Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa)

Andong or ti plant or palm lily (Cordyline fruticosa) is species of plants in Asparagaceae, evergreen shrubs, such as palm which are usually used as ornamental plants for leaves and are widely planted on roadsides and graves, used as hedges, medicinal plants and widely used in rituals traditional in many cultures.

C. fruticosa has erect and slender stems, woody, hard, round with a diameter of 7.5 cm, height up to 10 m and canopy width 1.2 m, light brown, segmented and rough stem surface, patterned cracked with horizontal rings as clearly visible, branched stem and taproot stem holders.

Single leaf and lanceolate, cluster arranged in a spiral that grows near the branching, base and sharp tip, flat edge, length 20-60 cm, width 10-13 cm, fronds 5-10 cm, pinnate and shiny bones on both surfaces.

The texture of the leaves is smooth, supple and shiny, green or variegata color with variations of red, pink, purple, maroon, rose, yellow and orange. True leaf color in seedlings derived from seeds and cuttings will appear when plants begin to produce mature leaves.

Compounding flowers in panicles, emerge from the armpit leaves, 30 cm long, yellow, green and red, have six crowns, crowned stamens, attached to flower tents and pistils have three crowns. Fruit is round, shiny and black seeds.

Ti plants are monocotyledonous and have cambium consisting of one type of cell that is rectangular or polygonal in origin from thickening of the primary meristem, but does not form annual ring growth, making it difficult to count the number of secondary tissue formed.

Andong grows in the lowlands to an altitide of 1,900 m, which is shaded and requires moderate sunlight. Cordyline plants can grow in areas with poor soil, spread and grow easily even without care. Vegetative propagation of cut stems or roots and generative seeds.

Plants contain saponins, flavonoids and polyphenols. Leaves, flowers, stems and roots are often used for antibacterial, hemorrhoids, hemoptysis, hematuria, pulmonary tuberculosis, dysmenorrhea, diarrhea and dysentery, threatened abortion, gastric pain, heartburn and gum inflammation.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Lomandroideae
Genus: Cordyline
Species: Cordyline fruticosa

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