February 1, 2011 | Sean Flynn

Dreaming of Polynesia?

This Red Sister Ti Plant (Cordyline terminalis) is growing in the Floriculture Greenhouse. A cultivar native to Eastern Asia and Polynesia, its leaves change from pink to red. Photo by Sean Flynn

<p>This Red Sister Ti Plant (Cordyline terminalis) is growing in the Floriculture greenhouse. Ti plants are native to Eastern Asia and Polynesia and are used for fiber, cloth, and livestock food. The roots are said to be edible. This particular plant is called ‘Red Sister’ because UConn’s specimen is a cultivar -- a plant deliberately selected for specific characteristics - with pink changing to red leaves. Photo by Sean Flynn</p>
This Red Sister Ti Plant (Cordyline terminalis) is growing in the Floriculture Greenhouse. Ti plants are native to Eastern Asia and Polynesia and are used for fiber, cloth, and livestock food. The roots are said to be edible. This UConn specimen is called ‘Red Sister’ because it is a cultivar – a plant deliberately selected for specific characteristics – with pink leaves that change to red. Photo by Sean Flynn