Constance Elliott

Beeen blooming now for over a week!
Great start for the new year!

Pretty!!!

Thanks!
If you ever grow one vareity,this is the strongest and flowers the best indoor or outdoor!

Ok! Wellll...uhhhhhh....how do you start it????? :)

I picked up a Constance Elliot at Home Depot very late in the season, when they were marked down to $5. I really wasn't sure it would make it, but she is starting to put out new leaves. Should I fertilize, if so with what? I have her sitting in a south facing window, and have been watering sparingly. I really haven't had much luck keeping plants going indoors, but I just couldn't pass up the deal. She's in a huge pot with a 4' bamboo trellis.
There's lots of dead leaves, and dry brittle stems. Should I try to clean her up, or just leave well enough alone?
Any input would help.
Thanks,
Deb

Hi...Here's my girl. My advice is clean her up. Dry, dead leaves and stems invite fungus and mildew. Don't be afraid to trim her back a bit. A little hormone powder on the trimmings, then stick them in moist grow mix. Keep damp. Voila! Babies on board! :-)

Great!! Thanks for the info. I will work on getting her cleaned up tomorrow. The flowers are just beautiful!

Deb

Sorry for hijacking your thread, Tropicman.

Gordo, when is the appropriate time to root cuttings? I am asking because I found this one (is it Constance Elliott?) growing along a fence during one of my pictures/seed collecting safaris and I have decided I won't lose anything on asking if I can take a few cuttings. Also, what are the best cuttings and how large should they be?

Thanks in advance,

Ursula

It helps to keep a fan running on low during the daylight hours,and don't overwater these,just barely moist.
I haven't fertilized mine and she's blooming just fine.
I find the cuttings 6 inch or under work the best for me,keep a clear bag over it for the extra humidity it needs to set roots,spaugum moss works great for a cutting medium.

does it make seeds i know that its a very old hybrid 1898 from england

Thanks for the information, Tropicman. One more question, please: which is the best season for taking these cuttings? (it's Summer down here right now).

Ursula

This is my third attempt to download a picture of the Passiflora I think is Constance Elliott.

Hey, it worked this time.

Please confirm if it is a Constance Elliott.

Thanks,

Ursula

Ursula, the way I have grown cuttings is when you get new growth which has just turned slightly firm, what you would call semi-ripe, not too soft nor too woody. You can take several from one length , cut off the soft new growth then for each pair of leaves you can remove one leaf completely and if they are big leaves, cut half of the other one off to preserve moisture. Each cutting should be aprroximately 1.5" of stem below the leaf joint, cut 1/4" above the joint.

Push them into compost around the edges of a 3" pot, 3 or 4 to a pot will be OK, so the leaf joint is just touching compost level. The roots often start to grow from the leaf joint. I put mine in a propogator with one or both closed vents, heated to 68-72F, if there is too much sun cover the lid with paper. My propogator is inside below a south facing window. If you don't have a propogator a plastic bag over it will suffice.

I would take cuttings any time in summer, the best time is probably when it's growing fast at the beginning of the season, but of course not until the growth has firmed a little. It is worth trying at any time, but an early start will give the plant more time to establish before the onset of cold weather.

Good luck!

Thank you so much, Wallaby1!!!!

This info is worth a lot for me at this precise moment. A friend of mine has a P. incarnata that I grew from seeds. His one is a specially nice one, because the 'crown'(?) of the flower is curly. My friend will be moving in a year or so and is already sad to have to leave his beautiful plant behind.

Now I have to plan a new trip to the location where I saw this beauty (Constance Elliott) growing. Maybe I take one of my blooming Platycodons with me and offer it in exchange for the cuttings.

You are right, I do not have a propagator. Should I punch a hole in the plastic bag?

Hugs,

Ursula

You could puch a hole or a few small holes, as long as the cuttings don't dry out and some humidity is maintained. The humid atmosphere helps the roots to make, but they wouldn't want to sweat too much, and of course having no roots for a start they need the moisture.

I hope you have success in your exchange!

((((((Wallaby1))))))

This one may just root in a glass and water,especially if there are pushing new growth pretty rapidly!
I have found too much moisture while covered with the plastic bag,while trying to root,will cause the leaves to get a fungus,or bacteria,that will cause the cutting to fail.

Thanks, Tropicman. If I get enough cuttings I will try both methods.

Ursula

Ursula, the way I wet the compost is just to spray it rather than pour water through it. Just moist rather than soaking is best, if they sit in to much wet it can rot, and as Topciman says fungus can grow but if they don't sweat and have some air around them they usually do well, air holes may help there.

If you remember, let us know how you get on with both methods. I have rooted some more woody stems in water, semi-ripe generally need to be grown under cover, but some plants will root easily that way.

Thanks, Wallaby1. I will post the results (IF I get cuttings LOL).

Ursula