Chinese evergreen is well known and popular among lovers of decorative leafy indoor plants. Novice flower growers can take it from the photo for a young Dieffenbachia rooted from the apical cutting. But these are different cultures, although they belong to the same family. So how to propagate Chinese evergreen?
Chinese evergreen grows slowly and is valued for beautiful leaves and ease of care. The plant looks elegant and has a short trunk. If you do not know where do you cut Chinese evergreens, you can read it in this article.
Chinese Evergreen Plant Care: Botanical Description and Characteristics
Chinese evergreen plants include about 50 species, a genus of evergreen herbs or shrubs from the Aroid family. These tropical houseplants are native to humid regions and thrive indoors with proper care.
It lives in the humid tropics of Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
It grows as an undergrowth along the banks of water bodies. Many types of Chinese evergreens are grown in culture as indoor flowers, in southern countries they are used for street gardening.
What Does the Chinese Evergreen Plant Look Like?
The rhizome of Chinese evergreen plants is compact, with a large number of thick processes that look like white-cream laces. Depending on the species, the culture forms stems:
- vertical or creeping, rooting at the nodes;
- juicy; with a round section; quite thick;
- with short, smooth internodes;
- most species are used in culture branches reluctantly, but some give lateral processes from the base of the central shoot.
In indoor floriculture, the Chinese evergreen plant is valued for its leaves:
- usually, Chinese evergreen plants have the shape of an elongated ellipse, but can be broadly oval, heart-shaped, linear;
- length – 3,9-5,9 inches, sometimes more;
- with a slightly pointed tip;
- the edge is even;
- the central vein is clearly expressed, depressed on the front part, and protrudes from the inside;
- petioles long;
- color – from plain green to painted with spots, borders, stripes, or patterns of different colors and shades.
The ornament on the leaves of the Chinese evergreen plant is usually silver, white, gray, or salad. But it can be other shades of green, red, pink, or purple. This makes Chinese evergreen an attractive choice for indoor plant enthusiasts.
The height of the Chinese evergreen plant usually does not exceed 27.5 inches. In this way, it compares favorably with many decorative leafy plants with large plates, making it perfect for tabletops and shelves.
How to Propagate Chinese Evergreen: Best Methods for Success
There are many methods for breeding Chinese evergreen plants. But the simplest, vegetative propagation, is challenging due to slow growth and the absence of side shoots. Understanding the best Chinese evergreen propagation methods will help you successfully multiply your plants.
Flower growers who do not want to mess with seeds can get a few new plants just from a mother plant using these proven propagation techniques.
Propagating Chinese Evergreen from Stem Cuttings
Can Chinese evergreen grow from cuttings? Of course, yes. The action is best done in April-May for optimal rooting success. In the southern regions, it is impossible to wait for the onset of heat, since shoots take root worse in hot conditions.
How to Propagate Chinese Evergreen by Cuttings: Step-by-Step Guide
- In the middle of spring, cut off the elongated shoot of the old plant, leaving a column of 0.4-0.78 inches.
- Separate, if any, side branches. Cut into pieces of 3-4 inches. The most valuable Chinese evergreen cutting is apical, as they quickly turn out beautiful young plants.
- Sprinkle all wounds with activated charcoal powder to prevent infection.
- Dry in partial shade with free access to fresh air for a day.
- You must keep the Chinese evergreen in calcined sand by half or a little more (1.6-2.4 inches).
- If there are leaves on the cutting, lift them and carefully tie them with a soft cord. Keep at high humidity, temperature 68 °F – 77 °F. The sand should not dry out even for a short time.
- Root growth will be noticeable in about 2 weeks. Plant Chinese evergreen in small pots with a light substrate.
Many sources advise making stem cuttings of indoor plants of 1.5-2 inches. Of course, more new plants turn out, but with the same probability pieces of the stem disappear.
Usually, experienced flower growers do not risk it, and they try to root the plant with Chinese evergreen cuttings of 3.14-4 inches for better success rates.
Growing Chinese Evergreen Plants from Seeds
This is a rather complicated way of propagating Chinese evergreen. After all, the seeds need to ripen on the bush, then they need to be cleaned, washed, and planted to a depth of 0.4 inches in peat-sandy moist soil (1:1 ratio).
Contain at a temperature of 68 °F – 77 °F and high humidity under glass or transparent film.
Daily Care Requirements to Propagate Chinese Evergreen from Seeds
- ventilate the container;
- remove condensate;
- check the humidity, and if necessary, spray from a household spray bottle.
When the sprouts hatch, gradually expose the seedlings to fresh air.
After the appearance of 2 leaves, they are seated in individual cups with moist soil for continued growth.
Full-fledged Chinese evergreen with seed propagation can be obtained in 3-4 years.
How to Propagate Chinese Evergreen by Division of the Bush
When transplanting, the mother plant is examined for division opportunities. If a root process has appeared that has at least 3-4 leaves, you need to divide the bush with a sharp knife into parts.
Now you have to plant them in smaller pots and put them in a dark place for a week. The leaves must be sprayed frequently to maintain humidity.
It is useful to water the Chinese evergreen after planting not with ordinary water, but with a solution of a rooting hormone for better establishment.
Can Chinese Evergreens Be Rooted in Water?
You can root Chinese evergreen in water. It is the best solution if you want to easily monitor root growth and development. But many gardeners say that they have trouble moving cuttings rooted in water to the soil because the young Chinese evergreen plant doesn’t adjust well.
So it is easier to propagate the Chinese evergreen plant by cuttings in moist soil for better long-term results.
How Long Does it Take for Chinese Evergreen to Root in Water?
It will take 2-3 months for Chinese evergreen stem cutting roots in water. Patience is essential during the Chinese evergreen propagation process.
Chinese Evergreen Propagation Problems and Common Growing Issues
Common houseplant pests may appear when you propagate Chinese evergreen. Being aware of potential problems helps ensure successful Chinese evergreen care and propagation.
- thrips;
- spider mites;
- worms;
- scale insects;
- rarely – aphids or whiteflies.
For pest control, insecticides are used on affected Chinese evergreen plants.
If you want to use new odorless preparations, when dealing with spider mites, you need to make sure that they have an acaricidal effect.
This is not an insect, but an arachnid and requires specific treatment.
Of the diseases, rot is the most dangerous for Chinese evergreen propagation:
- root rot when growing Chinese evergreen in dense always moist soil, without drainage or lower holes in the pot;
- leaf rot, resulting from the transfer of the fungus from other plants or spraying at low temperatures.
You can get rid of infections of the aerial parts by treatment with appropriate fungicides. If the root begins to rot, you have to root the top and start the propagation process over.
