How to Propagate Cordylines (Ti plants)

Scott Mcintosh said:
Yvonne, Sorry to hear they did not make it. Did they sprout for you? I have found that it is better to err on the dry side than to keep them to wet. Sorry, I have no logs to sell at this time. Here is a picture of seedlings that the seed were sown last summer direct in the ground. The soil is very sandy and stays a little on the dry side in this location. The seedling plants have grown pretty fast.
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Hei Scott

all the seeds - didn't sprout at all
maybe - I watered them everyday ?

and I really like your picture from seedlings
very nice and healthy too .

Happy gardening ...

Yvonne
 
Scott Mcintosh said:
I am also trying a new found way to grow the logs. The logs are placed in a baggie in wet sphagnum moss and left until you get nice white roots showing in the baggie. Look close at the baggie, you may see a few of the white roots. Also pictured is Arrons Red (now potted up) that I purchased that had been started in the moss/baggie method.
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With the bag method, are you completely covering the log in the moss or letting it sit on top? Furthermore, are you using bottom heat? I've had great success rooting plumeria in bags similar to this.

Same with the seeds, do you use bottom heat or just leave in the paper towel and container?
 
Island.Pnoy said:
With the bag method, are you completely covering the log in the moss or letting it sit on top? Furthermore, are you using bottom heat? I've had great success rooting plumeria in bags similar to this.

Same with the seeds, do you use bottom heat or just leave in the paper towel and container?
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I completely cover the logs with the moss. It looks like the logs know what end is up. I opened this bag and you can see the growth "eyes" (top pic) now showing on what was the top side of the log. Bottom side is showing the white roots.
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Seed paper towel method: Step 1- Place 2 sheets of p.t and place on top of each other. Do not use the cheap p.t. as they will fall apart in a few weeks. Fold the p.t.s into 1/4 size. Wet the p.t. with warm water and place in container.
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Step 2- Sprinkle the Ti seed on top of the folded p.t. now in the container.
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Step 3- Take another p.t and fold and wet as you did in step 1. Place and press the wet p.t. on top of the seeds.
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Step 4- Place the tight fitting lid on the container. I place the container on the back porch where it will receive sun at least half of the day. No need to add water as the container will sweat and keep/add its own moisture.
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For soil planting in pots. Fill pot with a good potting soil. Wet the soil in the pot. Sprinkle seeds on top of wet potting soil. Using your fingers press the seed into the potting soil. Place and seal the pot in a zip-lock type bag. I also place this in a sunny spot on the porch. Once again no need to add water in the coming weeks to the soil.
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Scott Mcintosh said:
For soil planting in pots. Fill pot with a good potting soil. Wet the soil in the pot. Sprinkle seeds on top of wet potting soil. Using your fingers press the seed into the potting soil. Place and seal the pot in a zip-lock type bag. I also place this in a sunny spot on the porch. Once again no need to add water in the coming weeks to the soil.
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hei Scott

I have PM you - my address

and I will follow your methods with the Ti Seeds
hopefully - they will sprout successfully this time

thanks again

yvonne
 
Island.Pnoy said:
Ken, I will definitely try to work one of the meetings into my schedule. I stay in the South Bay Area of LA, almost neighbor to Carson. Travel a bit so long drives aren't the real issue, work is. But as I said I will do my best to make it out. It would be nice to meet others with the same interest in my area. Time to talk story and share tips for our relative weather zone.
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I hope you can make it on June 1. The meeting will start at 10:30 that day and we will be distributing $500 worth of ti logs from Hawaii. If you join as soon as you get there, you may participate in the distribution. Our dues are only $20. There are many Hawaiian folks in our group. Some are in the Carson area.

I'm sorry you're having some trouble rooting some of your canes. It's a lot harder here compared to Florida, since we really don't warm up until July. I use the water method like Scott does with a heating mat under the rooting containers. Most canes will root in a couple of weeks this way. If you don't use bottom heat, they will just sit there and eventually rot. When the heat hits in July, then you will have no problem rooting the canes outside without using a heating mat. That being said, some varieties just don't root very well. I have one that has been sitting around since Christmas on the heating mat and still no roots. It has however just pushed growth. Go figure. I also had a Purple Prince cane that rotted, even with the bottom heat.
 
Thanks Scott for posting the pictures and procedure you use for rooting and seed propagation. With your permission I'd like to make up a document to send out to our Ti Society members with your pictures and methods. You have become so knowledgeable you should start up a group in the Tampa area.
 
tropicalken said:
Thanks Scott for posting the pictures and procedure you use for rooting and seed propagation. With your permission I'd like to make up a document to send out to our Ti Society members with your pictures and methods. You have become so knowledgeable you should start up a group in the Tampa area.
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Ken, You are welcome to use the procedures and pictures. The procedures I picked up doing research on propagation. I am really liking the baggie method for the logs as I am seeing faster rooting and growth buds. I have also been working and studying the sun conditions and how it effects the colors. I am astonished at my early results that I am finding. :cool:
 
Scott Mcintosh said:
Ken, You are welcome to use the procedures and pictures. The procedures I picked up doing research on propagation. I am really liking the baggie method for the logs as I am seeing faster rooting and growth buds. I have also been working and studying the sun conditions and how it effects the colors. I am astonished at my early results that I am finding. :cool:
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Many thanks Scott. I'll get this info out to our members before our next meeting.

Ken
 
Bags maintain the humidity/moisture needed for good seed germination. I call this part of seed germination "Making them sweat".
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I recently got some cuttings and was able to cut them into thirds. I have 1/3 in prop cells another 1/3 in prop cells in ziploc bags and the last 1/3 in water in a ziploc bag. Looking at the ones in water today, I have some root nodes breaking through, I just hope when I transplant to a soil medium it will take. Hopefully the other two "experiments" take as well.

