The Ming aralia is grown as a houseplant throughout the United States. Originally, this plant came from India, Malaysia and Polynesia. In its natural environment, it is not unusual to find Ming aralias growing to heights of 10 to 12 feet.
Growing Ming aralias is not always easy. They are a fussy plant that cannot take cold drafts, dry conditions or direct sunlight. During the summer months, these plants can go outside, but when the temperatures start dipping below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the lower leaves may drop.
If you want to safeguard yourself and have an extra Ming aralia or two in your home, it is possible to propagate them. They are often hard to start, but you aren’t out much by trying. The best time to take cuttings is late in the spring or early summer.
Find A Pot
Before you take the cuttings, you’ll want to prepare your pot. Find a 6-inch pot. At the bottom of the pot, cover the drainage holes with rocks, shard or a coffee filter. This keeps the soil from draining out with the water.
Take Your Cuttings
Look over your Ming aralia to find a healthy, green 4-inch stem. Take several cuttings in case some don’t root, cutting just below the leaf node. If all the cuttings root, then you will have extra plants for yourself or to give as gifts.
Wrap the cuttings in a paper towel if you aren’t able to plant them immediately. This helps keep them hydrated and causes less stress on the cuttings.
Wet the ends of the cuttings in water and shake off the excess moisture. Insert the wet end into rooting hormone. Tap the stem to knock off the excess powder so it does not go to waste.
Plant The Cuttings
Make holes in the soil with a pencil to a depth of 2 inches. Allow 1 inch of room between each cutting. Put the stem with the rooting hormone in the hole. With your fingers, firm the soil around the cutting to hold it upright. Treat all of the cuttings in this manner until you are done.
Fill a spray bottle with water and mist the cuttings. Also, spray the soil to moisten it. Ming aralia cuttings have trouble forming roots if the soil is too wet.
Insert The Pot In A Bag
Find a clear plastic bag that is large enough to hold the pot and not touch the cuttings inside. Insert the pot into a clear plastic bag and blow air into the bag to inflate it.
Close the bag with a twist tie or rubber band to keep the bag inflated. Set the pot in a location with diffused sunlight. The area needs to have a constant temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cutting Care
If condensation forms inside the bag, open it up to allow some air circulation. Leave the bag open for 15 to 20 minutes. Check the soil for moisture, because the soil cannot become dry. Keep it evenly moist.
It can take five weeks or longer before the cuttings form roots. When you notice new growth, gradually harden them in. over the course of 3 days, gradually open and remove the bag.
Transplanting
Gather enough 6-inch pots for each of your rooted cuttings. Fill them with houseplant potting soil that you purchased at the store, or that you’ve prepared at home. Make a hole with a pencil in the center of the pot that is big enough to hold the roots. Carefully remove a Ming aralia. Transplant it into the hole, but keep the planting depth the same as they were growing. Firm the soil lightly around the plant. Give the soil a drink of water. Once again, moisten the soil only, do not wet so the soil is soggy. Do not allow the pot to sit in water. Grow as you would a mature plant.
Sources:
“Favorite Houseplants”; Don Dooley; 1976
“The Houseplant Expert”; Dr. D.G. Hessayon; 1980