Re: VFT flower stem cuttings

bertozzi.terry@wpo.pi.sa.gov.au
Wed, 15 Mar 1995 08:29:26 +0930

> Is it normal for VFT's to grow from flower stem cuttings? Last
>season I trimmed the flower stalks off my VFT's, but instead of
>throwing them away as I usually do, I dipped one in rooting
>hormone, and placed it in a seed tray. eight weeks later I was
>rewarded with around 6 new plants!.

>You're probably the first person to try - congratulations!
>Were these flower stems fully grown and already flowered, or
>were you cutting them off to prevent flowering.

Also Russell, did you just stick it in the compost (did you use
peat/sand or sphagnum?) end up or lay it flat. I assume that to
achieve 6 plants the cutting would need to be flat. Also were the
new plants evenly spaced along the cutting or all up one end
(which end)?

VFT's are known for producing new plantlets from flower spikes
while they are still attached to the plant (Is apomixis the
correct term?). I guess that by cutting the flower spike, dormant
buds are forced into growth but I am curious about their
distribution along the spike.

Carrying this one step further, it is possible that other CP that
exhibit the same trait (e.g. D. prolifera) could be propagated in
exactly the same way. BTW, D.prolifera is the only other CP I
know that does this. Any more?

Cheers
Terry