Ti Plants: Background
Working its way into every aspect of traditional Hawaiian life and wrapping each in big, green glossiness, the ti plant is a mainstay of Hawaiian life and cooking.
In traditional Hawaiian culture, the ti plant (cordyline fruticosa or ki in Hawaiian) is believed to have powers as a protection against psychic evil. It was often used as a ceremonial symbol of "The Law" standing firm in the face of evil. Leaves would be rubbed or slapped against people or homes to purify them. Unlike most native traditional Hawaiian plants, ti is not associated with any particular god, but is instead used in religious ceremonies for a whole pantheon of dieties.
Even today, groves of ti plants are often planted near houses, both in the belief that they would bring protection and good luck, but also for their utilitarian value. The mature, glossy leaves grow to six inches wide and several feet long with a strong and flexible central vein. Besides serving as amazingly versatile packaging, using the attached stem as a tie, the leaves had many practical uses. Strung along a length of rope and wrapped around the waist, ti leaves create a popular variety of hula skirt. Knotted and woven together they serve as sandals for walking across rough volcanic paths. In the absence of pili grass, they can be used as thatch for one's hut. Stems were woven together for a quick and simple rope. The ti leaf also has medicinal properties as a laxative. There's an old Hawaiian saying, 'Ai ke ki, ki, ki: a hi, hi, hi!. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea: ti leaves are versatile.
This all has relevance to food-- I just took my time getting around to it. In old Hawaii the ti root was steamed in an imu then chewed like sugar cane. In times of famine, that same steamed root would be mashed, watered down and drunk. If they only resorted to this in times of famine, I think we can imagine how poor it tastes,
The root could also be brewed into a potent liquor called ʻōkolehao that became popular among visiting whaling ships. Although I've heard third party reports of this practice continuing today, no one I've found has personal experience. Brewing spirits from ti root could be a dying art, or it could be so foul that you'd only attempt it if you were a crazy haole sailor or dying of starvation.
Today, the long, broad leaves of the ti plant are used to enclose food prior to steaming or baking in an imu. They can also be used as a bedding during presentation, or as a purely utilitarian way to wrap and carry ingredients.
Next up: acquiring ti leaves for use in cooking, then a laulau recipe wrapped in ti leaves.
This post is part of my Hawaiian luau series, and was updated January 2006 based on readers comments below and August 2007 as I learned the name for the ti-based alcohol.
When I was at Disneyland at age 12, I bought a 3 inch section of ti plant. My parents planted it in their yard, and though they live on the mainland, the thing thrived and grew until they took it out last year. The gardener said he was going to cut it up and make more plants...the great ti lives on!
That's the only way I know to propogate ti plants. The main stalk can be cut into 3-4 inch segments. Lay one of those stalks in a shallow dish, with water half way up the side. Replenish the water until 1" roots sprout, then jam the whole thing in dirt. Voila! A new ti plant.
Just noticed your comment RE: ti: "[u]nlike most native Hawaiian plants...." This might imply to some readers that ti is a native Hawaiian plant (it is not).
Aloha,
pt@philipt.com
PT, I wonder if you have access to information I don't know about. According to Native Planters in Old Hawaii: Their Life, Lore, and Environment (Handy & Handy, 1991, Bishop Museum Press), "The ti plant has a wide distribution including tropical Asia, Australia and Oceania... It was probably already in these islands when the first Polynesians came. It produces seed, so may have been first transported by migrating birds," (page 222).
Can you please point me to your own sources? I'd like this page to remain as accurate as possible. Thanks!
In further email conversation with PT, it turns out that a more recent Bishop Museum Press publication, Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii, suggests, "[this species is] in Hawai'i a Polynesian
introduction..." I've updated the entry above to reflect the new information. Thanks PT!
Can you grow Ti plants indoors?
George,
Yes, ti plants can be grown indoors reasonably well. Many little shops in Hawaii sell ti plant cuttings intended for export off-island so that people can grow them at home. Where do you live? You may want to drag them outdoors in the summer months to soak up as much sun as possible. I hope this helps!
