Houseplants: Share the wealth

I have three houseplants I’d like to share with a friend: a heartleaf philodendron, ZZ plant, and an African violet. What’s the easiest way to divide them?

Many houseplants can be shared. Some root from leaf or stem cuttings, others can be removed from the pot and divided at the rootball. All three of the plants named here are easily propagated.

Heartleaf philodendron: These are easy to root from stem cuttings. You can try to simply cut the tip of a stem with several leaves from the parent plant just below a node (where a leaf attaches to the stem). Remove the bottom leaves, and place the stem in a jar of water. Change the water frequently, and with luck, the stem will begin to grow roots at the node. When there are enough roots to support the plant’s growth, transfer it to a pot filled with sterile potting mix.

A better method, though, is to dip the freshly cut stem in rooting powder (usually sold in garden centers) and stick the stem into seed-starting mix. Water the mix gently, or spray with a mister, and cover the pot and cutting with plastic. Mist it daily. New growth should appear in a few weeks, and the new philodendron can be transplanted into regular potting mix.

ZZ plant: Zamioculcas zamiifolia – ZZ for short – grows from rhizomes (fleshy, sometimes bulbous underground stems), so it’s a simple task to share parts of an overgrown plant. Simply lift the plant out of the pot and separate the rhizomes by pulling them apart gently Replant the rhizomes into clean pots with new potting mix, water, and maintain as usual.

You can also propagate ZZ from plant cuttings. Plant the cuttings in potting mix that drains well, water lightly, and place the cuttings in a warm, brightly lit area. This is a slow-growing plant, so it may take weeks or months before the new plant shows signs of rooting. Whatever you do, don’t overwater. ZZ is usually happier on the dry side.

(For more information about Zamioculcas zamiifolia, check out my article How to Care for a ZZ Plant at HGTV.com.)

African violet: These sweet little plants are easily shared by rooting petiole (leaf stem) cuttings. Cut a healthy leaf with its stem from the parent plant, trim the stem to about and inch or inch-and-a-half long, and stick the end of the stem into damp seed-starting mix. You may want to cover the pot with plastic to keep the cutting humid and warm. In any case, check daily to make sure the soil remains lightly moist. In a few weeks, you will see tiny plantlets emerge from the soil. At that time, you can transplant it to regular potting mix and cut away and discard the parent leaf.

This is a good technique to use when you accidentally knock a leaf off your established African violet. More plants for your friends, and for your own indoor garden!

What’s blooming indoors? African violets

My African violets have flowers for just a few weeks, then go for months without blooming at all. How can I get them to bloom longer?

You might think African violets are finicky houseplants, but they’re quite easy to grow. And when they bloom in winter, their flowers can bring cheer to an otherwise gloomy day.

African violet expert Julie Mavity-Hudson of the Nashville African Violet Club passes along these tips: African violets thrive in bright, indirect light and average room temperatures. The soil should be slightly moist, but not soggy (“The thing that kills more African violets than anything is overwatering,” she says).

A plant that otherwise looks robust may not bloom because it’s not getting enough light. Move it to a south- or west-facing window in winter, where the light is brighter. Watch for too much sun, though; direct sun will burn the leaves of African violets. They also do well under plant lights.

These plants also bloom better when they are slightly root-bound, so don’t rush to re-pot. They may also benefit from a light feeding of a bloom-boosting plant food every few weeks. With the right conditions, they may bloom nearly non-stop.

 

 

Mealybugs make a meal of houseplants

One of my jade plants has some sort of white fluff on the stems. Is this normal?

Jade plant is one of many houseplants that can be affected by mealybugs.

White fluff is not normal. Your jade plant is no doubt hosting an infestation of mealybugs, tiny sap-sucking insects that will damage the plants if they are left to multiply. They appear as small, cottony growths on the stems and leaves of jade plants and many other houseplants. They do their damage by inserting their piercing mouthparts into the plant’s tissue and extracting the juices.

Mealybugs thrive in a warm, dry environment – such as inside a home in winter. Female mealybugs don’t fly, but once established on a plant, they can find their way to nearby houseplants so it’s good to get rid of them as quickly as you can – not always an easy task, because that fluff is rather waxy and resistant to pesticides.

The best way to begin to eradicate the insects is to remove them by hand. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and wipe them off. You may have to do this two or three times until all the unseen eggs that may have been deposited have hatched. If the infestation is heavier, follow up with a spray of insecticidal soap.

Always be watchful for insects to reappear, and try to get rid of them quickly. In addition to jade plants, mealybugs may find their way onto African violets, ferns, pothos, Norfolk Island pine, schefflera, diffenbachia, pothos, philodendron and many other popular houseplants.

Mealybugs are a common problem, and information is readily available. The North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension provides information here.

What’s blooming indoors? Gloxinia

QUESTION: A friend gave me a gloxinia with purple and white flowers as a Christmas gift, and told me it’s a houseplant that’s easy to grow. How should I take care of it?

Sinningia ‘Peridots Darth Vader’ . Photo courtesy Tennessee Gesneriad Society

Gloxinia is in the plant family of gesneriads, a family that includes hundreds of tropical blooming plants. Many of them have found favor as houseplants – including their more familiar cousins, African violets.Florist gloxinias (Sinningia is the botanical name) are favored for their showy, trumpet-shaped flowers and velvety leaves. They need sufficient light to grow and bloom well, says Julie Mavity-Hudson of the Tennessee Gesneriad Society, so placing them near a south-facing window with filtered light (not direct sun) is ideal. If that’s not an option in your home, you may be able to provide the light they require to bloom by placing them under a two-tube fluorescent fixture. Gloxinias do best in average room temperature, with the soil kept moderately moist.

While they have been grown as perennial plants that die back and return after a period of dormancy, it’s good to know that most gloxinias from florists and retailers are hybrids that are grown as annuals, bred to be showy for awhile but not long-lived – a brief but lovely life. The bloom period may last about two months, then the plant will begin to fade, so don’t be disappointed that it may soon look ready for the compost bin.

And if you want to explore more about the family of gesneriads, check out the Gesneriad Society web site to learn more about these beautiful and unusual plants.