Of course, sun-loving plants in our tropical garden like the Bougainvilleas, Madagascar Periwinkles, White Mussaenda, Euphorbia milii, Ponytail Plant and Yucca, to name a few just love the heat while the Norfolk Pine, Macarthur Palm and Dracaena Lisa had some of their foliage ‘roasted’…poor thing!

Here’s sharing some of our garden photos, taken in February, mostly from our front yard and a couple from the backyard. Enjoy please!

A section of our garden in the front yard, to the right of the driveway and facing the public road.

A section of our frontyard garden

Heliconia psittacorum ‘Sassy’

Bougainvillea ‘Aiskrim’ (syn: B. ‘Surprise’, B. ‘Miss Universe’)

Bougainvillea ‘Millionaire’ and B. ‘Mrs Eva Mauve Variegata’

Calliandra emarginata ‘Red’ (Dwarf Powder Puff, Powderpuff Plant)

Dendrobium phalaenopsis ‘Sonia’

Dieffenbachia bowmannii ‘Carriere’ (Dumb Cane, Spotted Dumbcane, Leopard Lily)

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ (Mophead Hydrangea, Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea, Hortensia)

Catharanthus roseus, in purplish-pink (Madagascar Periwinkle, Cape Periwinkle, Rose/Rosy Periwinkle, Vinca)

Catharanthus roseus, in white (Madagascar Periwinkle, Cape Periwinkle, Rose/Rosy Periwinkle, Vinca)

Purple Vanda Orchid

Hymenocallis caribaea (Caribbean Spiderlily, Spider Lily, White Lily)

Ixora chinensis ‘Singapore Yellow’ (Jungle Flame/Geranium, Needle Flower) – just to show there’s yellow flowers too, though not in its best form…sorry!

Heliconia stricta ‘Carli’s Sharonii’

Now, we’ll have more than enough Red Ti Plants to adorn our frontyard and backyard. Their beautiful variegated foliage in pink to purplish red will be such a welcome sight for added attraction and will definitely brighten our garden scene…love them!

Another plant that decided to smile for us in February is Jatropha podagrica (Gout Plant, Buddha Belly Plant), an 8 cm-tall seedling that was found by the roadside, uprooted and brought home last September 28th.

We never expected to enjoy its first flowering so soon…a little over 4 months and to see them developing into fruits as quick too!

Hmm…flowering and fruiting occurring within a couple of weeks apart and within the same month, as if impatient to be a mother! Simply fantastic!


Hope to be able to gather its matured seedpods before they explode to scatter the seeds several meters away as they’re known to be highly dehiscent when ripened to blackish-brown in colour. Got to watch them like a hawk if I desire to capture their seeds for propagation as an experiment!

How happy I was when I discovered how to add a tag cloud to our right sidebar late last November. However my excitement was short-lived when I observed that the display does look too long and cluttered, without uniformity in text size and colour. And, not knowing how to customize that, I just had to tolerate it as undoubtedly, tags are useful.

A better alternative to a tag cloud would be a dropdown tag menu that takes up such little space. Sweet and tidy, where the user just toggle to expand or contract the dropdown list of tags as desired. Another advantage is the dropdown menu includes ALL the post tags whereas the tag cloud limits to only 45 most popular tags.

Tag dropdown would definitely be a good replacement for the tag cloud displayed in our blog but I was in no hurry to learn how to achieve that. Procrastinated the matter until early this week when a blogger friend wanted advice on how to add labels dropdown to her Wordpress blog.

That set me on a wonderful journey of learning and new discoveries. I googled for answers and discovered the Tag Dropdown Widget (version 1.5.2) in the WordPress Plugin Directory. Had it installed pronto at our blog’s sidebar, though it took me like ages with lots of hiccups along the way to finally get it right. After much trial and error using our site as a testing ground, with our contents occasionally missing due to a slight slip in the function code that was inserted in the theme’s template file, and sidebars doing their disappearing act, I’m most happy with the outcome. Hee hee…thank God, I’m not that faint-hearted, scary though at times!

This WordPress widget, Tag Dropdown Widget 1.5.2 by Eric Hitter is fantastic! It displays a list of tags in a dropdown menu with option to trim long tag names, display post counts, exclude specific tags and can be configured for use by non-widget themes, among others. Isn’t that wonderful?
Thank you so much, Eric Hitter…God bless you!!

