Hi everyone!
We have been trying to propagate Haitian basket vine (Trichostigma octandrum) for various field and greenhouse trials and have had great difficulty establishing successful cuttings in either the field or the greenhouse.
We have been taking cuttings of at least 4 nodes. We have found better success in the field with woody cuttings than cuttings from new growth, but most often the cuttings stay green and may even sprout leaves but then the cutting slowly turns brown either from the top down or the bottom up and the cutting fails. We notice that typically the nodes are the last area to brown and dessicate (turn brown and dry out).
Have you had success with propagating this species? If so, what is your propagation technique?
Hey Stacy,
This is our note from our Propagation Manual at ECHO North America. “Propagated by cuttings. Take cuttings from semi-hard wood, with 3 nodes into deep 50’s, under mist. They root readily and grow vigorously. These are not a big seller so only do about 1 tray a year depending on stock. Take cuttings in May/June.”
We no longer actively propagate them often, but when we do I would put them in our poly propagator in perlite-vermiculite mix 1:1 ratio. Basically, the same way I would treat katuk cuttings. You could also try a pot with 100% sand and a bag over them at the beginning for added humidity.
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You may also increase propagation success by wicking away excessive water at the bottom. Without any matrix forces to pull away excessive water at the bottom your media may stay too wet or above field capacity. But the vermiculite or peat and perlite or pumice 1:1 is very important and you can even increase to 2/3 perlite or pumice if that does not work. Also try rooting hormone. Even willow tree green bark extract can help but rooting hormone is better. I like the gel form but liquid forms work also. And bagging is also good as mentioned before. For the most difficult things to root you need automated sprinkling system, rooting hormone, or bending over a branch into the ground for a couple months.
Greetings Stacy,
I don’t have much knowledge of propagation other than our experience here in Haiti. I haven’t tracked it but I’m confident that in our mountaintop/subtropical setting (much lower temperatures than lowland Haiti and rainfall > 2 m/year) we have had greater than 50% success just sticking cuttings into the ground in very poor soil. We may have put some manure in the holes some of the time but I can’t recall for sure. Things like commercial potting soil or perlite, etc. are not available here. I think we have only tried to propagate woody cuttings. I don’t recall ever trying new growth. I’m not sure if our difference in success from yours is climate or technique or something else.
Also, my wife wanted to point out that we have what appear to be two cultivars of T. octandrum that we obtained locally. One has lighter coloured leaves and looks more like the one in your picture. The other has darker (reddish) leaves. Both the local Haitians and my wife feel the darker variety is nicer to eat and seems to be usually preferred here when people have a choice. If you ever found a way to get a permit to bring the other cultivar into the US, we would be happy to share that one.
Joel
