# What is this plant?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 20, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889 "2013-02-20T18:36:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/1 "2013-02-20T18:36:48Z")
See the title for the question. It’s some kind of monocot, from the seed of some kind of edible fruit. Picture below:
[http://instagram.com/p/V9nj5zyMg3/](http://instagram.com/p/V9nj5zyMg3/)
---
### Author:  [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/2 "2013-02-20T19:57:52Z")
Its a sort of Dracaena. I think the variety is Dracaena “Golden Coast” - here’s a google picture search [ready for you](https://www.google.com/search?q=Dracaena+%22Golden+Coast%22&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=VyolUYTeH-Ka2gWzsICQAQ&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=1195)
---
### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/3 "2013-02-20T20:27:17Z")
> [@keeganst94](#):
>
> from the seed of some kind of edible fruit
Why do you think it’s from an edible fruit?
---
### Author:  [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/4 "2013-02-20T21:33:07Z")
I thought it was an edible fruit because the pot it’s in was planted with the seeds of edible fruits. No idea how that got in there. Thanks for the quick response.
---
### Author:  [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2013, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/5 "2013-02-21T08:14:21Z")
To me it looks like _Cordyline fruiticosa_, which would also explain why it was included in a package of edible plants.
---
### Author:  [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2013, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/6 "2013-02-21T08:34:31Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s a Dracaena, common name is ornamental corn plant.
[_Cordyline fruiticosa_](http://www.google.com/search?q=cordyline+fruticosa&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ntslUcjLD6v4igL644HgCQ&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1866&bih=970), the Hawaiian Ti plant is different. I’ve never seen one that doesn’t have some red or pink on it.
---
### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2013, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/7 "2013-02-21T08:44:40Z")
> [@picunurse](#):
>
> [_Cordyline fruiticosa_](http://www.google.com/search?q=cordyline+fruticosa&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ntslUcjLD6v4igL644HgCQ&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1866&bih=970), the Hawaiian Ti plant is different. I’ve never seen one that doesn’t have some red or pink on it.
Looks like the wild type isn’t variegated or pink. If the OP’s specimen was grown from seed, it might be reasonable to expect it to conform more to the wild type than one of the showy houseplant cultivars.
---
### Author:  [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/8 "2013-02-22T08:48:52Z")
> [@picunurse](#):
>
> I’m pretty sure it’s a Dracaena, common name is ornamental corn plant.
> [_Cordyline fruiticosa_](http://www.google.com/search?q=cordyline+fruticosa&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ntslUcjLD6v4igL644HgCQ&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1866&bih=970), the Hawaiian Ti plant is different. I’ve never seen one that doesn’t have some red or pink on it.
I’ve seen plenty in the wild, and as [[Mangetout]] notes, they have no red or pink foliage. Those are ornamental colours added through selective breeding.
---
### Author:  [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)
#### Post date: [February 22, 2013, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-plant/650889/9 "2013-02-22T08:57:48Z")
PS. "Hawaiian Ti plant " is about as accurate as “Thai peanut plant” or “Italian tomato plant”. _Cordyline fruiticosa_ is native to Australia and the South Pacific that was introduced to Hawaii as a crop plant just a few hundred years ago.