HOME GROUNDS FACT SHEET Horticulture Center Cornell University Demonstration & Community Gardens at East Meadow Farm Cooperative Extension 832 Merrick Avenue East Meadow, NY 11554 Nassau County Phone: 516-565-5265 Techniques for Propagation of Plants for Interior Decoration RAYMOND T. FOX, DEPT. OF FLORICULTURE AND ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE, CORNELL UNIVERSITY

One of the best ways to add color, best method. Seed culture is of Rinse thoroughly in clean water and texture, form and a feeling of life particular interest in hybridizing, let dry before use. The seeds and freshness to your home is to which may give rise to variations in should be dusted with a fungicide use indoor plants in abundance. plant form and flower color. This before sowing. Damping-off dis- Today’s decorating calls for foliage offers exciting possibilities for the ease is the biggest danger in propa- and flowering plants in every room. amateur as well as the professional gating plants from seed. The root- With so many cities swallowing up indoor gardener. ing mixture should be moist without green spaces outside, there is a Seeds are commonly grown in being soggy and should be moist- real psychological need to bring na- shallow pots or, for larger quanti- ened before the seeds are sown. ture indoors. Though it is possible ties, in shallow seed trays or flats. Scatter seed thinly over the surface to buy plants in florist shops, plant Nowadays, flats are usually plastic or sow in rows. The seeds should shops, garden centers,super- instead of wood, and some seed be covered over with a light screen- markets and many other retail out- trays are made of a number of ing of sphagnum or peat moss. A lets, you can also produce them small compartments in which a mist spray of water dampens the yourself. This will provide you with single seed is sown. Small, sterile , surface material sufficiently without an interesting, absorbing hobby and fiber flats are also available. Since washing the seeds away. a real sense of accomplishment. plastic flats are usually watertight, it To prevent drying, a pane of glass is necessary to put a half-inch layer or piece of plastic can be placed of sand or pebbles in the bottom for over the top of the tray, or the tray Seeds drainage. The tray is then filled or pot can be enclosed in a clear There are several ways to propa- with a rooting mixture of 1/2 coarse plastic bag. Avoid placing flats in gate plants for decorative use and sand or perlite and 1/2 peat moss sunlight when there is a glass or enjoyment in your home. Many or milled sphagnum. plastic covering because tempera- houseplants can be started easily The rooting medium should be ture buildup may cook the seeds or from seed. Geraniums, coleus, sterile. Do not use garden soil in emerging seedlings. In either case, fuchsia, African violets, cacti, as- the rooting mixture. Soak used this covering should be removed as paragus fern, avocado, bird of para- pots or flats in a solution of 1 part soon as the seeds have germi- dise, ornamental pepper, Jerusa- chlorine bleach to 10 parts water. nated. lem cherry, sensitive plant and pomegranate are a few examples of plants readily grown from seed. Some plants can be propagated by more than one method; others re- spond best to only one. Geraniums are commonly propagated from ter- minal-stem cuttings and African violets are usually propagated by leaf-petiole cuttings. They can be Seeds are usually sown thinly in a communal flat or pot and are “picked off,” or grown from seed, also. When a transplanted, into compartmented trays or individual small containers as soon as one or two sets of true leaves develop. When the individual plants reach a reasonable size, they large number of plants is desired, are again transplanted into suitable containers. propagation by seed may be the A-1-30 DWM/ln reviewed RT 1/03

