Root question

What do you guys think about these roots? My multiflora leaves feel kind of soft (not too soft where I'd think they weren't taking up water, but I'm wondering if I should think about repotting or re-rooting the stems because they just don't seem as firm as they used to). This is my very large multiflora (4 feet tall), and I really don't want to re-root, but I wouldn't be opposed to repotting.

So I uncovered some roots that were towards the surface of the soil. Here they are. If you need a better picture, let me know what I should do - if need be, I'll take the whole plant out, but of course I'd rather not! I'm hoping they look fine and it's just an issue of the recent cold weather or maybe a little underwatering.

Here's a pic of the whole plant. The leaves look fine, but they feel kind of soft in comparison to their usual feel.

And a close-up of some leaves (yes, they need a cleaning!)
Thanks,
Gabi

Oh Gabi, that is such a beautiful plant ... I sure hope it's going to be okay and maybe just needs a new pot with some fresh potting mix! The roots look good to me ... I even see some little fine roots - I hope maybe your plant is just having a little "pout" from the cold weather or not enough water. Hopefully someone will come along with some good advice for you. It would be so hard for me to re-root a beauty like that, I would have to try repotting.

I have a small Multiflora that I got in trade a few months ago and it wasn't doing so well at all. Being new to Hoyas I didn't realize it was one that liked a lot of water - I was keeping it way too dry. The leaves were getting kinda soft and a couple turned yellow and fell off. Then I read where someone on this forum was using one of those self watering african violet pots for their Multiflora and since I grow african violets and had a few of those pots, I put the multiflora in one and it perked right up and is looking great.

I will be watching this thread to see how things go with your gorgeous plant, and I will say a little hoya prayer that all will be well!

Gabi,

I'll go out on a limb and guess that maybe a chill had something to do with the softness of the leaves. When I used to keep my multiflora underwatered, the leaves always looked fine, It would just lose its peduncles. Last fall I took cuttings from my multiflora, and the leaves on this plant are just as you say "soft." It is sort of like their is a slight limpness to them. This happened when I moved it out of my warm plant room and put it in a much cooler place overnight, and it has not recovered as of yet. Your overall plant to me still looks very healthy at least to my eyes, and the roots seem to look fine. Maybe it just needs some warmer temps to perk it back up.

Doug

Gabi - if you rub the root gently between your thumb and forefinger, does the cuticle of the root come off? That would mean rot! It won't hurt the plant to just take it all out and check the roots.

i would try Doug's suggestion...see if a good watering for a week doesn't plump up the leaves....then take more aggresive steps.

Carol

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. Doug, that's exactly what it feels like - slight limpness. It's right by my balcony screen door, so it sometimes gets a draft, so I'm hoping that it has to do with that.

Carol, I'm not home right now but will definitely try what you said when I get home tonight. Can you just explain what the cuticle of the root is so that I know what I'm looking for?

Thanks so much,
Gabi

The cuticle is the "bark" of the root...actually, if you tug on it should be firm...not fall apart.

Drafts aren't good..could be that too!

Carol

Ok, I think I understand. When I was handling the roots this morning, nothing broke off. But I'll check it again, and if I feel it's necessary I will take the plant out and check them even further. I know it won't hurt the plant, but it's just such a pain in the butt to do, especially with a plant that big! But I'll do whatever I need to do for this hoya - it is one that I just CANNOT lose.

Oh, one more question (sorry, I just know NOTHING about root health) - am I more focused on the cuticle of the white-ish thicker roots, or am I also focusing on the fine roots?

As for the problem possibly being caused by a draft and/or the cold balcony window, I will move it to a warmer location tonight.

Thanks!
Gabi

I'm watching this thread too. I'm having the darndest time with mine also. It is a cutting I got LAST spring from DL. It did well for a long time, then I guess towards the end of summer it started going down hill VERY SLOWLY. That's when I noticed yellow leaves anyway. I have now (in the last month or so) cut the cutting in half, put one part in water and the other I repotted into a looser mix (tips from DG members) The one potted has finally bit the dust. The one in water still looks good but no roots yet. I really don't want to lose this one as I love the blooms I see in all the pics. i placed an order with DL too and did not get another one :( Good luck, maybe it's just impatient for spring to get here and it's pouting a little. Keeping my fingers crossed for you and me both!
d

Gabi...the largest roots will be easier to test. Also, if you tug on them gently, some of the finer roots will shred apart, leaving the core of the root attached to the plant, and the rest in your hand. IF there is any rot, it should be cut out as it 'can' (not necessarily WILL) spread...why take the chance.

pd...Did you up root the older roots to see what happened? Try keeping the cutting moist, warm and shaded. if nothing has happened...you might tip it out...you might see roots and you might see the bottom of the stem dead. you might be able to save it.

