4. Propagation of Anthurium
1. Vegetative / asexual propagation
a. Stem cuttings
b. Axillary buds
c. Suckers
d. Tissue culture
2. Sexual propagation – by seeds
5. Vegetative propagation
Stem cuttings
More mature plants produce leggy stems that is
unable to stand erect or that has outgrown the
pot
These plants produce smaller leaves, smaller
flowers and shorter flower peduncle and leaf
petioles
6. The top portion (apical portion) of the plant is cut
away with few roots and replanted
The remaining bottom portion (basal portion) is
used for vegetative propagation
7. Method
The basal portion can be cut in to 1.5”- 2” long
pieces with 2 – 3 growing points
Dip them in a diluted KMnO4 solution or a
fungicidal solution
Plant horizontally in 1:1 mixture of sand and leaf
mould or sand and coir dust
8. Provide shade and water
After few weeks the dormant buds spring up and
grow into plantlets
They can be planted in their proper place (pot or
bed) or transferred into polythene bags to grow
bigger
9. Axillary buds
Top portion is removed in older plants
It activates axillary buds and produce shoots
Those shoots can be separated planted as a new
plants
Suckers
When mature, mother plant produces suckers
After producing 3 – 4 leaves, suckers can be
separated from mother plant
10. Tissue culture
As the ex – plant; leaf lamina, leaf petiole,
spathe, spadix or peduncle can be used
11. Sexual propagation
Female part of the flowers mature 7 – 10 days after
flower opening
Male parts mature 7 – 14 days after female parts
maturation
When female parts mature it becomes sticky and
stigma can be observed as tiny dots
It takes about 3 – 4 consecutive days to mature
female parts from the base of the spadix
When male parts mature, it produces powdery film
on the spadix
12. Pollination
Pollination is done when the spadix is sticky to
touch
Powdery pollen from another flower is collected
from a paint brush and apply on a sticky spadix
It should be continued for 3 – 4 days, before 10
a.m.
After pollination, the flower is covered from
transparent polythene
13. Within 1 month the spadix becomes thick and
green and it is a sign that pollination has been
sucessful
The berries take 5 – 6 months to mature and
plucking can be done when it turns to yellow or
orange in colour
14. Method
Gelatinous cover of the ripen berries are gently
removed and washed 2 – 3 times with water
Dip them in a diluted KMnO4 solution
Prepare a shallow pot or seed pan for seed sowing
Put layer of brick pieces at the bottom
Then add a layer of decaying leaf mould and then
Anthurium potting mixture
Then put layer of ½” long brick pieces
15. Then spread seeds on it (1” space)
Keep the seed pot / pan on a shallow water
basin and watering
Cover it with polythene / glass
When the seedlings are around 6 months old
they can be uprooted and replanted in polythene
bags to grow bigger prior to transferring to the
permanent location
16. Potting of Anthurium
Potting mixtures
Leaf mould/ compost/ coir husk pieces - 4 parts
Decayed cattle manure - 2 parts
River sand - 1 part
Or
1” decomposed coconut husk pieces - 1 part
Decayed cattle manure - 1 part
Rough sand - 1 part
17. Method of potting
Prepare a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot
Place broken tile piece over the drainage hole
with the concave side facing downward
Put a layer of brick pieces to 2” height
Add a layer of leaf mould over the brick layer
Fill the pot with the potting mixture until ¾ from its’
height
18. Select a healthy plant with 3 – 4 leaves and place
the plant in the center of the pot with roots spread
Add more compost around it and press down
Do not burry the growing point
Leave 1 inch space from the medium to the top of
the pot
Provide a support for weak / long stemmed plants
Water the plant and keep in a shady place for few
days