Question
Hello,
Our 40+ year old ti plant is not well. Over the last 2 years, its leaves wilted and dried. Our friends tell us that our plant has been overwatered and does not receive sufficient sunlight, despite facing north next to the front door.

Is there any way to rescue/repropagate this once beautiful houseplant? 30 years ago, it had a beautiful foliage reaching 10 feet and it blossomed frequently.  Now, it's been reduced to its bare stalk and roots. We can send a photo if you wish.

Many thanks,
Carol & Philip
- All Green Except Thumbs  

Answer
Your mature Ti Plant - Cordyline fruticosa' to botanists - reaches 10 feet indoors only with the greenest thumbed care.

Yours is on its last legs?  Light is most likely not the problem - C. fruticosa will grow in shade, but without the gaily colored leaves it is famous for.

Then, what?

Let's look at the conditions that allow it to thrive, generally, and see how your care differs.

Ti's should not dry out in the Summer, a rule you may have come across and that may have worked for you.  It needs moisture, and many sources mention its need for humidity to keep leaves from drying out.  Fluoride tainted water will turn leaves tan or brown.  Temps below 55 degrees will cause severe damage from exposure.

I think it could be one of two things.

First, check your humidity.  Because this plant needs a lot fof moisture in the air, it is rarely attacked by spider mites.  But if your humidity is low, not only will the plant be stressed, but it will be a prime target for those tiny little mites that build spiderwebs all over the leaves, suck all the sap out of them, and move on to redder pastures.  Got a magnifying glass?  Look under the leaves.  There should be nothing moving under there; if you see any, write back asap in a followup.  You'll need to act fast.

Humidity is still necessary.  You did not mention your location so I have no way to check that.  Has that changed from the days when it was thriving?  Are you using a/c now, with this plant in the room?  And for the record, keeping a plant on a tray of pebbles is all Urban Myth and not a solution.  That's no substitute for real humidity.

Second possible problem is the one that is almost always to blame, the matter of how much to water and when.

What kind of pot is this plant in?  Are the roots max'd out?  A need for moisture does not mean the plant does not need air.  Roots won't survive without access to Oxygen, which means terracotta is a better choice for plants with root problems.  Check the roots.  They should smell good, they should not be slimy, they should be healthy.  If the pot is filled with roots, this plant just needs another pot.  Overwatering is easy to do in a plastic pot; possible, but slightly less, with terracotta.

Got a tray under the pot?  Empty the water if there seems to be sign of root damage.

Have you seen my advice about Messenger?  Get some right away.  You can click on 'Find a Retailer' at the Eden Bioscience website.  I'd tell you where to go if I knew where you are.  If it's not someplace local, order it on the internet.  It will help your plant recover, provided you quit doing whatever is killing it.

Hopefully there is a bud there somewhere that will grow.  I wish you had written sooner.

Good luck.  Please keep me posted.