Posts: 942
Threads: 17
Joined: Aug 2005
If anyone has tips on propagating these plants, I'd love to hear them:
1) Tahitian Gardenia
2) Puakinikini (seeds best?)
3) Heliconia
John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com
Posts: 2,149
Threads: 90
Joined: Feb 2006
Aloha, John. I have propagated Tahitian Gardenia by rooting cuttings. Using a rooting powder like Rootone (available at WalMart) helps. You can buy rooting media at nurseries, but I have had good luck with a 50-50 mix of cinders and quality potting soil. The Rootone packet will have instructions. Haven't done puakinikini myself, but I'm told it works the same as gardenia.
Heliconia propagate by separating keiki off the clumps of plants. After the heliconia are established, they produce new shoots appearing near the base of the of the original planting. Once the keikis start leafing, brush the soil away from where they connect to the mother plant. They will be connected, but there should be a narrow spot on the connection where you can cut it. Then gently dig around the keiki and remove it, trying to get the bulb-like clump at its base intact and as much of the roots as possible. The newly separated plant should be potted or transplanted right away and watered well. Heliconia are amazingly durable, and I have had separations that I thought were badly botched make beautiful new plants.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jerry
Posts: 1,261
Threads: 55
Joined: Nov 2005
I've always heard that cuttings of puakinkikini are more desireable than seedlings because the cutting-grown plants bloom much sooner (years) on a smaller sized plant.
