DIEFFENBACHIA
Dieffenbachia seguine Schott
Frequently seen in collections of tropical plants, on porches or in greenhouses, and sometimes growing in the ground, are the large, green and white leaves of the Dieffenbachias. The species was named for J. F. Dieffenbach, a German botanist of the last century. There are a number of varieties, which differ as to the shape of the leaf blade and the pattern of white on them. One of these is shown on the plate, the one most frequently grown in Honolulu. The flowers are small and seldom seen. They are made up of the spathe and spadix characteristic of the Arum family.
The plant grows as a thick stalk which often lies on the ground for a distance before lifting its head of leaves. The leaf stems clasp this stalk and rings are left when they fall off. The Dieffenbachias are natives of central and South America. ([Plate XVI])
GREEN TI
Cordyline terminalis Kunth
A plant which grows wild and very abundantly in the lower, wet forests of Hawaii is called Ti by the Hawaiians, (pronounced tea). It is primarily a leaf plant, the leaf blades being two or three feet long and very glossy, thick, and strong in texture. They do not wilt easily and so are useful for many things. Shredded to the midrib and strung together, they form the green skirt of the modern hula dancer. At native feasts they are used to cover the table instead of a cloth and sections of the leaves serve as plates. In some meat markets, sections of Ti leaf are used instead of waxed paper to wrap up meat, while leis wrapped in a bundle of leaves remain fresh for a long time. For culinary purposes, pieces of fish and pork, along with young leaves of the taro which taste like spinach, are wrapped in Ti leaves and steamed. The resulting dish is called a lau-lau. The Ti leaf imparts a characteristic flavor to the food it enwraps.
The Ti plant grows as a tall stalk, often woody at the base, which may be twelve feet high. The leaves appear in a tuft at the top of the stalk. From among these leaves in winter and spring comes the flower cluster. The blossoms are very small and tubular, really minute lilies, a creamy white in color, with sepals that are mauve or pinkish, so that the effect is a mass of purplish or pinkish grey and cream. The flower cluster is much branched and very graceful, being attractive even when dried. The flowers on the plant sometimes develop seed. The plant is much used in gardens for hedges and for background plantings. ([Plate XVI])
A section of the old woody stem, several inches in diameter and several inches long, if placed in a shallow bowl of water will develop new shoots and become an attractive house plant.
The Ti grows on the South Sea islands, in India and Southern China. It is a member of the lily family. It enters many Polynesian myths and stories, for it was widely used by the ancient islanders as well as by their modern descendents. The thick root stock was used by early white men in Hawaii to make okolehao, the starchy root being boiled, fermented and distilled.
RED TI
Cordyline terminalis
The Ti plant varies greatly, many forms having colored foliage, and variously shaped leaves. The colors are mostly tones of red and whitish green, the hues ranging from dark maroon to bright pink while there are some with bronze and golden tones. Usually the coloring appears as irregular strips along the line of the veins. Such red foliage plants usually have cerise flowers and red berries. ([Plate XVI])