Important Update (highlighted in red) – March 5 2010:

Effective March 1 2010, the Tag Dropdown Widget had been upgraded to version 1.6. Refer to the following links for further information and explicit instructions:
- Plugin Homepage for Tag Dropdown Widget
- Readme for Tag Dropdown Widget v1.6
- WordPress Plugin Directory: Tag Dropdown Widget

Nevertheless, if you wish, you can still browse through the tutorial below as a guide since the basic steps can be similarly applied, just that the window pop-ups will now display the latest version, v1.6 and its description instead.
And, for those not using a widget-enabled theme, you can activate the widget by inserting the function <?php if(function_exists('TDW_direct')) {TDW_direct("limit", "count", "exclude_tags");} ?> to where you want the dropdown to appear. Replace limit with the maximum tag length to display, using “0″ to display full tags. To display post counts, set count to “on”, otherwise count should be set to “off”. To exclude specific tags, replace exclude_tags with a comma-separated list of tag slugs, such as “general, wordpress, widget”.
(Take note that the TDW_direct now replaces the makeTagDropdown function in step #6 below).

Learn to display your WordPress tags in a dropdown menu, using the Tag Dropdown Widget v1.5.2 :

1. Log in to your Wordpress site. At the site admin panel, scroll down to locate Plugins on the left column and click on its sub-item Add New.
   
2. The Install Plugin window opens. Type in the text: tag dropdown widget in the search box and click Search Plugins.
   The search result will then show the plugin, Tag Dropdown Widget with relevant details. If you wish to get one, click the Install link located to the right to proceed.
3. A window pops up – click the Install Now button.
   
4. When another window opens, click the Activate Plugin link.
   
5. Then, to activate the widget, go to Appearance and select the sub-item Widgets and follow steps to add the widget to your sidebar. Select options for the widget, click Save and then View Site to locate your newly added Tag Dropdown widget. That’s it!
   Simple and easy for WordPress widget-enabled themes.
   
   (Hee hee, discovered the hard way that our site’s theme is not widget-enabled. Each time, the Tag Dropdown Widget was dragged to the sidebar as seen in above image, it did emerge at site but had to be removed promptly from here as the other existing contents and widgets at the sidebar just disappeared! Wonder why? Scary, huh!)
6. However, if your blog’s theme is not widget-enabled, then you have to tweak a little at your blog’s template to set up the widget.
   Go to Appearance > Editor and click on the theme file, Sidebar (sidebar.php) located at the right column. To activate the widget, insert to where you want your dropdown to appear, the following function code, replacing x with the maximum tag length desired :
   <?php if(function_exists('makeTagDropdown')) {echo makeTagDropdown('x');} ?>
   
   Note: This is optional for those sites/blogs who have their widgets in listed format, like ours – to ascertain that the Tag Dropdown widget is properly displayed likewise, insert additional HTML codes before and after the function code and should appear as follows, and as seen in image below :
   <li>
<h2>Tags</h2>
<?php if(function_exists('makeTagDropdown')) {echo makeTagDropdown('50');} ?>
</li>
   
   
   When you’re done with editing or configuring, click on the Update File button to save. Then, View Site to see whether the Tag Dropdown Widget is properly presented.
   
   Warning: You must be extremely careful that the exact codes are copied and pasted, just one slight slip and it’s a goner! Remember too that only plain text and plain text quote marks and apostrophes will work in template files…smart or curly quotes or apostrophes will definitely not work in PHP codes and may result in blog’s content disappearing. Also, make a backup of the theme file before you edit it and keep notes about your edits, just in case you need to revert back to the original and start all over again.

Please bear in mind that I’m technically challenged and am no expert on PHP and the likes. Just keen in documenting and sharing my experience through it all, and hoping in the process, may help others seeking solutions to improve their blog’s design too. Moreover, who knows that I may need these nitty-gritty details should I decide to remove this widget one fine day. Ahah, fickle again so soon…well that’s the spice in my life as I get to learn other new things, huh!

Hope the above tutorial which I’ve tried to present as best as I could with illustrations, had helped you to install a Tag Dropdown widget for your blog and put a smile on your face, yes?

Check this awesome article by Lorelle for more insights on how to install, configure and use WordPress Plugins.

An extremely spectacular vine that just loves showing off throughout the year in our tropical heat! When in full bloom, this beauty will be dramatically covered with large trusses of tricolored flowers that are very showy and truly a traffic stopper.

Similar to another tricolor beauty, Brunfelsia calycina, the gorgeous flowers of Rangoon Creeper open white, change to pink, then bright red over a 2-3 day period.

Simply remarkable, you get to see the 3 distinct colours altogether as the vine is a constant bloomer!

I’ve always been very attracted to this vine and many a time, I’m so tempted to get one. My beloved half however, would always turn down my request, saying that we just don’t have a good support to carry its heavy load.

Wouldn’t a chainlink fence suffice? Well, you won’t know unless you try, right? Now, having researched for more insights about this vine and knowing that the flowers are sweetly scented, I’m further enticed to add it to our garden. It will be a lovely replacement for our Shower of Golden Climber that rarely blooms.

