Propagation: Plant propagation part XXIII based on my own experience, 1 by WormsLovSharon

WormsLovSharon wrote:
Jnette, it is a very long stemmed plant. I would say each stem is at least 5' long and very strong.

This is what I found on line. I cut it back completely and it is growing in a 3 gallon pot. I will bet that the roots have moved beyond the pot through the bottom and in to the landscape. It is to large for where it is so I am going to have to move it. I will bury a few branches and get them rooted.

I have a beautiful bush called "Queen of Sheba" (Podranea Brycei) with beautiful pink flowers. It was beautiful, bushy and doing well until now. It is now getting really woody from the ground up and looks almost like it wants to die. Should I be cutting it completely back, or sort of, or? My neighbor was grabbing the limbs and stapling them to her fence to get it on her side; was this the problem? Please help me regarding pruning or propagating and when to prune, or does it naturally get woody? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so very much. I love your column. -- D. Trappen

A. I know you love this plant, and I do not think it wants to die. It probably just wants a little tender loving care. It will tolerate hard pruning and will bloom more profusely afterward. However, you do not say how old it is, and it is true that plants, just like us, do not have an infinite life span. The good news is that this plant, also just like us, makes babies quite easily. Unlike us, it does this in several ways.

The easiest way is to take a trailing branch, lay it on the ground and cover it with soil (about 3 or 4 inches deep and 6 inches wide) a foot or two from the tip. Lay a rock on it if necessary to keep it underground. It will make roots and start to grow as a new plant. After it does this, cut the original branch from the mother plant. Now that you have a new plant, you can prune your original back severely, and it will most probably branch out again. Working a little compost into the soil will also help give it a new lease on life.

If your neighbor wants a plant, tell her to take one of the vines on her side and start a new one for herself. When a plant is started this way, it will be identical to the mother plant. It also starts readily from seed, but plants started this way may not be true to the original.

A little interesting history about this plant is that it is often called a native of Zimbabwe or South Africa, but many botanists believe it is native to South America and was taken to Africa by slave traders before the 1600s. After it naturalized in that region, names like Zimbabwe creeper, Port John's creeper and Queen of Sheba became associated with it.

Did not have as many treat hunting children tonight. Especially fewer Hispanics. I still have about 20 candy bars and about 25 juice boxes. The little children as so adorable. I greeted them with "Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas". They would grin at me like, "she does not what holiday it is". Then I would get this great big smile. Then I would explain, that I was confused again about which holiday it was. The majority of them know me so they do know I am not crazy. We just closed the door and turned off all the outside lights. They have school tomorrow so they should be home going to bed.

Dave, you did not say what size pots you wanted. I would assume they will not have the 6" x 4" because that is usually an indoor plant pot.

Jnette, photo is full view of Queen of Sheba.

My grand daughter just skype me on my computer so this is really delayed. Sorry. Love you all. Sharon.