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Mon, Jun 9, 03 at 14:42
| I reckon the title says it all. I want to propogate some plumbago by cuttings. Can anyone please advise the best way to get cuttings started? Since I've never seen seeds set, I am assuming that propogating by cuttings is the easiest way to get one started.
Thanks (I'm in So. Florida, USA, zone ten, a little more humid than S.A. but plumbago do great here.) |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Hi Plumbago is quite easy to propagate. Take cuttings of about an index finger or an index finger and a half. Cut them just below a join. Snip off all the leaves except for one or two at the top end of the cutting (it is best to cut the leaves off rather than tear them off as this does not damage the stem). Use a sharp pruning shears , kitchen scissors or knife when taking the cuttings as it is best to get a nice clean cut rather than a ragged one so as to minimise the chances of fungal rot setting in. It is also best to take semi hardwood cuttings ie. last years growth. Put the cuttings in clean water to soak for about 15 minutes. Remove the cuttings and if you have some hormone powder or liquid (eg. Dip and Grow etc.) dip them in the hormone agent as per the manufacturers instructions. You will need a well drained plastic container (a plastic ice cream tub works well but be sure to make sufficient drainage holes). Fill the container with sharp river sand . Take a stick and make holes for the cuttings to be placed into in the riversand filled container (be carefull to put them in the right way up as they will die if upside down). Firm the sand around each cutting with your fingers. Water the container and right any cuttings which may have become dislodged by the water. Place the container in a shaded area. Cuttings must never be allowed to dry out so check that the sand is still moist every day. They should take about 4 to 5 weeks to form roots. You should notice new new little leaves coming out. When they look as if they are ready immerse the whole container in a bucket of water , stick you fingers into the sand a bit away from the cutting and go right down to the bottom of the container , scoop the cutting with its surrounding sand up into your hand and agitate a bit so that the sand comes away in the water. If it is right you should see little roots have formed. If no roots have yet formed remove the container from the water, make holes in the sand and gently insert them back into the sand and put them back into their shady spot. If they have roots plant them in a mixture of half garden sand and half compost , preferrably in a pot or nursery plastic bag. Keep them in morning only sun and moist until they are nicely established and a reasonable size then plant them out into your garden into a full sun spot. Good luck. Garrick |
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- Posted by swflagrdnr 10 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 10, 03 at 10:04
| Thank you very much. Excellent, concise advice. |
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| I believe that plumbago makes seed but I've never been able to figure out what they look like. The reason I make the statement that it makes seed is that I have found plants coming up in a bed where I once had a plumbago growing in a pot, and this was a year or so after I took the pot out of that bed, so I certainly believe that came from a seed. I have had other instances of plants coming up in the same bed where I have plumbago, but they do not appear to be growing from roots or runners from the original plants. |
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| Here in Berkeley, plumbago grows large and rampant. I love them and know they must cast seed since I have to weed out the starts in January and February when the clay soil is soft. J. |
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- Posted by thad_huffman z9 Texas (thad_huffman@msn.com) on Wed, Jan 21, 04 at 21:08
| Try diggin a small hole & put a small branch in it & then put a brick on it to hold it down.....In few months you'll have some roots on it , then cut it off & plant it....Thad |
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| I see your posts are 4 years old, but maybe my post will help others who may have the same questions as you and I had. There is a good picture of the seeds here: I found the answer to our (yours and my) question here: They say: Another site with lots of great information: I need to bring mine indoors in October since I am in zone 6B, but this year I am going to also try to plant some seeds. |
Here is a link that might be useful: A place selling the seeds & giving directions on how to grow them.
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| http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/resultsdetailed.asp?search=
iliee here you will find a picture of plumbago seed. It took me hours to finally find a picture of one. http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/seeds/iliee.jpg |
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| Hi Have a footnote to this ?? lol How do you stop them from propagating?? I suppose by now you've found this out?? While beautiful they can be incredibly aggresive. Downright weedy. gary |
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