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bihai

Philo Pink Princess....should I cut it?????

bihai
18 years ago

I obtained a Philodendron Pink Princess from a friend about 2 years ago. It was a very large plant that had been severely neglected. She gave it to me to "save".

It was large enought that I was able to cut it into 4 pieces. I gave one to a friend and she has grown in into a beautiful plant. I planted 2 in the greenhouse and they are also beautiful plants.

This 4th one, however, is not doing so hot. As you can see in the photo, it has bade several "babies" which I took off and planted separately.

But the main vine has produced one offshoot vine that only produces totally pink leaves. This has been going on for alnost a year. There are never any bicolor leaves, just totally pink ones that fairly quickly brown and fall off, I am supposing because they are not photosynthesizing well.

Should I cut this offshoot off and see if the main vine will offshoot again with a more normal colored vine? Please advise the best course of action.

{{gwi:381749}}

Comments (10)

  • russ_fla
    18 years ago

    My opinion, yes you should cut the top off of that plant and force some branching below. I would only cut the very top off this time of year, taking 2 or 3 node cuttings all the way down is risky, and I'd wait til well into spring
    before doing that. Beautiful bunch of small offsets you
    had in the picture there, hope they're all growing well.
    Russ

  • bihai
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Russ, thank. I am going to lop it off. The offsets are doing well...I hope they get BIG! Looks like it may take a while, LOL. I have had this same solid color leaf thing happen sometimes with Alocasia macrorhizza albo-variegata, and once it happens, sometimes that particular seedling will never make bicolor leaves. Then again, I have had all green offsets come up on the same plants that, when separated, will again start producing variegated plants. Hope the Pink P does the same.

  • planty01976
    18 years ago

    Hope im not too late in posting this..but...i NEVER make philo cuttings during the winter months, they almost always rot, even in the greenhouse. I wait until it gets warm and muggy during mid spring, they seem to like that and root well.

  • northtexasgirl
    18 years ago

    bihai, I just wanted to tell you that your Pink Princess is absolutely gorgeous!! I've NEVER seen one with solid pink leaves. WOW!! After seeing yours, I am gonna have to break down and buy one even though they are so expensive...I've been looking and comparing prices for a while now. I'll bet you have a one-of-a-kind for sure.

    Leona

  • bihai
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Well, I just cut the very very top off, where the new aberrant all pink branch came out. It had some roots attached, so I potted it, I don't know why, it has only ever made those all pink leaves and they only last about a week before they turn brown and fall off.

    Leona, having the all pink leaves is pretty, but they don't support the plant well. There's no green part to photosynthesize well I guess....its kind of like the all white leaves that come out sometimes on variegated ALocasia macrorhizza...once the plant starts with a majority of all white leaves it usually declines because it can't produce food. I usually remove those offsets and discard them. I don't know it this little cutting will take ot not, if it does I hope it makes some bicolor leaves.

  • GrowHappy
    18 years ago

    Hmmm... I agree with planty about waiting til late Spring to take the cuttings. I took cuttings of my Pink princess last winter and every one of them rotted.

    GH

  • bihai
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I didn't cut it to propagate it, though. I don't think the tip with the all pink leaves will do well anyway, I rather expect it won't exactly make it. I cut it to basically get rid of that aberrant arm and hopefully get the main stem to branch again and produce a stem that will have normal colored leaves.

  • wolflover
    18 years ago

    bihai,
    That is one gorgeous plant. I am dying for one. :) I would love to see pictures of the two in your greenhouse that you consider "beautiful". They must be incredible!

  • holly_c
    18 years ago

    Hello, I lurk around from time to time. I just ordered my Pink Princess from Natural Selections. I'm sooo excited. They were very reasonable. Bihai, yours is beautiful. By the way, have you still got that A. maxima verde tucked away in the corner???

  • russ_fla
    18 years ago

    Regarding waiting til spring to take cuttings as some suggested, yes of course, wait til spring which is what I
    advised for cuttings other than the tip. Cutting the tip off now is OK, since it's a throw-away. With no green chlorophyll in it's leaves it cannot process food and will not live. I do this all the time with Monstera deliciosa
    variegata tips that have gone 'all white'.
    Russ

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