I can already visualize it being draped over our chain-link fence with its attractive flower clusters and glorious fragrance. Hmm…keeping my fingers crossed that John will soon buckle under.

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Quisqualis indica L. (syn. Quisqualis densiflora)
• Common Name: Rangoon Creeper, Rangoon Creeper Vine, Burma Creeper, Drunken Sailor, Scarlet Ragoon, Chinese Honeysuckle
• Family name: Combretaceae (Indian Almond family)
• Its name: Quisqualis translated from Latin, means What is that?. Read further about Quisqualis here.
• Origin: Burma, Peninsula Malaysia, New Guinea and the Philippine Islands.
• Plant type: Tropical perennial ornamental vine
• Features: Quisqualis indica, of the genus Quisqualis, is an exceptionally impressive tropical vine, with a few varieties, distinguishable by its flower colour and leaf size. It can reach 21 m in the wild, but generally its length in cultivation ranges between 2-9 m. A large, woody and shrubby climber over pergolas, trellises, etc. and yet can be trained as a specimen shrub.
  It is an evergreen (in the tropics) and rambunctious vine, free branching and vigorous-growing, needing sturdy support.
  Under good growing conditions, it’s typically seen with lush and fresh green foliage on cascading branches with numerous axillary and terminal drooping racemose inflorescence that is simply spectacular.
  Leaves with distinct venation, are oblong to elliptic, 7-15 cm in length, with acuminate tip and rounded base. They are simple and opposite.
  
  It blooms profusely and non-stop too, all year round in the tropics. The original Rangoon Creeper with thorny stems produces single flowers in red while the Thai hybrid has double flowers, and both exude an intoxicating fragrance at night as an added bonus.
  
  The beautifully coloured flower clusters with pendulous trumpet-shaped blooms open first white, then turn pink and end deep pink, bright red or reddish purple over a 3-day period, displaying the various colouring stages altogether on one and the same flower stalk. Very unusual and definitely dramatic too!
  Its fruit is narrowly ellipsoidal, 2.5-3 cm long, with 5 sharp, longitudinal angles or wings. The 12-15mm long seeds are pentagonal (shaped like the fruit-shell) and black.

• Culture (Care): Since Quisqualis indica or Rangoon Creeper is an easy to grow vining plant, it’s now more popularly and widely cultivated as an ornamental vine in the gardens.
  Light: Prefers full to part sun and blooms best with good sunlight.
  Moisture: Water moderately and regularly, keeping it evenly moist. More water during hot seasons and less in cooler clime. Fairly drought tolerant when established.
  Soil: Fertile humus soil with a mix of sand that can retain water, yet well-drained soil.
  Others: Require regular pruning to keep it within control, as well as to encourage more blooms with new branches as flowers appear on new growth. You’d observe newer shoots emerging from the base of the vine – remove them if you’d rather have one main strong stem continuing its growth at the top, otherwise leave them be to promote bushiness near its base. Require fortnightly or monthly feed with a flowering fertilizer to boost flowering. Relatively free from pests and diseases.
  For subtropical regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 10-12. A tender evergreen that goes semi dormant or die back in lower temperature, but come back when weather warms up in spring. Flowers all summer and fall. Read what the gardeners have to say at Dave’s Garden

• Propagation: Easily by seeds, cuttings and layering. Suckers that emerge from the parent plant can be used to propagate new plants.

• Usage: Use Rangoon Creeper or Chinese Honeysuckle to cover and decorate garden fences, trellises, arbors and arches.
  Can be espaliered on walls or pillars at porch/entrance to homes and buildings to add interest and provide garden fragrance too. An ideal landscape vine that can be grown on ground or containers and can be trained as a shrub. An attractant for butterflies and bees, not sure about hummers though. Grow in greenhouses or outdoors in the mildest subtropical regions.
  Quisqualis indica is used for traditional medicine in certain regions. Leaves can be used to relieve pain caused by fever while the roots to treat rheumatism. Read more at Wikipedia and Philippine Medicinal Plants on its traditional uses.

Other External links:
Gardino Nursery, Corp
TopTropicals

From the many available, I found the plugin, Dagon Design Sitemap Generator, most remarkable and had it installed pronto yesterday! But later found out that this version offered by Wordpress Plugin Directory was ver. 3.15, an older version.

Preferring to have the latest version 3.17 instead, I returned to its plugin source page at Sitemap Generator Plugin for Wordpress – Dagon Design to get an idea on how to upgrade and was most delighted to find explicit instructions on installation and upgrading. And, promptly carried out the whole process with more confidence this time round.

We’d like to take this opportunity to pen our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Dagon Design for this awesome plugin! God bless you for your generosity! You’ve made us so very happy, knowing that our sitemap, newly created with your plugin will be such an asset, not only to us but to our readers/visitors alike. Thank you again!

