leaf drop on Cordyline
Quick answer
If your Cordyline has leaf drop, the most likely cause is: Although mature Cordyline terminalis (ti plant) specimens naturally shed their lowest leaves as they gain height and develop a sturdy trunk, accelerated leaf drop in this tropical species is driven by the dry indoor air that this plant cannot tolerate and by an abrupt change of environment that stresses the slender, strap-leaved stalk.
Start here:
- 1. Mist the ti plant every day or so to raise humidity around the foliage, because the plant can suffer badly in extremely dry air, and group it with other tropicals or run a small humidifier nearby during winter when heating strips moisture from the room.
- 2. Move the plant into bright light that includes up to 4 hours of sun daily to keep variegation patterns pronounced, then leave it in place once positioned because sudden changes of location cause additional leaf drop.
Why Cordyline gets leaf drop
Cordyline
Although mature Cordyline terminalis (ti plant) specimens naturally shed their lowest leaves as they gain height and develop a sturdy trunk, accelerated leaf drop in this tropical species is driven by the dry indoor air that this plant cannot tolerate and by an abrupt change of environment that stresses the slender, strap-leaved stalk.
How to reverse leaf drop on Cordyline
- 1
Mist the ti plant every day or so to raise humidity around the foliage, because the plant can suffer badly in extremely dry air, and group it with other tropicals or run a small humidifier nearby during winter when heating strips moisture from the room.
- 2
Move the plant into bright light that includes up to 4 hours of sun daily to keep variegation patterns pronounced, then leave it in place once positioned because sudden changes of location cause additional leaf drop.
Keep leaf drop off this Cordyline
Hold ti plant in a warm room (60 to 85F) with above-average humidity year-round, keep the long, strap-shaped leaves clean with regular misting, and avoid relocating the plant once it has settled into a suitable bright, humid spot indoors.