Heliconias can be progagated via root hormone.

[clinton9]

Hi members,

Last year I tested using root hormone on suckers with fewer roots, from heliconia pendula cv Waxy Red and h.latispatha. Outcome were good with suckers grew well.

These three plants were progagated by me via root hormone, last year.

On yesterday I cutted the sucker off my one heliconia latispatha cv Mexican Gold as it was one plant that germinated from seed, as other seeds died.

Then I dipped the cutted part of sucker in root hormone, before I planted it in well drained potting mix.

This would saves you the headarches when loose your heliconias and unable to progagate your heliconias, or if you get one heliconia that germinated from seed, but seeds dies.

I will send you the photoes of h.latispatha cv Mexican Gold sucker once it grow, in a month time.

Edited March 29, 2014 by clinton9

[Tropicgardener]

This is something that I have never thought of trying, as generally they will grow from very tiny pieces anyway. Quite often I have had them come up in my compost pile from tiny bits that I have discarded but possibly your method may help more pieces survive.

[The Silent Seed]

So, suckers, with no rhizome at all attached ? Great news!

I wonder if Hedychiums would work......

[clinton9]

Give it a try and see, but no promise if it don't grow.

[rick]

So, suckers, with no rhizome at all attached ? Great news!

I wonder if Hedychiums would work......

Yes I tried it this last fall when I had a few stems break. I added rooting hormone and placed the sucker back in the pot and it rooted just fine. I also was able to successfully propagate Hedychium by placing a broken stem in a glass of water. After several weeks it started to form roots and a small rhizome at a leaf node near the cut. I was about to plant the whole thing but then noticed a second tiny rhizome and root forming at the next leaf node up. I cut the stem just below the second node and potted the small rhizome. Once the second rhizome had several roots growing I potted it as well. They are both growing well and are already about 8 inches tall.

[The Silent Seed]

Awesome!!! I'll have to play with my Hedychiums this summer then - thanks!

[clinton9]

Hi members,

Here's photoes of my same sucker of heliconia latispatha cv Mexican Gold, 36 days later since I removed the sucker from parent plant on 29/3/14.

See the roots that grown from rootless base of sucker in last photo.

Root hormone caused the roots to grown from such rootless cutted base of sucker.

The sucker had been in my hothouse.