Growing a VFT from a flower stalk

[HugoMorse 15]

I have commented in some threads on here that you can use the flower stalk to grow new plants. I grow most of my plants this way as I hate to waste the stalks and do not like to pull off a healthy leaf.

To try this yourself just follow these simple steps.

1) Cut off the flower stalk

2) Depending on its size, cut it into 2-3cm pieces

3) Plant it upright in the peat

4) Treat it like any other VFT

5) Be very patient!

I am a firm believer that a live dressing of sphagnum moss greatly increases the chances of any cutting being successful. Just cut the sphagnum moss very finely and press this down on to the peat surface to try and get it to key quicker. The moss will soon start growing naturally regardless and it will tend to outgrow the plants. The only reason why I plant the stalks upwards is so I can see where they are planted! (I have had plantlets grow on a section of stalk laid flat in sphagum moss).

For the best results, treat the cut flower stalks like any other VFT; as much direct sun as you can manage, plenty of warmth and keep the peat wet! For this reason, they can be great to grow in a terrarium and I have had 100% success this way. In lower light, much cooler and very wet conditions, the flower stalk may die off quickly before anything happens.

When the plantlets first start to form, they will look like dozens of tiny pin heads. These will then develop and grow into plants and, eventually, will grow very tiny roots and become self sufficient. It is perfectly normal for the flower stalk to die back in this time and to be completely dead by the time the plantlet is ready to separate.

If you plant the stalk upwards, it will grow tiny plantlets around the base normally along the peat surface or where it is buried within the sphagnum moss. Regarding time frame, the more light and warmth the cutting receives, the quicker it will develop.

The photo's below show an early stage. They are not very clear as I had the digital zoom set to maximum and could not take a photo from a bird eye's view of the stalk to show how amazing it is! The flower stalk was cut from a B52 imported in April and it has taken approximately two months to get this stage, planted in a mini-greenhouse style coldframe. As mentioned, I have grown plants much quicker and to decent sizes in my terrarium, probably due to more constant warmer temperatures. I have included a photo of a G16 stalk dieing back, just so know that it does happen but does not affect the process.

Considering that each stalk section can produce multiple plants, then you can propogate a large number of plants from a single stalk cut into sections. It makes the wait much more worthwhile!

[Carl 1]

I’ve tried this for the first time this year after reading your posts in other threads and I’ve got to say it works. After about 6 weeks about 80% of my entire stalk cuttings are showing growth.

Some of my stalks carried on flowering!!!!!! Amazing

Thank you HugoMorse for the tip

[HugoMorse 15]

I’ve tried this for the first time this year after reading your posts in other threads and I’ve got to say it works. After about 6 weeks about 80% of my entire stalk cuttings are showing growth.

Some of my stalks carried on flowering!!!!!! Amazing

Thank you HugoMorse for the tip

No problems... Now that you are happy with the process, you can do the same with almost any part of the plant or lay a section of the stalk flat; it will have more surface area in contact with the peat and moss and can give you more plants that way. I've been growing plants from stalks for around two years now and was surprised at the number of people who did not know that this was possible.

[FlytrapCare 69]

I wouldn't have even thought this was possible, but after reading a previous thread of yours back in May (5-2-08), I cut off some of my flower stalks to test for myself. Here are the results:

I also laid a piece of the flower stalk flat on the peat. It has several plant nubs starting. I took a photo, but it didn't turn out as well.

Many thanks for the tip Ryan!

[Carl 1]

Here are some of mine

Carl

[Amar 39]

that's really beautiful, am still waiting for mine to sprout!

[HugoMorse 15]

Those are some great photo's

It always make me smile when I see how the flower stem gradually dies off... For some reason it reminds of Beatlejuice when the headshrinker shrinks his head down to pin size... The stem shrivels right down too.

What I like about the photo's is that the plants grow quite quickly and you can really see the differences in the forms.

