Now we’ll go step by step through the process of taking and rooting cuttings from Anthuriums.
Can Anthuriums Grow from Cuttings? Yes! Here Are the Step by Step Instructions
Many houseplant growers who fall in love with Anthuriums find that it’s hard to stop at just one. For a fun and low-cost way to grow your collection, you can propagate your Flamingo Flowers from cuttings. This guide will explain how to use even small sections of Anthurium stems to produce brand-new plants.
How do you take Anthurium cuttings? Slice away a segment of the stem that includes at least two nodes, and for best results, pick a section that’s already sprouting aerial roots. Anthuriums can’t be propagated from leaves alone, but stem cuttings are hardy and resilient. You can root them in water or perlite, or transplant them directly into potting mix.
Growing Anthuriums from cuttings is not for the impatient. These plants are in no hurry to get bigger, and cuttings will usually take at least several months to grow back to adult size. Read on for more detailed instructions on propagating Flamingo Flowers.
Anthurium Stem Cuttings
Most Anthuriums available for sale are climbing plants in their natural habitats. As they mature, they send out aerial roots from their stems to grip other objects and absorb moisture from the air.
These clinging tendrils are part of the reason it’s so easy to propagate Anthuriums from cuttings. In the right substrate, a Flamingo Flower’s aerial roots can adjust easily to growing underground. Even a bare slice of stalk, with no roots or leaves at all, can usually turn itself into a full-grown plant in time.
This is one of the odd contradictions of Anthuriums. They can seem quite fragile when you’re struggling to find the correct levels of sunlight, water, temperature, humidity, and soil aeration to keep them alive. But if the conditions are right, you can chop them into bits, and they’ll grow back into perfectly healthy plants.
More mature Flamingo Flowers will give you a better chance of success at propagating from cuttings because you’ll be able to slice their stems into longer lengths. The more nodes, leaves, and roots on a cutting, the better its odds of survival.
A larger mother plant will also be more likely to bounce back after you take cuttings from it. And if your Anthurium is old enough that it’s no longer flowering like it used to, trimming it down can actually revitalize it. Still, even a fairly young Anthurium can be propagated from cuttings as long as each segment includes a few nodes.
Can You Propagate Anthuriums From Leaf Cuttings?
Some types of houseplants can take root from a single leaf, or a leaf with its petiole – the slender stem that attaches it to the main body of the plant. Sadly, Anthuriums are not in this elite club. At a minimum, you need a chunk of the actual stalk that includes two or more nodes – one to produce roots and another to send out leaves.
You should be able to tell fairly easily which part of the plant you’re looking at. The petioles of Anthuriums are slender and bright green, while the stalk is thicker and looks more like a woody vine. It’ll be obvious where the nodes are if they already have roots or leaves emerging, but if not, look for the thin, lighter-colored bands around the stem.
How To Propagate Anthurium | Caring For Propagated Anthurium
Have you ever considered propagating your own Anthurium plants? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Propagating your own Anthurium plants is an incredibly rewarding experience and allows you to appreciate the beauty of these stunning plants even more. Let’s dive into it!
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How To Propagate Anthurium
Anthurium is simple to propagate, but having a guide to help you through it makes it so much better! First, decide whether you want to propagate your plant from stem cuttings, root division, or from seed. Then, gather some propagation tools and equipment, and get started!
Propagating Tools and Equipment
There are several tools that will make your propagation go smoother, and I’ll include those below. But the minimum you will need to propagate your anthurium plant are:
- Pruning shears
- Fresh, well-draining potting mix
- A small pot or container filled with your potting mix
- Perlite (depending on your propagation method)
Items that are great to have on hand (but are not required) for your propagation include:
- Rooting hormone
- A pot with water to clean roots after division (for the division method)
- A moisture meter
- Gloves
Depending on whether you are propagating with stem cuttings, from divisions, or from seed, your next steps will be slightly different. Feel free to read through each section below, or skip to the relevant section for the way you are choosing to propagate your anthurium.
Propagating Anthurium From Stem Cuttings
If you already have a plant that you will be propagating from, make sure it is healthy and pest-free before you begin. You’ll want the healthiest plant available to ensure your cutting has the best chance of survival. If you are taking a cutting from a friend, or buying a cutting online, make sure you know how healthy the plant is first.
How To Take A Stem Cutting
Stem cuttings are the best way to propagate nearly any houseplant. With anthuriums, it’s actually only the second best way to propagate your plant, but it’s still a simple, straightforward method.
Here’s how to take a stem cutting from an anthurium plant:
- Cut a 6-8 inch section of stem from a healthy, leafy part of the plant, making sure to make a clean cut at a 45-degree angle. Do not saw the stem, this causes too much damage and will prevent proper propagation.
- Dip the cut end of the stem in rooting hormone .
From here, there are a few options. Each with their own list of pros and cons.
1) Rooting In Soil
To root your cutting in soil, plant the stem cutting in a pot filled with moistened potting mix. Backfill with mix to hold the stem in place, press the soil down around the stem, and water thoroughly. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and provide bright, indirect light in a warm spot.
Be careful not to let the soil dry out, as this will prolong the roots from forming. At this stage, you can also use a moisture meter to ensure your cutting is getting the right amount of water.
In 6+ weeks, you should see new growth appear on the cutting. Once the cutting has rooted and established itself, you can transplant it into a larger pot or into your garden.
This method is easy, but tricky. You run a risk of fungus or mold growth, since the soil has to be kept moist for roots to establish. This plant does not root quickly, so this risk is higher than any other typical houseplant, which is one of the reasons many people prefer rooting in water.
2) Rooting In Water
To root your cutting in water, all you have to do is place the stem in a jar or vase of water, and make sure that the leaf is above the water line. Change the water every 2-3 days to keep it fresh and prevent the growth of any type of fungus or bacteria.
With Anthurium plants, this can get rather tedious as you wait 6 weeks or more to see any root growth, but some people will always choose to propagate in water because it typically has the best outcome.
Within 6-8 weeks, you should see new roots growing from the stem. Once the roots are about 1-2 inches long, you can transplant your new plant into potting soil. Be sure to keep the soil moist but not soggy, and provide bright indirect light.