Building Strong and Vibrant New York Communities Cornell Cooperative Extension in Nassau County provides equal program and employment opportunities. When the seedlings emerge they large number of plants can be grown and several leaves and is essen- should be fertilized with a weak by the seed method, extra plants tially a plant minus its roots; gerani- liquid fertilizer solution—use 1 table- can be traded with friends for other ums, ivies, philodendron, fuchia, spoon of soluble houseplant fertil- varieties, or they can be grown on Wax plant, peperomia, begonia and izer per 1 gallon of water. Apply for gifts, for sale, or for church coleus are cases in point. Long the solution carefully to avoid wash- bazaars and community fairs. stems can be cut into sections ing away the small seedlings. A Propagation by seed is not al- called sectional cuttings. They con- small bulb syringe works well. Wa- ways feasible, either because seed tain two or more nodes with leaves tering pots or porous flats from the is not available or viable or be- but don’t have the terminal growing bottom is another method of pre- cause plants from seed do not al- point. However, they are treated venting seedlings from washing ways come true. If a duplicate of the same as a terminal cutting be- away. the parent plant is desired, sexual cause the dormant bud in the axil of When seedlings have develop- propagation by means of cuttings, the leaf grows to establish a new ed two true leaves they should be division, layering, runners or off- growing point or terminal. transplanted to individual small peat shoots is the technique required. Often, stem cuttings are placed or pottery pots. A good sterile Other means, such as rhizomes, in a glass of water until roots form. potting mixture should be used. For tubers, bulblets and plantlets, are However, roots form slowly in win- most plants, equal parts of sand, also possible in specific cases. ter months and these stem cuttings soil and peat make a good growing Seeds are usually sown thinly in may rot before they root. Even if mix. Baking garden soil for 1/2 a communal flat or pot and are roots do form, they are water roots hour at 250° F kills most soil organ- “picked off,” or transplanted, into that may not transplant success- isms. However, a soilless mix of 1/ compartmented trays or individual fully. A better procedure is to dip 3 peat, 1/3 vermiculite and 1/3 sand small containers as soon as one or the cut end of a stem cutting into a or perlite is a good sterile substi- two sets of true leaves develop. rooting hormone powder and plant tute. Cacti should be grown in a When these individual plants reach the stem in a pot of rooting mix until soil mix with 2 parts of sand or a reasonable size, they are again roots form. Succulent or fleshy perlite to 1 part peat and 1 part soil. transplanted into suitable con- stems should be dried out a few The seedlings should be watered tainers. days to seal off the cut end of the regularly with a weak solution of stem before planting. A good root- liquid houseplant fertilizer to en- Cuttings ing mix is 1/2 sand or perlite and 1/ courage growth. The growing seed- For many plant lovers, the most 2 peat or ground sphagnum moss. lings should be placed in good light. common method of acquiring a new When roots are well formed, as They can be placed directly in a plant is by means of a slip or cut- evidenced by the fact that the slip window in all but the hot summer ting. This is not a complete de- does not pull out of the rooting mix months. scription, however, because there easily, the rooted cutting, now a During the summer, the seed- are several types of cuttings. complete plant, can be potted up in lings should be in indirect light rather a good growing mix. than in full sun. When the seed- Stem cutting lings have attained a fair, compact Stem, slip or terminal cutting is sim- size, they should be transplanted to ply a growing tip (or tips) of a plant small regular containers and grown that is snipped or pinched off from on to an appropriate size. Since a the parent plant. It contains a stem

African violet Leaf-petiole cutting

Leaf-petiole cuttings Geranium The leaf, plus its stem or petiole, is Stem cutting used for starting African violets, gloxinias, rex begonias and peperomias. Two different tech- niques are used. African violets, gloxinias and peperomias are propega propagated by inserting the petiole Cane cuttings in the rooting mix with the leaf Some plants such as dracaenas, standing upright above the surface dieffenbachias, aglaeonemas and of the mix. Many leaves can be yuccas develop long stalks or canes planted close together in a some- as their bottom leaves are shed what shingled effect. The rex be- naturally. These bare canes show gonia petiole is inserted in the root- a series of rings where each leaf ing medium with the leaf itself had previously been attached. Be- pinned flat on the surface. Small tween every two rings or leaf scars cuts are made across the main is a dormant bud. The cane should veins of the leaf. New plants form Echeveria be cut into sections with at least at these cuts. Entire-leaf two leaf scars and a dormant bud. cutting The section should be laid horizon- tally just under the surface of the Entire-leaf cutting rooting medium with the dormant Sedums, echevaria and other eye facing upward at surface level. fleshy-leaved plants are propagated Roots develop at the ends of the by inserting the base of the leaf into canes; the nodes, or leaf scars, and the eye break dormancy, Rex begonia the rooting medium. New plants develop at the base of the leaf. sprout, and form a new plant. A tall Entire leaf placed cane can produce many new plants. flat on rooting medium The growing top of the plant can Leaf-bud cuttings also be rerooted, either as a termi- A plant stem is cut into sections nal cutting or by air layering before containing a single leaf and a piece the cane is cut off. Usually, the of the main stem, including the node bottom of the plant with the roots from which that leaf grows. On intact also resprouts. larger stems, a piece of the stem containing the leaf can be gouged out. This piece contains the leaf, Rubber plant petiole and a “heel” of the main Air layering

