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clc70_gw

starting heucheras from a single leaf.

clc70
10 years ago

It really did work. I took about a dozen leaves and potted each one up about 4-6 weeks ago. Today I knocked a couple of them out of their pots and they had roots. When you take a leaf make sure you pull it away from the main stem. It should have a flare at the end of the leaf where it pulled away. I used Rootone powder and just potted them up. Now that I know it works I'm going to do a lot more. I lost a couple but I figure at least 80% success can't be bad.

Comments (11)

  • dg
    10 years ago

    Nice job, congrats!
    All good info, sounds pretty easy and it seems like this would be an interesting project. So now I'm even more curious and have a few more questions :-)

    Did you try different varieties or just one? Do you have some photos of the baby roots? Did you keep the planting medium moist or let it dry a bit between?

    Thanks,
    Deb

  • clc70
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I just tried one variety. It was a dark purple one, no name, sorry. But now that I know it can be done I'm going to try Cherry Cola and one of my lime green heucheras. I potted them up in 4" pots and kept them moist in my green house. Other than that nothing special. No photos, sorry will have to try to get some pictures. I've never posted a picture before.

  • dg
    10 years ago

    Good to know, thanks for the info!
    :-)
    Deb

  • aquadragonfly
    10 years ago

    I tried to do this once, I didn't get any to root. Congratulations!
    I personally think it takes a talent to do it :)

  • angophora1
    10 years ago

    I did something similair... just went mad with a scalpel from the chemist, but shoved the leaf with stem straight into the clay... with mushrrom mulch... theyre small, but growing well! In full sun... in the middle of winter, did the cuttings in Summer...:D

  • ange2006
    10 years ago

    I do not have any heucheras and would like to start growing some. Sounds like I may be able to start some plant with leaves that you have, unless it's better to dig up small ones already rooted. Would anyone like to trade? A couple of leaves or babies from a few of your favorites in exchange for what I have. I have aloe pups, agave pups, white and orange butterfly gingers, baby pink calla lilies, baby passion flower vine (color unknown, 12" long), dendrobium kingianum orchid, goji berry seeds, miniature morning glory seeds (pink, blue, orange).

  • jan_on zone 5b
    10 years ago

    I have done this unintentionally - I sometimes cut single leaves to put in tubes of water on my kitchen windowsill in lieu or flowers. They last for a very long time, and eventually produce roots. I was pretty surprised the first time it happened, but I have observed this on several occasions with whatever variety I happened to cut. I've never potted them since I really didn't want more, but there sure were lots of roots. So---one could 'snitch' leaves from garden tours etc lol.
    Jan

  • ange2006
    10 years ago

    Jan, I guess I'll have to go to the local garden tour coming up in September. I really like the colorful leaves of the heucheras. They're as pretty as flowers.

  • clc70
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Update. So far no top growth. I knocked one leaf out of it's pot and it had lots of roots so I guess I just need to be patient. I did loose a couple more so success rate down a little. But it was an experiment to begin with.

  • valleyrimgirl
    10 years ago

    What a wonderful idea! I just went out and snagged the outside aged leaves from a few of my favorite heuchera like Fire Chief and Berry Smoothie. I would love a few more of these heuchera next year in the garden. I plan on taking photos of the stems every once in a while to show what is happening with them.

    I knew that a leaf with the stem would make roots, but had not tried to do so yet. Thanks for the encouragement and the thread on this topic!

    Brenda

  • valleyrimgirl
    10 years ago

    So, here is a list of heuchera that I took leaves from today...
    Snow Angel
    Cherry Cola
    Electric
    Plum Royale
    Lime Marmalade
    Marmalade
    Christa
    Berry Smoothie

    and of course, Gunsmoke Heucherella.

    I also went thru my seedlings and brought in some of them too!

    Brenda

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