Identification: Office Plant- looking for id & rescue advice

I had some stems of this plant in water for months, maybe three??? Without any sign whatsoever of ANY roots, but once they was planted in soil they rooted within three weeks or so.

 

New update...

The stem cuttings have started to grow roots... yippee! I lost the leaf, but I am hopeful that it will grow back.

The cuttings in the soil are much slower. There are very few new nodes that are showing, and no roots have emerged (I gently pulled the two cuttings out to see).

I am not sure how long I should wait before I plant the cuttings in the water. I am assuming that the roots will grow out longer, but I don't know how well the long roots will adjust to planting.

Also, should I give up on the cuttings in the soil and put them in water as well? I don't have incredibly high hopes, but it would be great if I was able to see some leaves in the near future.

I have been trying to read up on these, but the sites I keep finding have either very basic or VERY technical information... any suggestions? I am looking to find out what the 'leafing' process looks like. I see the nodes, but I don't know what comes next.

Thanks!

 

Id say that the first few leaves that it produces will look more like scales or petioles without leaves than actual leaves. Once things have got on for a bit then the scale looking things being produced will begin looking more like leaves until fully formed leaves are being grown. Just a gut feeling as i have not personally grown this plant, but that is what has happened with other cane forming plants that i have cut back.

 

I know you are anxious, but do yourself and the plant a favor and leave the plants in the soil alone. You will see growth above ground when they are stable. And they will grow!! There is a company in Arkansas not far south of me that grows thousands of these plants in a large greenhouse for the horticultural market. They always start them in soil and sell tons of them in hanging baskets.

You can do it either way but I have always had better results with the plants grown in soil in the long run. Sometimes the shock of taking the plant from water and putting it in soil sets it back. Just give nature time to do her thing!

 

I enjoyed watching the plant grow the nodes and roots, but I will take your advice photopro... all of the cuttings are now in the soil.

I would consider myself more curious than anxious, but you are most likely accurate in your statement. :) Thanks for the advice.

 

UPDATE:

I took photopro's advice and potted all of the cuttings. Unfortunately only three remain, but they are looking hopeful. I just watered it and let it do its own thing... and did not have high hopes. About a month ago I started seeing a couple sprouts, and now there is one leaf just about fully opened, another halfway there, and a third at the beginning of its sprout.

This is my first plant victory, so I appreciate everyone's patience with my little challenges. :)

When I was looking at the soil level today, I saw some small white bugs at the base of one of the stems, so I'm not sure what I should do. The stems just started sprouting so I was hesitant to do anything too drastic, but I'm assuming these bugs could destroy the stems if left there.

Any advice?

 

post some pics of the bugs if you can.

 

I'll keep my eyes peeled and my camera ready. I guess they're shy because they disappeared by the time I grabbed my camera... They looked a little milky/transparent and were only walking at the very bottom of one stem, right above the soil.