Question on vine propagation

4 years ago

I'm beginning to get antsy for spring, so I thought I'd start some props now and hopefully they'll be ready to grow or trade come spring. So here's my question - I have numerous NOIDs that were sent to me about a year ago. One of the people in Florida decided to clean out his yard by chopping down a lot of overgrown hoyas. He asked if I would like a few clippings, and I of course said yes. I couldn't see throwing them away.

These clippings are now pushing out some very long vines, 3 maybe 4 feet in length, however they do not have any leaves at all. If they were outside with something to climb on, I don't think this would be the case, but it's far too cold to put them out now and will remain this way for a few more months.

I am thinking of cutting up some of the vines and trying to propagate them. Have any of you tried propagating just vines, and if so, what happened? Were you successful or did they die off. I don't want to cut them then find out it doesn't work, so I thought I'd lean on some of your experience.

Thoughts or comments?

Featured Answer

Bill M.
Original Author

4 years ago

An update - last Sunday, being completely bored, I chopped up some of my hoyas (actually only 7 small cuttings) along with a couple of leafless vines. I mixed up some sphagnum orchid moss I purchased at Loews, along with some phalanopsis special mix, again at Loews, then I placed the cuttings in a prop box and put it in a sunny window on top of a heading mat.

Every day I would remove the top to let in fresh air for a few minutes. Inside the box is really cozy. Warm, humid, the perfect growing environment. I expected to wait several weeks before seeing anything happening. The cuttings were placed in clear plastic cups I purchased at Dollar Tree, with a single hold melted into the side of each one. The hole was about .5" off the bottom and the lower portion of the cub had sphagnum moss in the bottom to help hold in moisture, then the rest filled with the mix from above.

Checking them a few minutes ago, several have already rooted! My Hoya Kerry, which was a single leaf on a vine that had been sitting there for almost a year, has roots almost 1.5" long already, and rambling all over the top of the mix. A couple others have roots throughout the mix. I can't believe how quickly they've grown and rooted.

If I lived in a warm humid environment there would be no hoya shortage and prices would be a few dollars per plant since they root so quickly and easily. I'd flood the market! There really shouldn't be a high cost to hoyas for this very reason, but I guess greed gets in the way.

Anyway, my clippings are doing well and seem to be growing roots. Unfortunately, the vines I planted are not doing as well and have shriveled up. Maybe they just weren't viable enough when I started, or they needed a leaf for chlorophyll? I'll try another soon, but for now I just enjoy watching these grow.

Oh what I wouldn't give for a warm year round humid greenhouse or an environment that supports this kind of growth. Ahh yes, my dream....

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Comments (7)

popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
4 years ago
I have heard that the leafless vines can be propagated. But the success rate is much lower than doing the same with philodendrons, etc. If you want to try some, no harm done though. Chop them up, lay them horizontally on damp perlite in some high humidity box. See what happens. It could take weeks for them to produce roots/leaves or they will rot.

The other option is to give them something to wrap around. Even a stick or bamboo stake. Anything. If they have something to wrap on they are more likely to produce leaves. Also, something I learned recently from April at UnsolicitedPlantTalks is that hoyas like to wrap counter-clockwise. They also do not like to have the vines point down. So keep that in mind.
Bill M. thanked popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
Bill M.
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks Kyra. I knew that the vines needed to point up, but I didn't know about the counter clockwise . Do they wrap clockwise in Australia?😲

I'll give them something to climb on, let's see if I can get a few leaves to sprout.
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popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
4 years ago
Haha..I guess we'll have to wait for one of our down under friends to tell us if it rotates counter-clockwise in Australia!
Bill M. thanked popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
4 years ago
Well done, friend! And yes, I know that if I lived in ideal hoya growing conditions, I'd have so many that it would make your head spin!
Middl3 Fing3r
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Been absent for a bit..had a serious argument with my table saw..so no dirt 4 me for awhile!!

Anyway I made a post here about long naked tendrils..will anything happen if I cut them off and stick them in water? (About 2 months ago..if ya want to search it out.) Tried a few in dirt..a complete dud. Didn't keep them wet enough, most likely.

WATER

The answer is YES!! Several of those (them?)(screw it those :P) I did have leaves now..well a leaf but none the less a leaf :D I did a sampling of several longies and a few rotted off but the most were a success. I was not picky as to the type of Hoya...just did the thinker super long stemmed ones that were bald.

The cut off plants are sending out shoots as well...some better than others.

Confucius says "if you cut them they will grow!!"..and stick them in water.....
Bill M.
Original Author
4 years ago
Table saws always win. Sorry to hear about your demise.