Carol

Carol,
The potted one looks like a dead stick out in the yard. Why I haven't thrown it away yet, i don't know. I will take it out and look at the roots. The one in water, I cut back little by little until it bled then I put it in water. It is the last 3 to 4 inches of the cutting. I have it in the windowsill over my kitchen sink. This is not an outside window so it does not get drafts. It is connected to my sunroom. It is shaded. Gets early morning sun, nothing direct. Thanks for all the info/tips. I am trying.
Dawn

Ok, so I tugged on the roots that were close to the top (instead of unpotting it), and they didn't break or anything. I gave it a good watering last night, and I'll see how it does over the next few days. If it doesn't get better, I'll unpot and check all the roots down below.

Thanks for your help.

Dawn, good luck with your plant too - I really hope it makes it.

Gabi

Gabi, please keep us posted on how your Multiflora does. It would be so sad to lose such a huge and Beautiful plant like that one!

We had temps here this morning of 36 degrees and I had no idea it was going to be that cold last night! I had not covered or moved anything inside so hopefully my orchids, hoyas and everything else will be okay. I knew the plants would be okay in the mid 40 range cause it doesn't stay cold long. I think I will drag a bunch of stuff in today and cover everything else with old blankets. Weather reports say our low tonight will be 45 but I don't think I trust that ... 45 was supposed to be our low last night. It's still only 41 out right now! Weird weather! I think I need to move farther south, or to the Islands!

Will do :)
I would be DEVASTATED if I lost that plant!
By the way, even though you're having cold weather now, I would trade places with you in a hearbeat!! Better yet, let's just all move to Hawaii!
I hope your plants will be ok. Good idea to bring whatever you can inside and cover the other plants.

Gabi

Just brought in all the orchids (I don't have many, maybe 15) luckily I had watered everything real well a couple of days ago. They are very cold but hopefully they will survive! Heading back out now to move the Hoya plants in and to get out blankets to cover other plants. It's still only 49 degrees ... way too cold for this time of day!

Great plan Gabi, I like the idea of moving to Hawaii! I've had a few chances to go but have chickened out because of the length of time on an airplane (coming from one who's husband has been teaching in the Aviation field for 32 years!) I love to fly when traveling but the longest I've ever been on a plane is @ 2 1/2 hours and I can't imagine 7 or 8 hours in the air! LOL. Someone suggested a boat but no way could I do that either! We love vacationing in the Bahama's and hubby takes our little 24' boat over the open waters but I fly over and meet him! It's only a 20-30 minute flight from Florida.

Think of it this way: the difference is only 'time' and time is what we have tons of!!! There is really no difference.... even 9 hours to Japan and then 4 hours to Manilla...I sleep alot!!!

Carol

LOL Carol ... sounds like you travel a lot too! My husband keeps saying that I could take something to knock me out for a long trip! I cannot sleep on a plane, don't drink so I guess a sleeping pill would have to be the thing for me to get through a long flight! Someday I might get the courage to attempt it!

The longest plane ride I've been on was to Israel, and that was about 12-13 hours STRAIGHT! I usually take a sleeping pill on long flights like that. I can't imagine flying to Australia or Asia - I'd need about 5 sleeping pills!!

Ok, here are my roots when I dumped the pot. The stalk is hollow too.

DEAD. REALLY dead. When the stalk starts getting hollow...then it is beyond hope.

Any live wood on it????You could cut and make another plant?

It bent right where the green and yellow meet. How would I try? Stick it in dirt again or water?

Is there a node above that node where the green and yellow meet? I would cut about an inch below the upper node, make sure you have living tissue, put it in straight perlite and keep it damp.

Yes, the node is where my thumb is

Well...even if you have a buried node and NO node above the soil...new growth can happen from that buried node...happens to me a lot!!!

I just went and cut it down little by little. It be DEAD. It is hollow and they roots just fell all to pieces. I'm holding out hope for the other part that is in the water. It's not big enough for me to cut and put a piece in perlite.

