Purple Prince Ti Plant

Purple Prince Ti Plant (Cordyline fruticosa 'Purple Prince') is grown for one thing: deep burgundy purple foliage that holds its colour all year. It reaches about 2m tall and 1m wide, upright and narrow, with broad glossy leaves that catch the light. In a tropical planting it gives permanent colour without a season of waiting.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that never goes off. The burgundy purple is in the leaf, not a flower, so the plant looks the same in July as it does in January.
• Upright and narrow. Two metres tall on a one metre footprint adds height to a bed or a pot without spreading sideways.
• It works indoors as well as out. Bright indirect light suits it, so the same plant can hold a corner of a living room or a courtyard bed.
• Very little upkeep. No pruning schedule and no deadheading. Water, warmth and one spring feed are the whole job.

Where it works best

Feature planting in a tropical bed. A single plant, or a group of three set 60cm apart, gives a bed a strong dark anchor.

Mass planting for colour blocks. Plant 60cm apart in a row or a drift. At that spacing the foliage overlaps into a continuous band of burgundy while each stem keeps its own line.

Pots, balconies and indoors. A 400mm pot suits a single plant and naturally restrains it below the full 2m. Indoors, keep it near a bright window but out of direct sun through glass, which scorches the leaves.

Growing Purple Prince Ti Plant in Australia

Position and climate. Filtered light or morning sun gives the richest colour. Deep shade turns it green and harsh afternoon sun bleaches it. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens only, and it is frost tender, so anywhere that frosts it belongs in a pot that comes under cover.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of compost through it. It is humidity tolerant and enjoys a moist root run, but it will not accept standing water.

Water and feed. Keep it evenly moist through the warm months and ease back in winter. Potted plants dry out fast. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again at midsummer.

Pruning. Only for shape. If a plant gets leggy and bare at the base, cut the cane back to about 300mm in spring and it will reshoot, usually with more than one head.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: tube stock, and 200mm plants in packs of six. Tubes are young single stemmed plants and the value choice if you are massing a bed at 60cm centres. The 200mm plants already show full leaf colour and go straight into a decorative pot.

Cordylines travel reasonably well, though the outer leaves can crease or brown at the tips in transit. Keep the plant warm and out of direct sun for its first week, and expect new growth from the crown within four to six weeks in the warm months. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a tropical garden that holds up all year
• Browse the full cordyline range
• Compare tropical garden plants
• See plants suited to balconies and courtyards

Common questions

Is it safe for cats and dogs?

No. This cordyline is toxic to cats and dogs, and chewing the leaves causes drooling, vomiting and stomach upset. It is rarely life threatening, but keep it out of reach if your pet chews foliage.

Why has my plant lost its purple colour?

Almost always light. Too little and the leaves revert towards green, too much direct sun and they bleach. Filtered light or gentle morning sun gives the deep burgundy this variety is grown for.

Can I grow it in a cold part of the country?

Not in the ground. It is frost tender and suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. In cooler areas grow it in a pot that comes inside over winter.