Mystery Green in flower bouquet - Colombia

Discussion in 'Plant Propagation' started by tibouchina, Jan 19, 2006.

  1. tibouchina

    tibouchina Member

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    I bought a flower bouquet at the supermarket in June to accompany me on the 1st anniversary of my mother's passing. (I live about 55 miles west of Boston.)

    The bouquet was labeled from Colombia, South America, my mother's and my birthplace.

    The flowers bloomed a whole month, then I noticed a green stem that looked in perfect condition, so I placed it in a glass jar with water. It is still very green, only now it has tiny sprouts under the bigger/lower leaves. Yet, the steam's cut end shows no sign of sprouting roots or such-- and I just trimmed some brown off it to allow more water in.

    I would appreciate any info as to where to go from here to preserve this almost plant.

    I've attached a picture, hope it helps. Thanks in advance for any info.
     

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  2. wrygrass2

    wrygrass2 Active Member 10 Years

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    Could the fine filaments originating on the leaf vein be roots forming? I know that many plants, (begonia, philodendron, african violet, etc.) can be started by slitting a vein of a leaf in a few places, and pinning it down atop a rooting medium, keeping the rooting medium moist but not wet while the roots form. You might try a dilute solution of rootstarter (vitaminb1) in the water you use to water it with, but if you need to buy some, buy the type that doesn't have a fertilizer already contained in it.

    Harry
     
  3. tibouchina

    tibouchina Member

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    Harry,

    Thanks for the reply.

    It seems strange, but the "sprouts" from underneath the leaves start out with little brown thin membrane skins that dry up and are shed and the resulting greenish sprouts look more like possible flowers than roots or leaves.

    It is such a slow grower, that I'm sure it may take another six months to see if these "sprouts" indeed bloom into flowers or turn into roots or turn into more leaves.

    The other unique thing about this cutting is that it is entirely happy in next to no light!

    The leaves and stem are tough, and at first, I thought the cutting might be artificial.

    Here's a closer view of the sprouts at various levels of development--as close as I can come with my digital camera.

    I may try to cut off a leaf and do as you suggest-- propagate it like a violet or begonia by placing the sprout in soil, and hoping for the best. Though I hate to mess up the symmetry of the stem-- four leaves intersect precisely at the lowest point. And these being the oldest leaves-- are the ones with the biggest sprouts, while the other leaves on the stem cutting appear in twos.

    -Gloria
     

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  4. wrygrass2

    wrygrass2 Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi Gloria,

    You might try air layering, that is tie a small bag of soil to one of the leaves and keep it moist for a week or two, and then check to see if the roots and/or buds have developed differently than those that aren't. Sometimes when you bury a bud, instead of making a flower it makes roots. The growing tip seems to adapt to the medium it finds itself in.

    Also, you might try rooting hormone on the lowest part of the stem (make a fresh cut across the stem at an angle with a sharp razorblade first), but that would necessitate putting it in soil. Even though my Mom always started her plants in a glass of water, or vase on a window sill; those books on propogation I have read have always thought that soil was a better way to do it.

    Harry
     
  5. swgraham

    swgraham Active Member UBC Botanical Garden

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    Looks like a Ruscus
     
  6. wrygrass2

    wrygrass2 Active Member 10 Years

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    Great id, Swgraham. Interesting plant. Found references to propogation/culture medium and vase life on a cursory search, probably much more on the web. Didn't try to isolate species, so you might also look to do that and then see if the info in the above links holds true.

    Harry
     
  7. tibouchina

    tibouchina Member

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    Thank you Swgraham and Harry!!

    Yes, it definitely is a Ruscus, and probably the hypoglossum.

    What a botanical education I've gotten from this plant! It is a very durable cut foliage crop-- and what I thought were leaves are really phylloclades-- the true leaves will appear around the flower that will eventually emerge from the "sprouts" that can appear on the tops or undersides of the centers of the cladodes.

    What a houseplant this is going to make!!

    Thanks again.

    -gloria
     

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