the bed to read straight away.

Cordylines travel well, though some leaf creasing in transit is normal. Expect a fortnight of stillness, then new leaves within four to six weeks in warm weather. One honest caution: this species contains saponins toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full cordyline range
• How to design a tropical garden that looks good all year
• Other plants suited to pool surrounds
• Colour for part shade positions

Common questions

How far apart should I plant them for a mass display?

Sixty centimetres apart. The clumps meet within about two seasons and read as one band of colour, which is what makes cordylines work in a landscape.

Is it safe around pets?

No. The leaves contain saponins toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, and chewing can cause drooling, vomiting and loss of appetite. Keep it out of reach if your pet chews plants.

Why is my plant going green?

Too much shade dulls the pink and too much hot direct sun bleaches it. Filtered light or gentle morning sun is the balance, along with a spring feed.