I'm largely writing this because I just generated 45 P. membranacea cuttings and I'd like to give those for postage as 3 sets of 15 cuttings. I also posted this on the Gardenweb Plant exchange. This forum has been very slow lately. I would really like to get this in the mail tomorrow by Priority Mail.

Two reasons for the cuttings:

1) My plant is a monster and I'm in the process of pruning it back a lot.

2) To my surprise recent cuttings are rooting reasonably well--and quickly.

15 days after I started some cuttings, nearly 1/3 have rooted:

Here are some of the cuttings I just took.

Contact me if you are interested in the cuttings. I'd like to get these out on Wednesday, if possible. Let me know your climate and growing conditions so I can figure out the best homes for them.

Josh, a friend at Strybing tells me that he thinks we underestimate how much heat P. membranacea can handle. Perhaps someone reading this has grown them in the South? I know that my plant grows really well during our heat waves (but with cool nights even when hot). It doesn't like sun when it's hot.

If I had to guess I wouldn't be surprised if growth is OK in warmer areas (although again someone reading this should know), but that flowering might be more of a challenge. It's an interesting plant even when not in bloom though. It's certainly worth trying--I'll send you a rooted cutting at some point.

Stacy, the cuttings are all out, but I'll email you and we can figure something out. I'm not convinced bottom heat is a good idea--the ones above were rooted without. However...DaveH, a different Strybing person who posts here occasionally, I believe said in a post that he uses bottom heat.

Here's how I rooted the recent cuttings:

The medium was 50% perlite, 50% peat. I used reasonably fresh 0.3% IBA for rooting hormone (thanks Eric). I rooted 2-3 node cuttings in groups of 3-4 in plastic cups. One leaf was left on the cutting, and it was not cut down (as in photo) These were rooted under a fluorescent light that is on for 24 hours and is not very close to the cuttings. The temperature lately when they were successful was probably low to mid 70s during the day, low to upper 60s at night. This is much cooler than previous attempts when they rooted poorly and slowly.

I think the following may have made a difference as to why these rooted quickly and the others rooted slowly at a low percentage: using fresh IBA and lower temps, especially at night. I think it's very possible the 24 hour light had an effect. Also there may have been something unique about the vine at the moment that makes it more "rootable"--who knows.