About six months ago i bought a ming aralia that was clearanced for $5.00. When I got it home it was infested with every kind of bug imaginable. When my husband and I moved it to a permanant pot, 1/2 of the root ball broke off. Basicly making a clean division! We placed both 1/2's in the pot thinking that it would be ok. After a few weeks, the 1/2 that broke off died so I pulled it out. Now it is growing very well and all the buggies are gone. But, i still have one issue. there is one stalk that isn't growing any folliage. There is a baby shoot growing off the very bottom but the rest of the stalk is bare. These mysterious black bumps seem to randomly appear on the stalk, not sure if that is healthy or not.

So... back to the point...

Should i cut the "yucky" stalk off just above the new growth? or just leave it and hope it decides to wake up and join the living?

I'm willing to try anything.