From our perspective, the timing of your intervention is crucial for our successful propagation. The ideal period is late summer to early autumn. At this time, we are in a vigorous growth phase but the intense heat of peak summer has often passed. Our stems are mature enough to be sturdy, yet still young and flexible enough to root readily, a state often referred to as "semi-ripe." This timing allows us to establish a strong root system in a pot before winter dormancy, ensuring we are robust and ready for explosive growth come spring. Taking cuttings from overly young, tender growth or from old, woody stems is less effective and more stressful for us.
Please choose a healthy, non-flowering stem tip from your parent plant. A stem that is busy supporting a flower will divert its energy away from the critical task of creating roots. Look for a section about 3 to 5 inches long with several sets of leaves. Using a sharp, clean blade, make a clean cut just below a leaf node (the bump on the stem where leaves emerge). This node is a hub of cellular activity and contains meristematic cells that are primed to develop into new roots. Immediately after cutting, gently remove the leaves from the lower half to two-thirds of the stem. This prevents these leaves from being buried and rotting, which can lead to fungal diseases that threaten our survival.
We require a specific environment to coax our stems into producing new roots. While some may place us directly in water, we prefer a well-draining, sterile potting mix or a dedicated rooting medium like perlite or vermiculite. These materials provide support, moisture, and oxygen to the developing root cells without becoming waterlogged. Before inserting us into the moistened medium, you may dip the cut end into a rooting hormone powder. This is not strictly necessary, but it significantly enhances our chances by providing growth hormones that stimulate root initiation. Make a small hole in the medium with a pencil to insert the cutting, ensuring the leafless nodes are buried. Then, gently firm the medium around us.
Our immediate need after being potted is consistently high humidity. Without an established root system, we lose water through our leaves faster than we can absorb it. Enclosing the pot in a clear plastic bag or placing it inside a propagator creates a miniature greenhouse, drastically reducing water loss. Place us in a location with bright, indirect light; direct sunlight will cook us inside our humid enclosure. Keep the growing medium slightly moist, but never soggy. Within two to three weeks, you should feel gentle resistance when giving the stem a slight tug, indicating that roots have formed. Once rooted, you can gradually open the plastic bag over a week to acclimatize us to lower humidity before eventually transplanting us into a larger pot with standard potting soil to continue our growth.
