What is propagation?
Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants from existing ones, either through sexual reproduction (seeds) or asexual vegetative methods (cuttings, division, layering). It is used to multiply plants, maintain specific, desirable characteristics, and produce clones that are genetically identical to the parent, often allowing for faster growth compared to starting from seed.
- Sexual Propagation (Seeds): The process of using seeds to produce new plants, which is common in nature and used for creating many plants economically.
- Asexual Propagation (Vegetative): Creating new plants using vegetative parts like stems, roots, or leaves, resulting in clones.
- Cuttings: Removing a piece of a plant (stem or leaf) and rooting it in water or soil.
- Division: Separating a large plant, often with multiple crowns or bulbs, into smaller, individual plants.
- Layering: Rooting a branch or stem while it is still attached to the parent plant.
- Grafting/Budding: Joining a part from one plant (scion) onto another (rootstock) to combine desirable traits.
Why Propagate Plants?
- Cost-Effective: A way to create new plants for free from existing ones.
- Uniformity: Produces clones with identical, desirable traits.
- Speed: Asexual methods often produce faster results than growing from seed.
- Preservation: Helps maintain specific, often rare, plant species or varieties.
Common, easy-to-propagate houseplants include pothos, philodendron, and succulents, which can often be rooted in water or directly in soil.
Sexual Propagation
Creates a new generation as a SEED from the union of male (pollen) + female (ovule) parts through pollination
- Seedlings may exhibit a narrow to wide range of characteristics of the parent(s)
- Controlled (hybridization) vs. uncontrolled (open pollinated)
Methods of Multiplication
- Seed
Benefits of Seed Propagation
- Easy
- Quick
- Inexpensive
- Reliable
- Uniform
Disadvantage: progeny might not have the same characteristics as parent(s)
Heirloom vs. Hybrid Seed
Heirloom (open pollinated)
- True-to-type; can save seeds
- Unique characteristics
- Historical or cultural significance
- Lower yields, often disease-prone
- Increased variability
Hybrid (parent a x parent b)
- Cannot save seeds
- Can introduce desirable characteristics
- Often more expensive
- High yields, pest resistance
- Uniform
Asexual or Vegetative Propagation
Creates a new generation as a CLONE.
- Identical characteristics to the mother/parent plant
- Many different methods
Methods of Multiplication
- Cuttings
- Runners
- Suckers
- Layering
- Division
- Grafting
- Micropropagation
Benefits of Asexual Propagation
- Exact clone of parent plant
- No need for male and female mates
- Effective for seedless plants and those with poor germination
- Often 1+ propagation methods effective for given plant
- Bypass seedling/juvenile stages of development
- Rapid growth
Totipotency
A single plant cell has the potential to divide and give rise to a whole plant under the correct conditions – plant hormones, environmental conditions.
Plant Anatomy
A node is an area on a stem of great cellular activity and growth, where small buds develop into leaves, stems, or flowers.
Apical Dominance
A node is an area on a stem of great cellular activity and growth, where small buds develop into leaves, stems, or flowers.
Adventitious Roots
- Form from non-root tissues
- Often in response to injury, flooding, herbivory, etc.
Media Matters
- Media provides moisture and air to encourage root formation and growth
- Many types of media can be used – water, perlite, soilless mixes, etc.
- Prevent waterlogged media to minimize losses through rotting
- Minimum temperature of 65°F
Humidity
- Minimize water loss by creating a humid environment
- Venting may be necessary to prevent excess moisture
- Wean plants off as roots develop
Adequate Light
- Energy is needed to develop new roots and shoots – may come from stored reserves
- If leaves are present, the plant needs bright, indirect light for photosynthesis during propagation period
Rooting Hormone
- Synthetic auxin to stimulate rooting
- IBA (indolbutyric acid)
- NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid)
- Improves uniformity, timing, success for many species
Cuttings
A cutting from the parent plant is placed in a medium (water, soil, potting mix, perlite, etc.) to regenerate roots/shoots.
- Stem
- Leaf
- Root
Stem Cuttings
- 1-4” section removed below a node
- Must have at least one node
- Lower leaves often removed
- Wounded end forms a callus from which new roots form
- Rooting hormone is optional
Cacti Stem Cuttings
- Rooting media not essential until roots form
- Orientation is important if placed in dry media!
Leaf Cuttings
- A single leaf (with or without a petiole) is removed from the mother plant
- New roots and shoots must form
- Examples: Begonia, African violet, many succulents, snake plant, peperomia, kalanchoe
Root Cuttings
- ¼ to ½” diameter section of root
- Lack buds and nodes
- Greater success if dormant
- Examples: phlox, poppy, anemone, gaillardia, verbascum
Division and Separation
- Breaking up a plant into smaller segments or sections
- Division: physically dividing a plant’s crown and root ball into smaller pieces
- Separation: detaching natural plant structures from a parent plant
Separating Stolons and Runners
- Stems that form along the soil surface and root at nodes
- Examples: strawberry, spider plants, mint, bugleweed
Layering
Layering methods encourage roots to develop along the stem of a parent plant. Newly rooted plants can then
be removed.
Dividing Rhizomes
- Thick, horizontal stems that grow at or just below the soil surface
- Have nodes, buds, and root initials
- Spread easily
- Examples: Iris, Lily-of-the-valley, ginger, blackberries, raspberries
Plant Patents vs. Trademarks
- A plant patent protects the genetic material from asexual reproduction without authorization for 20 years. Plant Patent Applied For – PPAF Plant Patent – PP#
- A trademark only protects the brand name, logo, or slogan. MGV can propagate and sell the plant – but not with the trademark name. Trademark intended – Registered Trademark – ®