Sansevieria Philodendron Leaf-segment cutting Leaf-bud cutting

Leaf sections Sansevieria and star-leaf begonias stem that includes a dormant bud can be reproduced from leaf sec- from which the new plant develops. tions. Sansevieria leaves are sim- The heel, or the main stem section ply cut crosswise into pieces 3-4 containing the dormant bud, is set inches long and set upright in the in the rooting medium with the leaf rooting medium. Care should be and petiole protruding. Roots de- Air layering taken to ensure that the pieces are velop at the heel and the dormant Woody-stemmed plants such as right end up because they will not bud develops into a new plant. croton, rubber plants, schefflera, root upside down. Make a small fiddle-leaf fig and laurel fig, which identifying notch at the top so proper root more slowly, can be air lay- polarity can be ensured. ered. This is a good way to reduce With fibrous-rooted begonias the height of a too-tall plant and to such as the star-leaf begonia, leaves obtain new plants at the same time. are cut in radial sections on either A notch is cut into the woody stem the petiole or leaf stem. Each below the part to be removed. This section is set upright in the rooting cut is propped open with a match medium with the stem end inserted stick or small twig. The stem just in the medium. A wooden plant above the cut can be scraped or label or matchstick behind the leaf bruised for 1 or 2 inches. This area will support it. A glass jar placed Dieffenbachia should then be surrounded with a over the leaf section helps maintain Cane cutting ball of moist sphagnum moss, a moist atmosphere. which, in turn, is covered with a blah piece of clear plastic tied around produces plantlets in the axils of the stem at the top and bottom of the whorl of leaves. Some ferns the moss ball. The moist sphagnum are viviparous; they produce tiny provides an ideal medium in which bulblets that develop into tiny plant- the roots can develop. When roots lets. Asplenium bulbiferum and emerge from the ball and are polystichym setiferum are two discernible through the plastic, the examples of these “mother ferns.” top can be severed below the root All these above-ground plant- lets ball and planted. The lower stem produce new plants if they are care- can remain or be trimmed shorter. fully grown in a rooting medium. Eventually, dormant or adven- titious The leaf of the bryo- phyllum is buds sprout and a new terminal fastened flat on the medium and develops. Chlorophytum the roots of the plantlets grow into Runner, plantlet, small pot it. Offsets Plants such as aloes, century plant and sempervivums-or hens and chickens-produce small plants on short shoots at the base of the parent plant. These juvenile plants Bryophyllum Button fern - Division can be removed and potted as new Plantlets on leaf plants. The piggy-back plant leaf is Division Suckers treated like a leaf-petiole cutting Plants such as African violets may A secondary growth that originates and the fern fronds are usually left form multiple crowns. This cluster from adventitious roots or rhizomes attached to the parent plant and can be broken apart to form indi- is called a sucker. Bromeliads pro- pegged down flat on the propagat- vidual plants. Sometimes these duce these small growths, com- ing medium until the plantlets have separated plants have few or no monly called “pups,” around the par- rooted. roots. They should be planted in a ent plant. Staghorn ferns also pro- rooting mixture until good roots de- duce suckers. These suckers can velop. Other plants, such as ferns, be removed from the parent plant asparagus fern, cast-iron plant, when they have developed into prayer plant and everblooming be- small-sized plantlets and potted as gonias, form dense clumps. These individual new plants. clumps can be cut or pulled apart to form several smaller plants. The root ball must be broken apart, but the roots should be kept intact as much as possible. These divisions Piggyback plant can be repotted in regular potting Plantlet on leaf soil as individual plants. Bulbs, Tubers and Runners Rhizomes A few plants send out runners that Bromeliad Indoor plants such as amaryllis pro- produce new plantlets. Saxafraga, Sucker plantlet duce side bulbs that should be sepa- commonly called strawberry gera- rated from the parent bulb when nium or strawberry begonia; they reach a fair size. Tubers are chlorophytum, or spider plant; Bos- Plantlets and Bulblets swollen underground roots or stems. ton fern; and episia, or flame violet, Some plants produce plantlets on Caladium, gloxinia and tuberous be- are good examples. These new their leaves. Kalanchoe varieties gonia tubers are cut into sections plantlets can be removed and rooted produce tiny plantlets along the mar- after the new eyes have