Dagon Design Sitemap Generator as described in WordPress Plugin Directory, is a plugin that creates a sitemap for your Wordpress powered site. It is not just another XML sitemap plugin, but rather a true sitemap generator which is highly customizable from its own options page in the Wordpress admin panel. Some of its features include:

• support for multi-level categories and pages
• category/page exclusion
• multiple-page generation with navigation
• permalink support
• choose what to display
• what order to list items in
• show comment counts and/or post dates, and much more.

Learn to create a Sitemap Page with the Dagon Design Sitemap Generator plugin
to automatically generate links to all your Wordpress archived posts categorically,
following these simple and easy steps :

1. Go to Dagon Design’s plugin webpage and download the latest release of Dagon Design Sitemap Generator – version 3.17. Remember where the .zip folder is located in your computer for later use.
2. Log in to your Wordpress site. At the site admin panel, scroll down to locate Plugins on the left column. Click on its dropdown arrow and then select Add New.
   
3. The Install Plugins window opens. Click the Upload button, followed by the Browse button, to upload the site-generator.zip folder that you had downloaded to your computer at step 1 above. Then, click the Install Now button.
4. Another window pops up – click the Activate Plugin link.
   
5. Now, you need to create a page like you normally would from your Dashboard. Title your page, probably as Sitemap, and in the page content section, just add the following code :
   <!-- ddsitemapgen -->
6. Then, click Publish and view your newly created Sitemap. Beautifully displayed and packed with the whole collection of your site’s posts, yes?
7. Well, you still have available options to how you want them presented. Just go back to your Site admin panel > Settings > DDSitemapGen, and configure your selections. If necessary, refer back to Dagon Design’s plugin page (get link at step 1 above) for more direction. Finally, click Update options and you’re done!
   

Hope the above tutorial had helped you to create your dream sitemap for your blog/website.

Keep smiling and enjoy the new look! I am….with ours!
Oh, it’s such fun learning new things and sharing them!

Plugins? Never installed one before this! Just knew that they were necessary to achieve certain functionality in our site and whatever basic plugins needed were installed by our darling son, David when he initiated the site’s setup years ago.

I had wanted a single page that can automatically generate a display of the entire collection of all our posts. Opportunity came recently when I was researching to write my previous article on how to create a wordpress dropdown monthly archives for the sidebar. That led me to explore a few links that rendered new insights. One such site was Geek With Laptop on its plugin, SRG Clean Archives, but instructions on how to go about installing and activating it just got me more perplexed than ever…my dummy head simply couldn’t comprehend all the tech lingo! Just too bad for me as I like its plugin which gives the option to toggle on/off to collapse and expand the monthly archives.

Well, the next best way, I thought was to return to our site’s dashboard admin page to explore further. Did a plugins search for SRG clean archives and viola!…WP-archives popped up as the only result!. Whoa! I was more than pleased! Its description really got me excited as keywords like “based on SRG..faster..easy install..no additional configuration..” held me spellbound and I knew instantly I wanted to install this plugin for our website!

A big thank you to Jim Pinaloza Calixto who authored this awesome WP-Archives plugin (version 0.8), we’re most grateful!

WP-Archives as described in WordPress Plugin Directory, is a plugin based on SRG Clean Archives but modified to be faster and not using additional libraries. It will create a list with all the posts, grouped by months and years like a tree of contents.

Features:

• Easy install
• Clean list of your posts
• No additional configuration is required

How to use:

• Create a page called ‘Archives’
• On page created to insert the text:
  <!--wp_archives-->

As described, it’s easy to install!
It definitely was…I never knew earlier that it was so very easy and simple, and quick as well! Just one line of code to generate the cool display on our archives page! Humph…it took me years to ’search’, yet took less than 10 minutes to execute one in our site! Hehe…better late than never, huh!

Learn to create an Archives Page, using the WP-Archives plugin
to automatically generate links to all your Wordpress archived posts, well-displayed and sorted by post date (newest first) :

1. Log in to your Wordpress site. At the site admin panel, scroll down to locate Plugins on the left column. Click on its dropdown arrow and then select Add New.
   
2. The Install Plugin window opens. Type in the text: wp-archives in the search box and click Search Plugins.
   The search result will then show the plugin, WP-Archives with relevant details. If you wish to get one, click the Install link located to the right to proceed.
3. A window pops up – click the Install Now button.
   (Note: as seen in the image below, the plugin’s version 0.8 is compatible up to Wordpress ver. 2.7.1, so if you’re using a version of Wordpress that is higher (ours is ver. 2.8.5), then a warning note would appear. I just ignored that and went ahead to install anyway and it turned out fine.)
   
