How to propagate Cissus Discolor

[pdfCrazy]

Last month after long searching, I finally found a cissus discolor to use as a mother plant to propagate cuttings from. Problem is, its not rooting out. I have never had problems rooting vines before, so this is a first for me. I may be doing something wrong. I'm using the old standby of putting a cutting in a jar of water with at least a couple nodes underwater. No go! So, whats the trick?

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Have you tried Rooting Hormone?

[chillplants]

If the plant can easily pull water in through the cells, physiologically it may not need to send out adventitious roots. Try putting the plant in a soil mix and allow to dry somewhat between watering. Mist frequently to avoid the plant drying out.
Also (and this may work even in a cup of water), make a slice about 1/4-1/3 of the way through the stem at the bottom to expose the cambium tissue layer. This tissue is meristematic and may induce roots to form. Dusting this fresh cut with rooting hormone will speed up the process.

[Judy S]

another way to try it is to take the cutting, eliminate the bottom several leaves to he actual node/stem attachment. The leaves that you have not stripped off should be cut, each leaf, by half to reduce the requirements needed for that cutting, it will encourage the energy to produce roots instead of new leaves. Take a sharp paring knife and make a very shallow slice along-along- both sides of the actual stem, which will expose the cambium layer. Sterility is your friend...so keep everything clean... Lightly dust and shake off the excess of Rooting Hormone. Insert the cutting into a light soiless mix that you have poked a hole into to receive the cutting. Firm the "soil" mix around the cutting. The soiless mix should be moist, not sopping wet or too dry. You have to use something sturdy as a support to keep the cutting away from the plastic so the leaves that are still on the cutting do not touch the plastic or they will rot. I use some of the electric wire that is plastic coated. At that point take a plastic bag and place over the cutting and secure with a rubber band or something to make a "terrarium." The condensation from this process will keep the cutting moist...when new growth is good...poke a hole or two into the plastic...do that several times as the growth speeds up until you can eventually take off the plastic entirely. Good luck

[Judy S]

The way to propagate from just one leaf, which may be even more successful, is to take the leaf which should be CLEAN of all debris--take a 10% bleach cleaned and rinsed sharp knife and make slits along the major vein on the back of the leaf-redipping and rinsing each time...pin it down onto the surface of sterile, milled spag. moss. Follow the terrarium concept as above. The leaf should put out "babies' along the vein line after a while...

[Mantellaprince20]

This plant will root VERY quickly under high light conditions in a very humid vivarium. Cuttings tend to suffer if left in lower humidity. I have been growing mine under compact fluorescents and t5ho's with no problems of rooting cuttings. I have even rooted a bunch of leaf cuttings.

I do it by wrapping the cut end of the vine with moist sphagnum, and then spreading it out either on a bed of sphagnum or by pinning it to a moist background. For leaf cuttings, I break the leaf off at the stem of the vine, and wrap the end in moist sphagnum. I have never taken measures to sanitize the cut ends and have had great success. This is an incredibly hardy, fast growing plant unless it is in improper conditions. Once established, it will even almost grow in completely shaded conditions.

[phender]

Make sure your cuttings are not too big. Two leaves is enough. I just got a cutting from a friend that didn't even have a growth tip. I put one end in a mixture of perilite, vermiculite, and peat moss in a tray with a dome under two 32 watt T8 lights and I have new vines growing from both nodes. I mist once a day.

[pdfCrazy]

Hey everyone, Just wanted to say thanks for the ideas and feedback! I think I will set up several of each recomendation, and see which ones work best. I'll get back with the results.

[KeroKero]

Something about tendril plants just makes them harder to root - probably because they rely on tendrils to hold them to stuff rather than roots, which stay in the ground where most of the nutrition is anyways. Also keep in mind this plant does like to have a dormant period, and cuttings are usually only successful in the growth period. If it hasn't been super actively growing, that may be part of the reason the cuttings don't do as well.

Another thing to try is to attempt to get roots on a section you want to cut off BEFORE you cut it from the mother plant. Usually I put in the material I want it to root to (TF panel, epi/ecoweb section, coco fiber matting, a pot with sphagnum, etc) and I pin a few nodes to it so that it's connecting to the product. As soon as it's got solid roots going I then cut the plant. I tend to go this root with plants I have poor cutting results with, especially if they tend to rot more than they root. Let's you plant with what it will take to get it to root without risking a vine.