Propping Fatsia japonica variegata

[Dave Brown]

Not everything is easy. I have tried propping Fatsia japonica variegata for 3 years now, as it grows like mad covering my lounge window...... but no success so far.

Tried softwood cuttings with leaves removed, then ripe wood cuttings. May have to resort to air layering, but that means obscuring the windows.

Anyone had any success

[darran]

Dave, I have only tried to propagate any fatsia's from the basal shoots....they have roots already and I have had 100% success this way. That includes the variegated form.

[Petefree]

Dave
I've never tried the variegated Fatsia - but rooted a plain green one years ago and it seemed quite straightforward (unless I was just lucky). It was a houseplant and had grown leggy, I just chopped the top foot or so off in August (so it was a semi-hardwood cutting) and rooted it in a pot of gritty compost.
Pete

[Dave Brown]

Pete, did you leave the whole leaves on they are a disproportionate size to the cutting

The green one sets seed and self sows here, so don't need cuttings

[themes]

I have had variable success but agian with the greenone. I found that like Pete The ones which survived had good drainage hence the grit.. and planting the cutting towards the side of the pot..Increased the chance of better and quicker root growth and excess water escaped quicker. Fungal Rot was the killer of those which did not survive. As for the cutting I just cut of a small leaf and cut just below a node.

BTW.. I used no rooting hormone

[Petefree]

Pete, did you leave the whole leaves on they are a disproportionate size to the cutting

The green one sets seed and self sows here, so don't need cuttings

Dave,

I cut off all the big leaves, just leaving new one forming at shoot tip. and I buried about half the cutting in the pot. I think I did use rooting hormone.

Pete

[Dave Brown]

I have just cut the plant back to let the sun into the lounge windowand will have another go at propping the stems.