   Another window pops up – click the Activate Plugin link.
4. Now, you need to create a page like you normally would from your Dashboard. Title your page, probably as Archives, and in the page content section, just add the following code :
   <!--wp_archives-->
5. Finally, click Publish and you’re done!

Isn’t your newly created Archives page beautiful? A cool archived display with a proper gateway into your blog’s history, and so easily achievable, right?

Happy blogging and happy learning!

Keep smiling and enjoy your blog’s new look!

This display is so very short, just perfect to replace the default one that was getting way too long, which will continue growing in length as long as new posts are being added.
Learn how to change that here!

A big thank you to Michael Martin of Pro Blog Design for his awesome tip on how to get this dropdown list!

Here’s how to get a dropdown list of your monthly archives
by just following these simple steps:

1. Go to Site Admin | Editor | Sidebar (sidebar.php)
2. Scroll down to find the following code :
   <?php wp_get_archives('type=monthly'); ?>
3. Remove the above code and replace with this new code :
   <select name="archive-dropdown" onchange='document.location.href=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;'>
<option value=""><?php echo attribute_escape(__('Select Month')); ?></option>
<?php wp_get_archives('type=monthly&format=option&show_post_count=1'); ?> </select>
4. Click Update File to save edit and you’re done! Easy, huh!

Check further at Wordpress Codex to learn other various ways to display archives list on your website.

Update: February 22 2010
Do check this recent article about creating an Archives page, using the WP_Archives plugin, if you’re interested to improve further. It’s truly a wholesome alternative way to have your archived posts with titles and dates automatically generated, with links that are beautifully displayed too.

An attractive evergreen and shrubby plant with dark green foliage that is popularly grown as an indoor houseplant or outdoors, as a specimen. It can be potted or otherwise.

Interiorscapers just love Dracaena deremensis! With statuesque beauty, great tolerance for low light conditions and resistant to diseases, they make excellent plants for indoor decor.

Outdoors, being robust shrubs that thrive on neglect, landscapers love to use these tropical beauties extensively. Like Cordyline terminalis (Ti Plant), Dracaena deremensis are seen to beautify every nook and corner, so to speak.

Count us in too! We’ve been growing Dracaena ‘Lisa’ for decades! But got to know its correct cultivar name recently when we researched to do this article! Haha…we thought it was Dracaena Janet Craig, its close relative.

It’s such a hardy, dependable and fuss-free plant, making it such a delight to have. Moreover, its ability to rid the air of pollutants does impress us so!

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Dracaena deremensis cv. ‘Lisa’ (synonym: Dracaena fragrans)
• Common Name: Dracaena, Dracaena Cane, Dracaena Lisa Cane, Dracaena Lisa
• Family name: Ruscaceae (formerly Liliaceae, sometimes Agavaceae or Dracaenaceae)
• Its name: Dracaena comes from the Greek ‘drakaina’, meaning female dragon, referring to the resinous red gum that exudes from cut stems, when thickened, is supposed to resemble dragon’s blood in European legends.
• Origin: Dracaena deremensis is a native of Tropical Africa and Asia, while Dracaena Lisa is one of its cultivar.
• Plant type: Tropical ornamental foliage plant
• Features: Dracaena deremensis is one of the approximately 40 species of the genus Dracaena, and has many cultivars and sports. These tropical evergreen and woody perennial plants are widely grown for their ornamental foliage and majestic beauty. Leaves come in all shapes, broadly ovate, strap- or lance-shaped and in varying sizes, broad and short, long and slender.
  Blade colour can be solid green or variegated with white or yellow longitudinal stripes or margins. Growth habit is mostly columnar and upright, ranging between 2.4-3.6 m in height but can be trained to be a small and bushy tree by regular pruning. Some cultivars do produce flowers with sweet fragrance, hence attributed to its synonym, D. fragrans. The very popular and dramatic Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’ (Corn Plant Dracaena) with its central yellow variegation on its green foliage is one such plant.
  
  Dracaena deremensis cv. Lisa, a popular cultivar in our country, Malaysia, has solid dark green foliage. Lance-shaped blades are smooth and simple, slender and arching, about 15-30 cm long.
  It looks very similar to Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ except the later has much broader leaves that are glossier too.
  They are spirally arranged on unbranched stems that eventually become top-heavy with rosettes as the lower leaves wither. Foliage appears dense as the internodes are very close. Hence, when their rangy stems are hard pruned or trimmed selectively at staggered heights, they’d create an impressive and bushy specimen plant for the garden.
  
  
  Similar to other cultivars, D. deremensis ‘Lisa’ has an erect and upright growth habit with clumping stems or multi-trunked. Generally, it grows to about 2.4m tall with a spread of 1m. Nevertheless, this particular cultivar reacts well to hard pruning and are usually seen in bush or tree form.
  Does it flower? We’re unsure…never seen them bloom before!