sprouted. as a cutting; or better yet, they can gin of the leaf. One such plant, Each section must contain a grow- remain attached to the mother plant bryophyllum, is commonly called ing eye. Gloriosa lilies have elon- and small pots can be set along- mother-of-millions because of the gated tubers that can be separated side to accommodate the plantlets. many plantlets produced. The so a growing tip is included. All cut When these plantlets have rooted tolmiea, or piggy-back plant, pro- surfaces should dry a day or two firmly, the runners can be severed duces plantlets on top of mature and be dusted fungicide before from the mother plant. leaves. Cyperus, or umbrella plant, repotting. A rhizome is a thickened stem, indirect light because strong direct usually underground but some-times sunlight causes excess heat buildup above ground. Rex begonia is a and cooks the plants. good example. Rhizomes can be Difficult-to-root cuttings can be cut into sections and set level with rooted more easily in a homemade the surface of the propagating me- propagating case made by cutting dium like a cane cutting. When and bending a wire coat hanger small plants develop, they can be and arching it over a pot full of lifted and potted in a good potting rooting mix. After the mix is well or growing medium. watered, the cutting is inserted, a clear plastic bag is placed over the Layering pot, and a rubber band is used to One other method used for woody fasten the plastic bag securely. The Forsythe pot humidity inside the bag is main- plants with large drooping branches All-purpose propagator or vines is layering. This is a tained at a high level and the leaves common method of propaga- ting of the cutting remain turgid and Cuttings and plantlets are in- outdoor shrubs, but it can also be unwilted. This method works espe- serted in the circular area of the used for indoor plants such as gar- cially for more woody-stemmed cut- rooting medium and the small pot denias, rubber plants, ivy, grape tings such as gardenia, ardisia, is filled with water, which seeps out ivy, brassaia or schefflera, philo- cissus, bougainvillea and ixora. into the rooting medium and keeps dendron, hibiscus and many oth- However, it is unsatisfactory for cacti it moist. ers. Any vining or drooping branch and other plants that may rot in a Another method for rooting can be bent over and pegged down. more humid atmosphere. cuttings is to use a wick-watered This might be in the parent plant’s When rooting woody-stemmed pot. The constant moisture pre- pot or in another nearby container. plants or plants that are difficult to vents the cuttings from drying out. The stem area touching the soil root, a rooting hormone increases Cuttings can also be rooted in a should be bruised or scraped to success. The end of the stem can plastic bag or terrarium. Place 3-4 induce rooting. A mound of soil is be dipped in the hormone powder inches of moist rooting medium in heaped over the pegged-down before inserting it in the rooting the bag or bottom of the terrarium, stem. When roots have developed, medium. insert the cuttings and fasten the the stem can be severed from the With a little patience and care, bag or cover the terrarium. Because parent plant, and the new plant can you can increase your collection of this is a closed system, no additional be properly potted in a new con- indoor plants and perhaps provide moisture is needed. The plastic or tainer. This method obviously does welcome gifts to friends and glass container should be placed in not produce many new plants, but it neighbors. is a sure method of obtaining one or two.

Containers for Difficult-to-root cuttings can be rooted more easily in a homemade propagating case Propagation made by cutting and bending a wire coat Plants can be propagated in a vari- hanger and arching it over a pot full of ety of flats, pots and boxes. If rooting mix. After the mix is well watered, several small cuttings are desired, the cutting is inserted, a clear plastic bag is a Forsythe pot can be used with placed over the pot, and a rubber band is good results. used to fasten the plastic bag securely. A Forsythe pot consists of a small The humidity inside the bag is maintained porous clay pot, about 2-3 inches in at a high level and the leaves of the cutting diameter, set inside a larger clay remain turgid and unwilted. This method pot, usually 6-8 inches in diameter. works especially for more woody-stemmed The rooting medium is put in the cuttings such as gardenia, ardisia, cissus, larger pot. The small pot, with a bougainvillea and ixora. However, it is cork in the drainage hold, is set in unsatisfactory for cacti and other plants the center of the larger pot, level that may rot in a more-humid atmosphere. with the rooting medium.

A-1-30 DWM/ln reviewed RT 1/03