Propagated Rhaphidophora tetrasperma not producing new leaves

Hello all, I have a rhaphidophora tetrasperma (or at least I think that is what it is). It was planted from a cutting months ago but has not produced any leaves yet. I think probably because the cutting was from the middle of a stem and plant cannot produce any leaves from where the leaves connect to the stem. I have attached a couple of photos just in case anyone has any ideas how to encourage the plant to produce a new leaf. thanks

 

Hi Minoo, yes a midcut can take many, many months sometimes to send out new shoots, especially over winter. Hopefully it is spending it's time rooting well first, then it will shoot up. Everywhere the leaf is attached to the stem is a "node" that has the potential to send out a new shoot. It does take a lot of patience when you don't get an active growth tip as part of the cutting. How is the rooting going? When you lightly tug on it you feel the resistance of the new roots anchored in soil? To get your shoots as soon as possible obviously first is caring well for the cutting, which it seems you are doing. Bright light but no direct sun? A very-low-light cutting may take longer. What are the very minimum night temps?
Have you heard of using orchid keiki paste on the dormant nodes to encourage new growth shoots? That would be a possibility to try here if you already have your established roots.

 

Thanks Tom for your feedback. The cutting developed roots last sept and planted after that. The roots are strong when I try to move the stem which is covered with soil so I am guessing they are relatively established . I have read about the keiki paste but not tried it yet. Thanks for the suggestion. I will probably try that soon if I don’t see a sign of growth. My worry is that the cutting might never be able to produce a new leaf because of the way it was cut.

 

It definitely has the power to produce a shoot at every node, so the cutting method was fine, as long as you know that method makes takes more time than a tip cutting.
I do have a theory about planting orientation of those cuttings though. Learning about the way hormones move inside a plant stem, and are used by the plant during normal growth to make sure the highest tip is prioritized and lower shoots and dormant buds at every leaf axil are either partially or fully suppressed in order to keep the plant growing up higher; that makes me wonder if vertical planting of a multi-node cutting is maybe faster/better than laying it down? In another species that easily produce shoots, horizontal placement makes sense to get more plantlets; but in a slow-shooter like this, with a soft green midcut, perhaps in the future a vertical placement would help get the plant hormones in the right places faster? Just a theory. Does anyone else have any thoughts about that?

 

Thanks Tom. I tend to agree with you on your theory ( I think I read it also in an article a while ago). The roots are well established so don’t want to pull the upper leaf up and out of the soil considering there are roots. But I can try to lift is a bit to create that horizontal flow and orientation of the plant towards the upper leaf. What do you suggest?
I have attached a better photo. My concern is that there are really no nodes that I can see that will produce new growth (see photo)

 

At this point I would definitely leave it as-is. There is an established history of all these kinds of aroids (eventually) rooting just fine when laid horizontally. It would have only been a small theoretical time advantage anyway.
You would not be able to see external physical "buds" like you may be looking for. Every leaf has the potential built into the base of the petiole (leaf stem). As the shoot is activated by the plant, the petiole will change in shape from roughly round to having a some ridges along one side. These ridges will eventually develop into the furled new leaf. After the ridges, a little bump will form about an inch up the petiole from the stem, this is the tip of the new leaf poking out of the existing petiole which is giving birth to it, and it will eventually come all the way out and become a new shoot. So everything you need is right there. Nothing to worry about, just have to have patience. :)

 

Thank you Tom. That is very good news. You will be the first one to know when I get a baby leaf.

 

Hello Minoo,
I know it has been a while now, but I am having a similar problem. 4 months with no new growth. Just wondering if you had any luck. And if you have any tips to help with growth?
Thanks.