Just wanted to add this, even though it may not have any relevance to your issue. I have found that every time I root multiflora/javanica cuttings, the roots form at the bottom (where the cut was made). It's the one hoya that doesn't need to be buried at the node. And I've rooted TONS of multiflora cuttings. I always root them in water.

Gabi

Thanks Gabi - xxkeeping my fingers crossedxx

Ok, so I did a lot to try and make this plant better, but to no avail.
So I finally decided to check on the roots. I unpotted the hoya, and the roots were fine. But I figured I'd change the soil and see what happened (the old soil smelled kind of "moldy"). I made the soil extra chunky (take a look at the first pic in the thread and you'll see a big difference in the soil..

When I first started noticing that the leaves turned kind of limp, I cut off a large stem and rooted it in water - after growing roots, the leaves really plumped up.
Here's a pic of one of the "refreshed" leaves:

I know it's hard to "see" a difference in the leaves, but there is a HUGE difference in the "feel". Anyway, for comparison, here is a pic of a section of the "limp" leaves:

And finally, here is a pic of the whole plant after repotting. I added the newly rooted "refreshed" cutting. I really hope this hoya comes through. If not, I will cut the other stems too and re-root them. I'm not sure if I'll be able to easily root a 4 foot stem, but I'll give it a go - I really don't want to cut it into shorter pieces. It's such an easy hoya to propagate, so I don't think I'll have problems (it's actually the only hoya I propagate in water - and it forms roots QUICKLY).
Thanks for *listening*, and any advice is fully welcome!
Gabi

Good job Gabi! That soil with the bark looks great! I use a lot of bark mixed in with potting soil for not only hoyas but all of my house plants! It really helps with aeration and drainage. Plants seem to do much better in this lighter mix.

Please keep us posted on this hoya and how it's doing. I think it will recuperate and thrive for you with the new soil.

Thanks Lin.
I always use a mixture of regular potting soil, bark, and perlite - but for some reason I didn't use enough bark in the old multiflora soil. I agree - it's a great addition to soil mixes. My hoyas do great in it. I guess I never thought that multiflora needed a lot of bark because of how moisture loving it is. Wrong wrong wrong!

Gabi

Edited to say: I also used the extra big perlite in this mixture (I usually use regular size, but I found a hydro store that sells the large perlite, so I bought 2 small bags - boy, were they expensive!).

This message was edited Mar 2, 2008 9:58 PM

I have a Multiflora I got here in a trade 4 or 5 months ago and it blasted buds twice and then began to fail rapidly, leaves yellowing and really looking pitiful! Someone on this forum mentioned using a self watering pot for the multiflora ... well, I have quite a few of the self watering pots that I use for African Violets so I plopped the multiflora in one of those pots and it really perked up! It hasn't bloomed yet but has one peduncle again so I have high hopes to see blooms on it before long! I'm wondering if any of the other hoyas would do well in the self watering pots?

Growers in Sweden us the self watering pots a lot....I would think that any of the Philippine hoyas would do well in them...i.e. H. lacunosa, obscura etc.

Your multiflora looks great , Gabi...!!!

Carol

Thanks Carol, LOL - I don't know which ones come from where! I do have lacunosa and will have to put one in a self watering pot to see how it does.

Gabi,

I had exactly the same experience as yours with rooted cuttings that I took off my main plant. The soil smelled moldy, the leaves went limp, and there was no saving it by re-potting. I finally took cuttings and put them in water and the leaves are now refreshed, and the stems are growing roots. I would not be very surprised if you do end up having to take those four foot cuttings that you were talking about. I hope it does not come to that and re-potting does the trick, but at least you could save your big plant that way. I think my smaller multiflora went in to a decline because of a chill just like yours probably did. I used to think these plants were cast iron and impossible to kill, but not any more.

Doug

Doug,

I agree - I thought that NOTHING could kill my multiflora! I really hope that repotting it will rejuvinate it, but my hopes aren't too high. Do you think I would need to cut up the long 4 foot stem if I needed to re-root it? I can't bare to cut it, but I'm thinking that a cutting that long might take up lots of energy to form roots. The only plus is that multiflora is the easiest hoya to root (for me at least), so it might root fast, even at 4 feet tall. I guess I'll give it a few weeks and see what happens.

Thanks,
Gabi

2 2' lengths might be easier...and it would give you a bushier pot, too!!!