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Anthuriums is one of the most numerous genera in the family of Aroids. Today about eight hundred natural species are included in it, and the breeders obtained a lot of varieties and hybrids that are interesting for gardeners. As a indoor anthurium flower became popular at the end of the last century. Since then, the plant's circle of fans only expands.
The success of anthurium among floriculture lovers became possible not only due to the relative simplicity of the content, spectacular flowering and decorative foliage, but also the ability to reproduce the plant at home, root the stalk or rejuvenate an existing flower.
Most often flower growers use vegetative propagation methods, and take as planting material:
- cuttings with aerial roots;
- the whole top of the plant;
- stem shoots.
Anthurium can also be propagated by seed, but this is more time consuming and long-term work.
Benefits and features of vegetative reproduction of anthurium
The main advantage of reproduction of anthurium in a vegetative way is the ability to get a strong, ready to bloom plant in the shortest possible time. At the same time, new specimens will completely repeat the features of the parent plants, that is, neither the shape of the leaves, nor the shade of the inflorescences are any different from the anthuriums already present in the collection. This is extremely important if you have to get offspring from a hybrid.
Anthuriums, which in nature are, for the most part, epiphytes, quickly give powerful aerial roots, which they use in rooting stem cuttings, lateral offspring and cuttings.
In addition, for two or three years, passing between transplants, the bush grows seriously, and if you plant an anthurium flower, you can get from 2 to 5 independent plants. This measure should not be neglected, since it is only for the benefit of anthurium and has a beneficial effect on its growth and on the quality of flowering.
How to plant an anthurium?
Rejuvenate the anthurium of many spectacularly flowering and decorative and deciduous species, as well as maintain the attractiveness of the division of an adult plant. Better time for this event - periodically held in the spring, from the second half of February to May.
To separate the plants in advance, you need to prepare:
- a sharp knife, treated with alcohol or a strong solution of potassium permanganate;
- loose soil mixture suitable for the growth of anthurium and pre-disinfected;
- material for arranging the drainage layer, for example, fine clay;
- capacity with drainage holes for young seedlings.
Before planting anthurium, the plant must, taking care not to damage the roots, be removed from the pot. To this end, the earth lump is watered abundantly so that the moisture will soak the whole soil. Then, having washed the pot, the flower of anthurium is extracted and the substrate turned out to be inside the root bundle is removed from the roots.
If the anthurium at the time of transplantation and separation blooms, it is better to cut the peduncles to facilitate the adaptation period for the plant and to reduce the loss of strength and moisture.
So do the high shoots, which later can also be used for flower propagation. But the aerial roots of anthurium should, if possible, be saved. They can not only become an additional means of food delivery, but also fully replace the soil root system, which is not sufficiently developed in saplings.
You can plant anthurium by gradually separating and cutting off young shoots from the edge of the plant. For rooting and subsequent growth, this process of anthurium needs its own point of growth, a pair of leaves and at least a pair of rhizomes.
It is useful to treat the cut points, in order to avoid the appearance of decay or the development of fungal infections, with crushed coal. Often, growers use ground cinnamon, which also has soft disinfectant properties.
If the sprout of the anthurium flower does not have its own root system, and there are only root buds on the stem, it is useful to root the plant before sphagnum moss with sphagnum or perlite. As a rule, within 7–15 days the roots are formed.
Sustainable seedlings ready for self-existence can be relocated to the prepared soil for anthuriums, it should be remembered that the growing point can not be deepened, it always stays above the level of damp loose soil.
Young anthuriums can be watered as moisture evaporates from the upper layer of the substrate. It is important to ensure that the moisture does not wash away the soil and does not affect the position of the plant until it is firmly enough over the earthy lump. Further care of the sapling is not different from what is obtained by adult anthuriums.
Anthurium is propagated in a similar way if young side shoots or basal shoots appear on an adult plant. If the anthurium has air roots, cutting and sprinkling the damaged surfaces with coal, planting material can be planted in the ground safely.
For plants that are warm and with plenty of light, acclimatization will not last longer than a month, after which new foliage may be expected.
A video on how to propagate anthurium and plant a green pet will help you to practice all the techniques in practice, as well as tell you how to create all the conditions for rooting and rapid development of the plant.
Depending on the age and condition of the rooted plant, the flowering of anthurium can be expected either this or next year.
Reproduction of anthurium by cuttings
One can multiply many types of anthurium by cutting off the shoot with aerial roots and several internodes with a sharp knife. Divided into areas with one or two nodes and a pair of leaves, the stem is rooted in moist pearl. The embedding depth should not exceed 5 cm, and the growth point of the future plant must be left above the soil. The cuttings of anthurium sprinkled with the substrate are covered with a film and put in heat, where they will spend 15–20 days.
In a humid atmosphere, roots develop quickly, and cuttings used for breeding anthurium can soon be transplanted into the ground for adult plants.
The main danger with this method of reproduction is the rotting of the end parts of the cuttings. Therefore, it is better to powder the cuts with coal powder, and sometimes to air the contents of an improvised hothouse.
In order for root processes to appear as soon as possible, the anthurium needs to create comfortable conditions, including:
- bright, long-lasting, but diffused lighting;
- constant ground and air temperature of about 23–26 ° C;
- maintains the humidity of the air and the soil, for which the plant is irrigated with warm water and ventilated.
The emergence of roots of seedlings, about 3-4 cm long, indicates the possibility of their transplantation into the ground.
Young plants should not be rushed to feed, because the root system of a small volume will not be able to absorb fertilizer trapped in the soil. They can also cause root burns and the development of foci of infection in the soil.
The remaining part of the old plant in the soil with the time of the sleeping buds will give new shoots. They can be used to form an existing specimen or, after the appearance of air roots on the anthurium, cut off for planting in separate containers.
Reproduction of anthurium by
layering. If the shoots are significantly extended and the plant gradually loses its shape, the top of the stem can be used to propagate the anthurium. For this part of the escape:
- free from dried scales and foliage;
- is neatly wrapped with wet sphagnum;
- and on top of the improvised dressing, to prevent moisture from evaporating, fix the bag or film.
After some time, the moss begins to penetrate the formed roots. Such a stalk from an anthurium can be cut and rooted in a separate pot. And the rest of the stem will soon give lateral processes.
Those varieties of anthurium that form long climbing shoots can be rooted by pinning the stem covered with moss directly to the ground.
Mastering all the methods of vegetative reproduction of anthurium does not require special knowledge. It should only be remembered about maintaining a comfortable cultural environment and regular care. Read on the website an article about reproduction of anthuriums by seeds and leaf plates.