Scott, I had the seeds in paper towels for about a week with bottom heat and recently put them in soil in the ziploc bags as you posted. So hopefully I get some to take with that as well.

Thanks again for all the friendly advice.
 
Here is a 5' cutting I cut off my Aunti Lou. I debated on cutting this 9' Ti, but in the end it is done. This was what I called my showpiece Ti. It was the Ti that greeted everyone as they came to my front door. The poor girl took a beating when my front oak came crashing down early this year. She became tattered and sunburnt, but has come thru that. Here is the 5' cutting that will be rooted in water and replanted with the 4' cane left in the ground. As you can see from the last photo she got use to the full sun and new growth looks great.
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I am a firm believer with spag. moss for rooting. I cut a few really tall canes back 10 days ago. I cut the leafy part of the canes and placed in a bucket of water to root. I stuck the remainder of the cane in the wet bucket of moss, intending to cut the remainder of the cane into 6" pieces to place in moss in the baggies. Look (pictured) what I found in the moss. The canes tops with leaves in water are only showing white root bumps now.
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I saw your post Scott and wanted to give it a try. Pretty good results within the week. Now I'll try my luck with some cane cuttings.

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Scott Mcintosh said:
I am a firm believer with spag. moss for rooting. I cut a few really tall canes back 10 days ago. I cut the leafy part of the canes and placed in a bucket of water to root. I stuck the remainder of the cane in the wet bucket of moss, intending to cut the remainder of the cane into 6" pieces to place in moss in the baggies. Look (pictured) what I found in the moss. The canes tops with leaves in water are only showing white root bumps now.
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I was going to show you pictures of the moss started logs as the plants looked today, but the site keeps logging me out and tells me I do not have permission. I will try again in a bit.
 
Update- The paper towel seed germinated the first week of July and are now in soil.
 
Here are a few random pics of the 1.5 year old seedlings. I expect the true colors this fall on these.
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Moose said:
Looking good Scott! Any Pink Floyd seedlings cooking? ;)
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Ron, Are you coming around to Cordylines now? :cool::cool: I still think you should give it a try with your Crotons. The original Pink Floyd plant (uncut stem left) is looking great. The stem that was cut (right) I am still waiting for color return as I am with the stem cutting (bottom). I have learned with the Cordylines it takes time on some plants after being cut to return to the glory. But this one is really slow.
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Scott Mcintosh said:
Ron, Are you coming around to Cordylines now? :cool::cool: I still think you should give it a try with your Crotons. The original Pink Floyd plant (uncut stem left) is looking great. The stem that was cut (right) I am still waiting for color return as I am with the stem cutting (bottom). I have learned with the Cordylines it takes time on some plants after being cut to return to the glory. But this one is really slow.
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Scott - I appreciate the Ti plants but my limited space does not afford me the luxury of growing them. I have 30 + crotons in containers to get into the ground. I also feel that cordylines require more up keep. They get leggy with time and got to get trimmed back. In the 70's, I thought that Cordylines were the cats meow! :cool:
 
Moose said:
Scott - I appreciate the Ti plants but my limited space does not afford me the luxury of growing them. I have 30 + crotons in containers to get into the ground. I also feel that cordylines require more up keep. They get leggy with time and got to get trimmed back. In the 70's, I thought that Cordylines were the cats meow! :cool:
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Ron, "Your feel" of Cordylines requiring more up keep is false. If you grew them you would have a better understanding of them. Many Cordylines stay small and take many years to become leggy. I have had some for 10 yrs and they have yet to become leggy. Many also freely branch from the root area and make a nice bushy plant on their own will. If you grow a Cordyline that becomes leggy, just cut the stem and stick it in the ground beside the cut stem and it will grow into its own plant. No need to mess with the moss air layering as is done with the Crotons. Also no spraying for scale or mites as is needed with the Crotons. I also do no get leaf drop with cold winds. Also I have never lost a Cordyline to a freeze, leaves may freeze off but the stems put out new leaves. Crotons are another story (many die) when it comes to a freeze. They do not call the Cordyline "The King of Tropical Foliage for nothing. :D
 
Ron, Take a look at Hawaiian Boy (left in first pic) here. You think that is leggy? Stands 6' tall and 4' wide. This is one of those Cordylines that branch freely from the ground as many of them do.
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Scott Mcintosh said:
Yvonne, Sorry to hear they did not make it. Did they sprout for you? I have found that it is better to err on the dry side than to keep them to wet. Sorry, I have no logs to sell at this time. Here is a picture of seedlings that the seed were sown last summer direct in the ground. The soil is very sandy and stays a little on the dry side in this location. The seedling plants have grown pretty fast.
Click to expand...
These Aunti Lou seedlings grew really fast this summer.IMG_3348.jpgThe mother Aunti Lou to the back on right.​
 
Scott Mcintosh said:
I am also trying a new found way to grow the logs. The logs are placed in a baggie in wet sphagnum moss and left until you get nice white roots showing in the baggie. Look close at the baggie, you may see a few of the white roots. Also pictured is Arrons Red (now potted up) that I purchased that had been started in the moss/baggie method.
Click to expand...

Here is the same Arrons Red * today.
IMG_4131.jpg* Disclaimer at this time: This Ti looks to be different than the ICS site photo of Arrons Red.​
 
Reading up on the benefit of liquid seaweed on cuttings I thought I would give it a try. Here are 4 Ti cuttings 2 in the seaweed water and 2 in water. Here the test begins day #1 4/09/14.
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