• Culture (Care): The robust Dracaena deremensis, a low maintenance plant, is so easy to grow.
  Light: Ideally, bright light indoors and semi-shade or filtered sunlight outdoors. Avoid direct sun that may bleach the foliage. Tolerates low-light to shade, but growth will be a tad slower.
  Moisture: Low water requirements. However, water thoroughly when soil surface looks dry, keeping it evenly moist. At lower temperatures, water sparingly and allow soil surface to dry slightly between watering, otherwise over watering in cool environments can result in leaf loss. It enjoys humid conditions, so mist the plant regularly with tepid water to prevent brown tips and yellow edges caused by dry air.
  Soil: Prefers organic and well-drained soil with good aeration and water-holding capacity. Nonetheless, adaptable to a wide variety of soil types.
  Others: Hardly needs fertilizing, though you can feed monthly with a liquid houseplant fertilizer if you wish. Keep foliage dust free by regularly wiping them with a clean, soft cloth. Remove discoloured leaves to keep tidy by pulling downwards off the stem. Tip burn is a sign of insufficient watering, too low humidity, fluoride toxicity or high soluble salts.
  It tolerates severe pruning well and the severed stem can be cut into shorter 10-cm lengths and used for propagation. If older plants become leggy, cut back stem to within 10 cm from base to rejuvenate the plant and promote bushiness as new growth will develop from the cut section. Or trim back leggy stems at staggered levels for aesthetic results. Repot only when plant becomes root-bound. Dracaenas are generally free from pests, but do check occasionally for aphids, scales and spider mites.
  For subtropical regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 10B-11. In winter, water sparingly and stop fertilizing, but resume in spring. It likes moderate to warm conditions with minimum temperature of 13 degrees C.

• Propagation: By tip cuttings or stem cuttings, the easier and faster method. It can also be propagated by air layering.

• Usage: Excellent houseplant for homes and greenhouses or as interiorscape plant for commercial offices, hotels and malls. Ideal in containers or above-ground planter, or ground-grown in garden beds/borders as focal point in mixed plantings. Perfect landscape plant anywhere! Use it as an accent or single specimen, or use the bushier cultivars as hedges or screen.
  
  
  Last but not least, use Dracaena deremensis to purify or cleanse the air. It is a well-know fact that Dracaenas are some of the plants used in the NASA Clean Air Study that has shown to help remove benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. Check the list of air filtering plants at Wikipedia.

Other popular cultivars of Dracaena deremensis, besides ‘Lisa’ are:

• Janet Craig (Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’) – broad and arching, deep green and glossy leaves, and produces strongly fragrant white flowers;
• Janet Craig Compacta – similar to Janet Craig but much smaller;
• Michiko (Michiko Cane) – medium-sized, deep green and glossy leaves, foliage held tightly to its trunks, native of Hawaii;
• Warneckii (Striped Dracaena) – broad but narrower than ‘Janet Craig’ and sharper pointed tips, green leaves with distinctive white stripes;
• Lemon and Lime – lime green leaves with white edgings;

Other External links:
University of Florida, IFAS Extension
Plant Care.com
Plant Care Guru

Seeing a vibrant variegated pink/maroon beauty during our recent vacation to Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai in Perak, has surely rekindled in us a strong yearning for one!

We’ve never seen this variety of the Ti Plant before with such intense colours, the shocking pink on the glossy foliage is absolutely striking and truly spectacular, in fabulous contrast with the dark maroon and in lovely random blotches. I believe this is Cordyline terminalis ‘Red Sister’

We’ve searched high and low for the same variety in Kuala Lumpur but not a single one was to be found in some of the garden nurseries we visited. Even Ti Plants of other varieties for sale were sickly-looking, not value for money at all!

Our next best alternative will be to scout for a stem or two of a Ti variety that is popularly grown in home gardens, roadsides and elsewhere and propagate some plants, ourselves.

Lo and behold, while cruising around the neighbourhood last week, we saw a beautiful and attractive stand-alone red/maroon Cordyline bush, growing beside a telephone pole on no-man’s land.

A couple of wild creeping vines sort of entwined the whole bush, yet it stood luscious and majestic, surrendering to our tropical heat and rain, and poos from stray dogs too (eeek…I almost stepped on them), to provide for its growing needs!

Of course we came prepared with a pruning scissors the second time around and happily snipped 2 healthy stems to take home to propagate some Ti Plant for our tropical urban garden.

This Cordyline terminalis has leaves variegated in red and pink tones, and dark maroon with a greenish tinge. Another gorgeous and stunning Ti variety that is widely and popularly grown.

