Anthurium offsets separation and propagation

[Low Altitude]

Hello All –

I have a some kind of modest, one-foot anthurium, potted indoors. After lengthy experimentation with lighting ('bright indirect', like so many plants) and watering interval (shorter, as it turns out, than suggested by the nice fellow who sold it to me; conditions here may be warmer and more arid than his shop), it seems to be thriving. So much so that it has thrown out a couple of offsets, I noticed yesterday.

The offsets seem to be separating from the parent (see photos). If left, they will surely fall over and wrench off under their own weight. Presumably, in nature, when they do that, the aerial roots (of which buds are already visible in the photos) grow and penetrate the soft moist soil on which they lie, etc. A bit hit-or-miss depending on prevailing conditions, but such is nature.

I'm tempted to give nature a helping hand, by separating the offsets now and putting them in water, in the hope that those root buds will grow and that when they're big enough, I can plant the new plants in soil – upright.

Does that sound right? My only concern is that the root buds are so far not big enough for the offsets to draw enough water to survive – in nature, they would presumably continue to maintain the 'umbilicus' connection to the parent for some time, until no longer needed, then wither.

Thanks,

 

[Oliver Buckle]

You caught my interest, so I googled Anthurium offsets, Your question came otu top of the list but there were a couple of other articles lower down.

https://www.hunker.com/12613888/how-to-divide-anthuriums

An ULTIMATE Guide to Flamingo Flowers (Anthuriums)

Click here to learn about its watering, fertilisation, light requirements & propagation hacks. Includes details on common issues, like yellowing foliage, root rot & leaf-loss!

www.ukhouseplants.com

I found them interesting, but I am not sure how useful they are to you as I see there are thousands of variations and varieties.

 

[Low Altitude]

I was amazed by that vast listing of anthurium sub-species on the Wiki, but they likely all behave pretty much the same, I'd guess.

Maybe i should have googled like you did. I've got out of the habit of doing that, or doing it with caution, because so many sites about plants these days are rapidly put together by someone who thinks it's going to make them a bit of money selling google-click advertising – and they have no idea of the subject, often just cutting-and-pasting wholesale from other sites. I've come across plenty of knowledgable-seeming advisers who are clearly clueless. Which is why I come here for advice ... ...

But the two sites to which you linked both looked like the real thing. This suggestion from the UK House Plants sounds like the voice of experience addressing just what i was concerned about:

Your plant will produce several basal offsets that can be separated once they have a sufficient root system, and surpass a quarter of the mother's height.​

Interesting: so as I feared, my offset's budding roots are unlikely to be big enough to support the plant's needs, planted in soil.

So I wonder: spring is coming, at least here in the N hemisphere. Both the sites you linked suggest that spring is the optimal time to hive off offsets. So, I wonder if my root buds will grow in the coming weeks. I think what I'll do is spray them often to keep them damp and see if that encourages growth of those aerial roots. If it doesn't, I may guinea-pig one of the offsets in water and see whether that promotes root growth.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have no idea if this would work, but I have raised a tomato cutting by potting it in a expanded polystyrene cup which I then dropped into a larger cup of water. It floated low so it got the advantages of being in soil and water at the same time.

 

[Low Altitude]

I think I get it: the expanded polystyrene cup contains soil. It has one or more holes in the bottom, so the soil is waterlogged. And it doesn't sink because the expanded polystyrene is so buoyant. Ingenious method, because it 'squares the circle', reconciling the cutting's need to take in enough water early on when its roots are tiny, with the difficulty water-grown roots often have when transferred to soil.

Great idea, thanks. I'll try it.

 

[Fatehullah]

Hello,

I’m glad to hear that your anthurium is thriving and producing offsets. Anthuriums are beautiful plants that can be easily propagated by stem cuttings or division1234.

Your idea of separating the offsets and putting them in water sounds reasonable, but you may want to wait until they have more developed aerial roots before doing so. Alternatively, you can root them directly in soil, which may provide better conditions for root growth12.

To propagate your anthurium by stem cuttings, follow these steps1:

Identify a stem with a few aerial roots at the base.
Using a sharp and sterilized knife or pair of pruning shears, trim that stem off at its lowest point, taking care not to damage any of the aerial roots in the process.
If you want to increase your chances of new growth, dip the end of the cutting in rooting hormone.
Root the cutting in either water or soil. If you choose water, change it every few days and wait until the roots are about 2 inches long before transferring to soil. If you choose soil, use a well-drained, light soil with plenty of air pockets and perlite substrate. Keep the soil moist but not soggy and place the pot in a warm and humid area away from direct sun.
Wait for 4 to 6 weeks for the cutting to develop roots and new growth.
To propagate your anthurium by division, follow these steps2:

Remove the plant from its pot and gently shake off any excess soil.
Locate the natural divisions or clumps in the root ball and carefully pull them apart with your hands or a knife. Make sure each division has at least one stem and some roots attached.
Repot each division in a new pot with fresh potting mix. Use a quality mixture with peat moss and perlite, which will retain moisture but not become waterlogged4.
Water the divisions well and place them in a warm and humid area away from direct sun.
Wait for a few weeks for the divisions to establish and produce new growth.
I hope this helps you propagate your anthurium successfully. Let me know if you have any questions or feedback

 

[Low Altitude]

Fatehullah,

That is a superb condensation of wisdom. Fantastic.

I must admit, since my posting here back in February, I've done nothing with my super little anthurium, mostly because I've been apprehensive about the issue of the roots as discussed above with Oliver on Feb 15-16. I loved the polystyrene cup idea but never got around to it – hilarious, because where I live, those things have disappeared out of environmental concerns (apparently e.p. doesn't recycle). Fair enough.

My lingering concern is that the thing's aerial roots have not developed at all. They remain little stubs:

I'm afraid that they are just too small to absorb enough water for the offset 'new plant'. I suspect, in part, because the ting lives in a heated home in which the air is (a) warmer (b) much, much less humid and (c) circulates more than in its natural environment.

On the other hand, I'm thinking that there might be a way to achieve something like Oliver's exp. poly. cup idea: I use really well-draining soil mix like you say (pretty much like succulents mix) and i just water it diligently, like maybe every other day, by immersion. If the soil mix is 'gappy' enough, as the water drains after each watering, it should pull in enough air.

I think I may be too concerned about over-watering. I killed an azalea like that last year and it broke my heart; but anthuriums are not azaleas. And i may just have had an object lesson with something different: and avocado plant. last weekend, i disturbed an established, potted avocado to plant in the same pot three seeds that I'd germinated in water:

Two days later, here's what the established plant looked like:

Looked like it was going to die. Why? Now, when I'd planted the three germinated stones around it, I'd immersed the whole pot thoroughly to the soil had been saturated, albeit the drained.

As it got worse, two days later, i thought, hell, if it's going to die I might as well do the only thing i hadn't tried – I watered it again. Lo and behold, it recovered (and one of the newbies broke surface today, yay!).

So maybe that's what I do with the Anthurium offset: soil, well-draining soil, and just keep it extremely moist with waterings every couple of days.

Worth a try?