[Amar 39]

One thing is for certain, I will never throw out a flower stalk again!!

hmmm.....could the same work for sarras..?

Edited July 15, 2008 by Amar

[Danny... 3]

I certainly have done some experimenting with Darlingtonia stalks..but no luck for me there..

This does not mean it cannot be done off course..perhaps i did something wrong..i kept the same rules and conditions as with the VFT stalks..perhaps another treatment is better?

[FlytrapCare 69]

Does anyone know if the plants are genetically identical to the mother plant? It would make sense that they would be.

Also, do you know if this is possible with flower stalks after they have already flowered? I have some plants that I have let flower and now that the seeds are done ripening, I wouldn't mind trying using the stalks.

[Carl 1]

mmlr38, Sorry I can't answer your questions but as regards the stalk after flowering try it and let us all now your findings

Carl

[FlytrapCare 69]

mmlr38, Sorry I can't answer your questions but as regards the stalk after flowering try it and let us all now your findings

Carl

I'll give it a shot Carl!

[Username 0]

I really can't say this is working for me. I used the spent flwoer stalk from this year, and cut it up and put it in spahgnum peat. There were eight pieaces - four of them have begun growing white mould and I chucked them not wanted it to spread. The remaining four are all completely black.

[LJ 0]

I've had great success from it with the stalks I tried recently, although I didnt chop the stalks into smaller pieces and used live spaghum as I find this works much better than peat for cuttings. The top of the stalks goes black but the bottom stays green where the plantlets form. Might be worth another go using live sphagnum next time you get a spare flower stalk.

[HugoMorse 15]

Does anyone know if the plants are genetically identical to the mother plant? It would make sense that they would be.

Also, do you know if this is possible with flower stalks after they have already flowered? I have some plants that I have let flower and now that the seeds are done ripening, I wouldn't mind trying using the stalks.

Mine have all retained the characteristics of the parent - I do not see how it would be any different from a leaf pulling. Flowered stalks work fine too.

The only VFT I have heard off that does not retain characteristics from the parent is Spotty. There could be others, but I haven't come across them.

[Steeevoe 0]

If this works, do you think layering would work and result in more matured plants?

As in the type of layering in which you would arc the flower stalk over and pin it to a new pot of the soil, like you would with strawberry stems?

[Amar 39]

wow, finally, after about 3 months i'd say!!

[LJ 0]

Well done Amar, lets hope it grows quickly for you!

Heather

[Carl 1]

Excellent Amar, Everything comes to he that waits

[alanbower 1]

OK...so now I'm going to have to have a go....am trying two ways.

1 - the "upright cut up into sectios" method

2 - lying a whole stem horizontally

do both methods work?

[Amar 39]

Never tried out the horizontal method, but I heard it works too.

[alanbower 1]

Done......3 flower stalks all chopped to various lengths and inserted to various depths.....and one lying horizontally....

Fingers crossed!!

Any idea how long it usually takes?

[HugoMorse 15]

Amar,

When a stem is planted vertically, the new plants form where the stem makes contact with the peat moss / sphagnum moss. Horizontal increases the contact area and allows more plants to form along its length.

Alan,

To increase success, I would use live sphagnum moss on top of the peat moss. A top layer of live sphagnum moss works wonders on all aspects of VFT propogation in my experience, but you do need to keep it under control. Also, heat helps. I have much better success when my coldframe is like an oven than in colder weather. In a terrarium or indoors under growlights, you should have excellent success.

Your peat moss, looks very waterlogged though - it is unnecessary to grow VFT's in such wet conditions and this can cause a variety of problems to VFT's. It all depends on your environment (some people keep theirs permantely in water without issue, but my conditions do not allow that). You may find on this experiment that it will cause the cut stems to die more quickly and allow mould to form if left unchecked. Don't worry if the tips turn black and die. The new growth starts before the entire stem dies.

You should see signs of new growth within a few weeks. Look out for tiny nubules that look like tiny aphids where the stem makes contact. These quickly grow.