Thus, for January’s garden article, we’d simply share how Cordyline terminalis (Hawaiian Ti or Ti Plant) can be propagated.

Propagation from tip cuttings or stem cuttings is the easiest method and can be started in the soil or in water. We chose the former, being the easier and faster way.

1. Cut back any healthy stem of a matured leggy plant with a sharp pruning scissors or knife. The remaining bottom trunk will continue to grow and should sprout new shoots.
   
2. From the severed stem cutting, cut off a tip cutting 10 cm below the crown of leaves, and cut the remaining leafless stem into 10-cm section cuttings.
   
   
   
   (a) to root the tip cutting:
   first, carefully remove some of the lower leaves to leave a section of bare stem about 10 cm. long.
   
   
   
   Then, insert the tip cutting into the pre-moistened potting media that can hold moisture, yet provides good drainage and aeration. Gently firm the soil around the stem and place the pot in a warm and brightly lit (with filtered sunlight) location. With sufficient heat, regular watering and misting of leaves, rooting shouldn’t be a problem at all. Note that tip cuttings usually require intermittent misting until sufficient roots are produced to prevent necrosis of leaf tips or leaf drop.
   
   
   
   (b) to root the section cuttings:
   just stick the 10-cm stem cuttings, vertically into a pot with appropriate potting media. When top growth appears, pot them individually.
   Alternatively, the section cuttings can be laid down horizontally in moist soil, by gently pushing half into the soil and exposing the remaining half lengthwise. Locate in a sunny area and keep the soil damp. When new growth appear along the sections and root, you can cut them off to plant them as individual plants.
   
   

Check for plant profile on Cordyline terminalis (Hawaiian Ti or Ti Plant) here.

Learn more on propagating foliage and flowering plants at Aggie Horticulture, Texas A&M University System.

We’re extremely happy to have added this lovely Red Ti to our garden. Even 2 pots of newly propagated tip-cuttings can truly brighten up the landscape. Keeping our fingers crossed that our propagation project will be a success! Keep tuned!

Update: February 28 2010
Woo hoo…100% success! Soooo…happy!
A couple of basal leaves from plants propagated by tips cuttings had since dried up and withered which is usual, while the rest of the foliage is growing nicely with new leaves emerging.
Those propagated by section cuttings that were pushed into soil or laid horizontally are growing fine with young shoots of green leaves.
Photos below show their growth status 30 days after propagation :

We’re definitely going to reintroduce Cordylines to our garden again. Gosh, we didn’t realize how gorgeous they can be until we saw this striking variegated pink/maroon beauty at Felda Residence Hot Springs recently!

It sure would brighten up our plot, adding contrast and interest to our current landscape

Ti plants are such popular ornamental foliage plants, grown for their spectacular colours and leaf shapes. They are highly seek by gardeners and landscapers alike for their intense and vivid colours, especially the fluorescent pinks, maroon and reds that sparkle amidst a sea of greens or in a mix-crowd!

In our country, they’re seen almost everywhere, dotting the scenery and widely used by landscapers to decorate roundabouts, highways, road-dividers, public places and elsewhere.

If you desire a tropical setting, Hawaiian Ti is surely one that you may want to consider planting! There are so many cultivars with gorgeous color combinations to choose from.

Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :

• Botanical Name: Cordyline terminalis (synonym.: Cordyline fruticosa)
• Common Name: Hawaiian Ti, Good Luck Plant/Tree, Ti Plant/Tree.
• Family name: Agavaceae
• Its name: Cordyline is derived from the Greek ‘kordyle’, meaning club that refers to the thickened root. Ti, should be correctly pronounced as ‘tea’, though some prefer to rhyme it with ‘tie’ which is incorrect.
• Origin: Eastern Asia to Polynesia
• Plant type: Tropical perennial ornamental plant
• Features: Cordyline terminalis is one of the approximately 20 species of the genus, Cordyline which was earlier classified as Dracaena rather than Cordyline. Being among the most colourful foliage plants, it is the most popular species of the genus for indoor potted plants.
  Ti Plant is an evergreen tropical shrub that can reach up to 3 meters tall, though generally seen about 1-1.5m high in cultivated plants. It has a fairly slow to medium growth rate and is often confused with Dracaena, but these two plants can be easily differentiated by the way their foliage hug the stem.
  It has an upright growth habit, with slender yet strong and erect trunk in grey to brown that are covered with leaf scars as the lower leaves wither with age. Such that the trunk eventually becomes leggy and top-heavy with just tuffs of foliage at the top.
  But when cut back, the usually unbranched stem will sprout new shoots at the point where it’s severed to eventually present a shrubbier plant with impressive and spectacular foliage.
  Ti Plant does sometimes throw out suckers from the enlarged club-like rhizomes to form a clump.
  Depending on the various hybrids and cultivars, the leaves may be glossy and come in many shapes and sizes. Leaves can be 30-60 cm long and 10-15 cm wide, shaped oblong-lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate or narrowly oblong with 10-30 cm petioles.
  But it’s the awesome colours and marvelous variegation of the foliage that captures avid admiration. Besides the original leaf colour in deep green, it’s now extensive, ranging from various hues of green, purple, maroon, rose, pink, orange, yellow to white, and wonderfully variegated in many colour combination.
  Ti Plant does flower though seldom seen. Flowers are insignificant, white to purplish and clustered in loose panicles that gradually develop into red fruits.

