Is there some nutrient missing from the soil that has caused my Ti plant to turn from the reddish color to just mostly green? It was reddish when I bought it. I planted it an area that gets morning sun as I thought in south Texas (9b) it would not be able to survive in full sun.
Red Sister Hawaiian Ti is green now
My Ti plants do get a lot more green if they are in direct sun. I've had the best color on the leaves by growing them in partial shade.
Fertilizer with a high nitrogen component might also encourage more green in the leaves, but I'm pretty sure it's the direct sun that's causing the green color to dominate. Direct sun in winter is one thing, but half a day in the blazing sun in summer - especially with the summer that you Texans had - is something else again. Give it some shade in the summertime!
I've found here in Florida lots of plants that say 'full sun' on the label do a lot better with some shade in the middle of the day.
Elaine
Thanks for your help and information.
I have several ty plants and some just stay the lighter green with slight red and pink coloring, they are more much more tolerant of freezing temperatures and come back every year. They are my favorite ty plants.
I have two red sisters and they are in pretty much full shade, they freeze to the ground every year and when they first come back they are green and the older they get the more red they become. However the last two seasons they freeze down again and have to start all over, so not getting to the red point again. In fact they did really poor this year making a comeback and I fear if we get to freezing again, they won't even come back next at all. That said when they weren't freezing down, they were getting real tall and leggy, and I had to cut them down to bush them back out again. But always greener when new growth coming out, turning more red as they get older.
My prettiest one is "Kiwi" a lighter green with bright pink trim...very cold sensitive and thirsty, I keep it in a pot and drag it in or cover it when temperatures dip. It stays the same coloring all the time.
Photo is of my favorite, they stay about this coloring all the time, but much more hardy than the red sisters...I do nothing to this, just rain water.
Here's my variegated ti, which I pulled out from under a big bush just recently, and have it in partial shade under a thin brugmansia. You can see the very green leaves where I had it in too much sun earlier in the summer, then the very light leaves it grew while in the deep shade. Have to find the right balance for good color.
Waiting to see if it gets a lot more green again with more sun. Will let you know. It's fall, and the sun is weaker now . . .
This message was edited Oct 27, 2011 10:26 AM
All of mine are in part sun to mostly shade...they will get leaf burn if in the total hot sun. I did notice that the one I posted above is much deeper red coloring now, that photo was taken back in July. Mine do best with filtered sun during the hot part of the day. The red sisters get some morning sun, but then shaded the rest of the day. A friend of mine had the red sisters and hers are in bright sun all morning and then shade from about two on...they look much healthier than mine do, but they water almost every day...we don't.
This is my Kiwi Ty plant.
One thing I noticed in Hawaii is that while they are in full sun, they get rain every day and the soil drains exceptionally well. I have some potted ones in sun with a drip system and that seems to help hold the colors. I use a fast draiing mix in the pots.
This is an old picture of one that returns faithfully each year for me, in the ground or pots. I think it is called Nani.
Thanks to all for your help. Sunkissed - Your Kiwi is very pretty. If I can find some here, I may plant them in front of the Red Sisters. I think they would look very pretty together.
The Kiwi is pretty but a very thirsty plant, wilts constantly. The others don't do that at all. I bought mine at Home Depot or Lowe's.