I have Kohleria "Red Rider". It's growing, blooming and overall looks very healthy. It is growing what look like rhizomes on top of the soil at the base of the plant. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Do I leave them alone or do I cut them off? Any information will be appreciated. Lou
Kohleria Question
Rhizomes are great! You can break them apart into small pieces and plant them for more plants or trade them.
Pat
never grew one until now. It is huge. lots of stuff coming up around it constantly, Are these rhizomes? Helene
The link below will take you to robs violets page on progating koherias. There are great photos of rhizomes.
Pat
http://www.robsviolet.com/propagating.htm
They are worms!!!!
Just kidding. that was a wonderful article. Love Rob's and the "Ma" series of violets. wish I had some of them??? No I don't have those yet. lots of little plantlet/shoots around the big Mama. Should be blooming soon.....Thank you so much . Love to learn.HD
This is such a caring group. I think!
I think my best kohleria are the ones I just let do what they want...except that I do pinch them or they will get very long and leggy - just their nature. I've tried rolling and I've not thought the outcome was worth the wait for it to all grow out again...often the stems rotted where they were bent.
Those rhizomes on the surface will grow up to become stems. You can let them do that, or pot them up separately to give away or you can dig down in your pot and put that rhizome deeper. You can break them up...each little "scale" of that rhizome is like a seed....but it takes much longer for them to grow out if you break them up...my experience anyway.
Kohleria are very hearty, so no matter what you do is probably okay. They like lots of light and water (mine are always dry and thirsty and drying out too often will make them want to go dormant). I find tip cuttings are the best way to propagate them. .. instant plant that will bloom quickly, much better than waiting on a rhizome.
Hope any of this gave you some ideas. tish
Thanks alot!! Lou
Thanks Helene
Worms! Ooooh...story! ... Someone I gave a kohleria plant to, threw the "worms" away! As she was keeping it in a cooler window in Mass, I told her it would probably die back but to keep it damp and it would grow back out again. It came and went a couple times so she took it out of the pot to see what was happening in the soil and found a Worm!!!! eating her plant! Ha....so funny. I tried to tell her that was the root, but she wasn't buying it...she's older, so I let her think the worm ate her plant!.
tish
OMG!!! That is so funny, Tish!!! LOL Lynn sent me my first one and I thought they were worms too. I d-mailed her about it. I had no idea what to do or why it was growing worms LOL
Connie
Pat -- Thanks for the link -- lots of good info and for me timely, as I am just getting to know my first kohleria.
Tish, Love the worm story -- too funny! Me, I'd have a hard time being that restrained...
Jan
ROFLMAO
Well, i kind of would have know (bad english on purpose to be funny) I grow Clivias, they have fat worms....