Oh, Murdannia keisak! What a gorgeous, architectural plant, isn’t it? With those striking, silvery-blue leaves, it really brings a touch of understated elegance to any space. And the best part? It’s surprisingly straightforward to propagate. If you’re new to the plant world, this is one you can definitely tackle. Actually, I find it one of the most rewarding plants to share with friends – a little piece of beauty for everyone!
When Should You Get Cutting?
The absolute best time to take cuttings from your Murdannia keisak is during its active growing season. Think late spring through summer. The warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours really give those new cuttings the energy they need to root quickly. You can also have success in early fall, especially if they’re kept in a warm spot indoors, but spring and summer are your golden windows. Look for healthy, vigorous stems.
What You’ll Need to Get Started
Gathering your supplies before you start makes the whole process smoother. Here’s what I usually have on hand:
- Sharp Pruning Shears or Scissors: Cleanliness is key to preventing disease. I have a favorite pair I use for all my cuttings.
- Small Pots or Propagation Trays: Clean, clean, clean! Even old yogurt containers with drainage holes will work in a pinch.
- Well-Draining Potting Mix: I like a mix of equal parts potting soil, perlite, and perlite or coco coir. This ensures good aeration for those developing roots.
- Rooting Hormone (Optional but Recommended): This isn’t strictly necessary for Murdannia keisak, as it roots quite readily, but it can speed up the process and increase your success rate, especially for beginners.
- Watering Can with a Fine Rose: Gentle watering is important.
- Plastic Bag or Clear Dome: This creates a humid environment for your cuttings.
- Journal or Notebook (Optional): It’s always fun to track your progress!
Letting New Life Bloom: Propagation Methods
Murdannia keisak is a champion of propagation, and thankfully, it’s an easy one!
1. Stem Cuttings: The Most Popular Path
This is my go-to method for Murdannia keisak. It’s simple and highly effective.
- Choose a healthy, mature stem that’s at least 4-6 inches long. Look for one that has several sets of leaves.
- Using your clean pruning shears, make a cut just below a leaf node (where a leaf attaches to the stem). This is where the magical rooting hormones are concentrated.
- Gently remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting. You want to leave at least two to three sets of leaves at the top.
- If you’re using it, dip the cut end into your rooting hormone powder, tapping off any excess.
- Fill your small pot with your well-draining potting mix.
- Make a small hole in the center of the soil with your finger or a pencil.
- Insert the cut end of your Murdannia keisak cutting into the hole, ensuring the leaf nodes are buried.
- Gently firm the soil around the cutting.
- Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot.
- Cover the pot with a plastic bag or place it in a propagation tray with a dome. This traps humidity, which is crucial for cuttings. Make sure the leaves aren’t touching the plastic.
- Place the pot in a bright spot out of direct sunlight. I find an east-facing windowsill is perfect.
2. Water Propagation: The Visible Journey
This method lets you watch the roots emerge, which is always so satisfying.
- Follow steps 1, 2, and 3 from the stem cutting method.
- Find a clean glass jar or vase.
- Fill it with clean room-temperature water.
- Place your Murdannia keisak cutting into the water, ensuring the leaf nodes are submerged.
- Crucially, make sure no leaves are touching the water. This will cause them to rot.
- Place the jar in a bright location, away from direct sun.
- Change the water every few days to keep it fresh and prevent bacterial growth. You’ll start to see tiny white roots emerge from the nodes within a couple of weeks.
- Once the roots are about an inch long, you can transplant them into potting mix using the same method as above.
My “Secret Sauce” to Success
After all these years, I’ve picked up a few little tricks that really make a difference.
- The Power of Bottom Heat: If you have a heat mat designed for seedlings, place your pots on top of it. It’s not strictly necessary for Murdannia, but it significantly speeds up root development. The warmth encourages those root cells to wake up and get growing.
- Don’t Over-Water (Especially in Soil): I know I said to water thoroughly initially, but after that, be judicious. Let the top inch of soil dry out slightly between waterings. Over-watering is the quickest way to invite rot, the nemesis of any young cutting.
- Patience with the Potting: When you move a water-propagated cutting to soil, be gentle. Don’t pack the soil too tightly. The new roots are delicate and can break easily. I also like to give them a mild diluted liquid fertilizer about a month after potting to give them a gentle boost.
Aftercare and When Things Go Sideways
Once your Murdannia keisak cutting has developed a good root system – you’ll see new growth appearing at the top – it’s time to treat it like a young plant.
- Gradually acclimate it to slightly less humidity. If it was under a dome or bag, remove it for increasing periods each day over a week.
- Continue to water when the top inch of soil is dry.
- Fertilize sparingly during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer, diluted to half strength.
Now, what if things start to look a bit sad? The most common culprit is rot.
- Signs include stems turning mushy and brown, or leaves yellowing and dropping off very quickly.
- If you see this in a soil cutting, gently pull it out. If the stem is mushy, it’s likely gone. If the base is still firm, you might be able to salvage it by taking a healthy section and trying again.
- In water propagation, rot is usually due to old water or leaves touching the water. Clean everything out and start fresh with a healthy cutting.
Go Forth and Propagate!
Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! Propagating Murdannia keisak is a wonderful way to multiply your plant collection, share the joy of gardening, and learn about the incredible resilience of plants. Be patient, observe your cuttings, and celebrate every tiny root and new leaf. Happy propagating!
Resource:
https://identify.plantnet.org/k-world-flora/species/Murdannia%20keisak%20(Hassk.)%20Hand.-Mazz./data