My parents received a ti plant cutting as a Christmas present in 1969. The plant is still alive today as an indoor plant. (We live in Indiana.) My dad recently transplanted it into a bigger pot, and it has flourished, and is flowering for the first time ever. My question is, how much longer will it live, and how much bigger will it get?
Lisa, I honestly don't know how long it'll live. I've seen ti plants back in the valleys that are several feet taller than I am, but I don't know if that's the max. Based on your dad's experience, they last quite a bit longer than I would have guessed.
I have had a Ti plant for 54 years, it was my mothers and I took it when she passed, don't know how long she had it before I was born but remember her saying I've had it as long as I have had you and as said it's 54.
I am in Alaska and having some trouble with leaves? Thinking to dry?
It's 7' tall, has about 12 stalks from a few inches to 7', in a pot about 2 feet tall by 2 wide, by dry I mean low humidity.
Virginia and James, aloha in Alaska! I had no idea that ti plants could achieve that kind of longevity.
In my experience, ti plants do like a good amount of humidity. Back when I was growing one in the midwest I would occasionally spritz the leaves during the winter months and that seemed to help. If I'd had the discipline I'd have done that 1-2 times a day, but typically I'd forget for several days then do better for the next few. Do you put it outside in the summer months? That also worked well for me.
This is a beautiful flower! I use it in my bubble bath..YAY!
I got mine in 2nd grade (32 years ago) and would have sworn it was dead at least 3 times. It was in the same pot for 32 years, we transplanted it a few weeks ago and he looks magnificent! I named him Ti-d-bowl because he's a ti plant and when I was little, sat in the bathroom window next to the toilet bowl cleaner.
Ti-d-bowl... I like it.
I have had our Ti plant for at least 35 years, grown from a small stalk that was a gift brought from Hawaii. I live in Albany NY. Every summer it goes outside to grow...I brought it in a ago and now the leaves are turning yellow. Should I repot it in a larger planter? It grew a lot this summer and it is over five feet tall!!!
It is currently in a pot that is about 15 inches wide. I appreciate your advice.
Jane,
If it has been working so well for so long, I'd be nervous to replant it now! I've seen ti plants in the wild grow taller than a one-story building, but five feet is certainly respectable for a potted one. It sounds like a healthy plant to me, right where it is.
we have a ti plant since our son was born in 1964 it is abuot 7 ft. tall ,we were wondering if we cut it under the leaves can we place it in water to root? also mostly, will the atalk left in the pot grow new scutes ??? thank you for any advice. Manny & judy
TWO QUESTIONS: I purchased 2 logs and am rooting them. When they reach the 1", do i plant the whole thing in the dirt or just as deep as the water was? I heard that the green TI is used for headaches. True oo false. How would one go about using the leafs for that purose?
Manny & Judy, I'd cut a section of the stalk for rooting, but if at all possible leave leaves on the main plant.
Mary Ann, you'd want to plant the cutting so that the entire stalk is covered with dirt, but very little of the shoots. I don't know about using ti as a cure for headaches. If any resources talks about that, it'd likely be Dr. Abbott's La'Au Hawaii: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants. Unfortunately my copy has gone missing. Good luck!
Hi! I bought two ti stalks in Hawaii. One got roots, but no shoots, and the other got shoots, but no roots! The one with roots, I potted as instructed a few weeks ago, but still no shoots. Any advice? Thanks so much! Jennifer
Jennifer, it sounds like both stalks are growing, so you're on the right track. It just takes a while sometimes. Good luck! -alan
Hi Alan,
I rent plants to offices in the Uk and supply fresh flowers. Some tropical arrangements use Dracaena leaves. Trade price is around £ 7.00 plus 15% tax for five or six tropical flowers plus 4-5 leaves. Yours grow in the street! I've only just realised that you can use them in recipes and for traditional clothing. I am upgrading my website and would like to mention uses of plants to make the site interesting. Could I place a link to your site on my new site and use some pictures please?
Best wishes
Keith
Yes, feel free to link to the site and use any of the photos you find helpful. All the content on maona.net is available under a Creative Commons Attribution, No Derivative Works license. With photos or cited text, all I request in return is attribution, preferably with a link back to this site. Thanks!