• Culture (Care): Cordyline terminalis (Ti Plant) is quite an easy foliage plant to grow and maintain. Light, temperature and fertilizer levels appear to affect the intensity of its kaleidoscopic colors on the foliage.
  Light: Bright light or nearly full sun (not direct or scorching sunshine) is best to maintain strong foliage coloration and vigorous growth. Tolerates low-light to shade, but leaf variegation can be affected and become a tad dull due to reduction in light intensity. Constant warm conditions is beneficial.
  Moisture: Water moderately and regularly, keeping it evenly moist. At lower temperatures, water sparingly and allow soil surface to dry slightly between watering. It enjoys high humidity, so mist the plant regularly or stand potted houseplant on a saucer of pebbles filled with water to just below the base of the pot to prevent browning of leaf margins caused by dry air. And, to further maintain humidity for houseplants, keep the leaves dust-free by wiping them with a moist cloth.
  Soil: Fairly fertile and well-drained soil with good aeration and water-holding capacity. A soil pH level of 6.5 is preferred.
  Others: Remove spent or burnt leaves to keep tidy. If older plants become leggy, hard-prune the main stem to within 10 cm from base to revitalize the plant and promote bushiness. You can then use the severed stem and cut into shorter 10-cm lengths for propagation.
  It is recommended that potted plants be repotted every two to three years. Or if it had been repotted to its maximum pot size, topdress it annually by removing and replacing the top 5-7.6 cm of soil.
  Feed once monthly during the growing season, but sparingly during winter, with a general liquid houseplant fertilizer at reduced strength, on the soil but never on the foliage.
  Try to avoid these conditions: dry air, excess fluoride in the water, low light levels and low temperatures will cause browning of the leaf tips and margin, while direct sunshine causes scorching and brown patches on the leaves.
  Cordylines are generally free from pests, but do check for mealybugs, scales and spider mites that may infest it occasionally.
  For subtropical regions: Hardiness: USDA Zone 10-11. Ti Plant should be be subjected to temperatures below 13 degrees C. Water and feed sparingly during winter. Visit Dave’s Garden to read growers’ comments about Hawaiian Ti Plant, especially winter care and those outside the hardiness area who confirmed that plants that die back to the ground do come back after a frost or freeze.

• Propagation: By seeds, though not easily available on cultivated plants. The easiest method of propagation for Cordyline terminalis (Ti Plant) is from tip cuttings or stem cuttings called ‘logs’ that can be started in the soil or in water. Read here on how to propagate Ti Plants.

• Usage: An attractive and colourful ornamental foliage plant, that is great in containers or above ground planter, indoors as houseplants or located at the porch, deck, patio and others, outdoors. Excellent too when ground-grown as a shrubby plant in gardens as an accent or striking single specimen, and even as lovely in a mixed planting in garden beds or borders. Differently coloured hybrids or varieties of Cordyline, when grouped and planted together will produce a fabulous kaleidoscope of colours to brighten up any area. Ti Plants, if properly pruned, can be created into wonderful shrubs as screens or hedges. Cordyline terminalis are such magnificent plants, ideal for landscaping, and definitely a shrub that add interest and marvelous contrast, making an impact wherever they’re planted. Some varieties of Ti Plant are also used in floral arrangements.
  In some regions, native peoples use the Ti Plant’s starchy rhizomes for food or simply as famine food and to produce liquor while the leaves are used for cooking and fashioned into Hawaiian hula skirts. The Hawaiians believe that Ti Plants bring good fortune to their owners, hence called, Good Luck Plant, Miracle Plant or Trees of Kings, to name a few.
  Ti Plant has many medicinal uses traditionally too. Its leaves are used to relieve fever, headache, soothe sore back muscles and as a decongestant. Read more at National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) on the medicinal uses and indigenous practices/usage of Cordyline fruiticosa or Ti Plant.

Other External links:
University of Florida, MREC
IPMnet, Central Maryland Research & Education Center
Aloha Tropicals
Floridata

Enjoy some more pictures of Cordyline terminalis (Hawaiian Ti or Ti Plant)!

Last edited: February 3, 2010