Rooting Catha Edulis

[QuantumReality]

Hi
Has anyone had good success rooting Catha Edulis cuttings? (non-root)

What worked best for you?

Ive got some cuts sitting in a few cm's of non-diluted plant starter. Can only hope!

TIA

QR

[endorfinder]

I've never successfully started a catha from cutting, but the ones I'm trying now are the first I've actually taken myself and they're doing much better than the last one. Seedling mix:perlite 70:30 seems to be doing better than sphagnum moss. After 3-4 weeks there's visible new growth on both media (one cutting each), but only tiny root buds on the sphagnum cut - I suspect patience will be vital on this one.

I just took 6" cuttings, stripped the lower leaves, made a fresh incision below the lowest node and snipped the callous from the end of the stem, dipped it in rooting powder then placed in media. Nothing special just seems to be sloooow.

Edit: oh the one cutting I had previously that completely failed was actually supposed to be a sucker... yet my stem cuttings are doing far better. go figure.

Edited February 17, 2013 by endorfinder

[LokStok]

check this (esp. post#31)

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=24941&hl=+catha%20+cuttings&page=2

[QuantumReality]

Amazing post! Exactly what im looking for, thank you

PH is out there somewhere, thanks for having put that up on the boards

Also endorfinder, im glad youre getting new growth, I hope they continue to show good results, thanks for the info also, ill see how I go with a mix like that

In regards to my cuts, I have 1 NL cut and 1 VW cut, that are both definately either juvenile growth, or suckers. I didnt pay too much attention, though I saw they were taken from the bottom of the plant, so the gentleman I acquired these from was luckily on the ball to have done so

Thanks again, much appreciated!

QR

[mauve]

I just put a cut in a glass of water, near a north facing window and wait.

[planthelper]

I just put a cut in a glass of water, near a north facing window and wait.

is your advice given for southern hemisphere australians, or for the northern halve?

in other words, to you recommend, the sun facing window, or the window which hardly ever gets direct sunlight?

[mauve]

Oops, sorry for the lack of details ! Northern hemisphere, a window that never gets direct sun. I don't use any humidity tent or cloning box for Catha, it just sits in the glas quite a long time and then roots appear ;)

I use young woody cuts.

[waterboy 2.0]

I've found smaller cutting more successful, and NL the harder one to root. I use rooting powder, and give em some humidity at first on bottom heat. They do sit and sulk for a long time I find.

I prefer suckers though as they have already initiated roots.

Edited February 23, 2013 by waterboy

[planthelper]

i once took catha cuttings overseas, and put them into a pet bottle dome for storage, till i would, travell home (home was not oz).

there was only 2 spits of water in the bottle, and none of the already trimmed cuttings, touched the water with it's stems.

than i stayed longer, as planed.

and after 5 to 6 weeks, without having planed it this way the roots appeared.

now i sometimes use this methode, for many plants if i feel lazy, but i put (wet) sphagnum moss at the bottom, as addition.

roots form better in moist air than in water, specialy catha roots.

nice is, that one can observe the roots growing, no hormone was used.

Edited February 23, 2013 by planthelper
666 typos

[Anodyne]

I've never had any trouble with 4" semi-wooded cuttings in a well-draining potting mix. I water in with a bit of Seasol, put them under humidity domes for a few weeks and then uncover and move to a sheltered half-shaded place. The NL especially seems to do well like this, regular khat doesn't even need the domes (though I mix in some coco-peat to keep the soil moist). They are slow to get started, so be patient - but I've had maybe 50% survival rate using this method, and more like 80-90% when using suckers.

[Ethos]

I have done exactly what mauve said and my window faces south so it gets the hot midday to afternoon sun, although the glass bottle I had filled with water had black tape around it blockig any light from getting to the rootzone.

I left this cutting in the glass for almost a year as it kept putting on new growth without me doing much at all besides topping up the water when it got low and the occasional misting, it was in the glass for so long when I decided to pot it up I struggled to pull the rootball out of the neck of the bottle.

[theuserformallyknownasd00d]

^^ DWC khat!!!

[QuantumReality]

Excellent, cheers guys. I'll play around with a few cuts and see what does me best.

[lost nebula]

I've never had any trouble with 4" semi-wooded cuttings in a well-draining potting mix. I water in with a bit of Seasol, put them under humidity domes for a few weeks and then uncover and move to a sheltered half-shaded place. The NL especially seems to do well like this, regular khat doesn't even need the domes (though I mix in some coco-peat to keep the soil moist). They are slow to get started, so be patient - but I've had maybe 50% survival rate using this method, and more like 80-90% when using suckers.

I used to use this exact method with okay results (50-60% strike rate with cuttings) but have since moved on to using rockwool cubes in a mini greenhouse with an airstone bubbler and have 80-90% success with most catha varieties. Not the simplest of solutions but does the job well.