# Stem plants sending out roots - what does this mean?



## hubbahubbahehe (Sep 13, 2003)

it's normal, it happens, don't worry about it much.


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## Junebug720 (Oct 6, 2003)

I just trim the roots when they start getting unruly


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## Bronx19 (Dec 29, 2003)

Mine have doe the same in the last two weeks. I assumed they were looking for nutrients.


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## Bert H (Dec 15, 2003)

As hubba says, it's normal! I have found some stems put out a lot more roots from the nodes than others. My R. indica rarely puts any out, while my A. reinicki seems to have bunches from virtually every node. I just trim them when I do my water changes.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Sep 13, 2003)

yea, it really just depends on the plants... some plants like to do it..some won't do it at all


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## ^iMp^ (Oct 12, 2003)

You should see my emersed growth hygro siamensis... white hairy roots all over the place. Pulling them out isn't much fun either--the plant takes almost all the substrate with it . :? 

^iMp^


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## jread (Jan 2, 2004)

Mine would do this, but then the stem would rot away between the substrate and the new roots. It was really ugly and annoying.


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## crystalgolem (Feb 4, 2004)

my wisteria is doing this like crazy. Can I divide the plant where the new roots are and have more plants...or will they survive that?


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## newkidvoodoo (Oct 1, 2003)

i posted about this same thing a while back, but no one seemed to have any idea how to stop it. i have since come to the conclusion that it is normal, and something you can't stop. i got rid of all my stem plants that did this because it's such a pain to manage with trimming. i had a corner with some giant hygro in it, and the "advantitious roots" as they are called, made a basketball-sized ball of tangled, rooty mess. pulled out about 10lbs of substrate with it too. it wasn't pretty.


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## anonapersona (Oct 19, 2002)

I plant all the stem plants in the back, behind wood when possible to I dont' have to see that mess.


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## pineapple (Jan 22, 2004)

Great question. Was on my mind for sometime.

My Rotala Indica is especially interested in sending out "airial" roots. Wisteria does the same thing.

I always assumed that when planting stems, it is inevitable that the stem gets a trifle damaged and that the plant responds by growing roots/anchors further up the stem which then eventually penetrate into the substrate at their leisure.

I also notice the roots give off a fair number of bubbles.

Andrew


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## unirdna (Jan 22, 2004)

Ok then! It appears that you are all in the same boat as me.
Now, the obvious question that comes to mind is, why don't these
plants have advantitious roots when we purchase them? Is it
that the growers know how to propogate the plants without the
roots, or do they simply trim them off before selling?

I can live with the latter......but if they know how to grow 'em without,
I'd been grateful if one of those keen fellas would chime in  .

Ted


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## Splash (Feb 18, 2004)

I suspect that adventitious roots are induced to grow hormonally when the main root is cut off. When the main root is present *and * in the ground, it might produce an inhibitor that keeps the adventitious roots from forming. (I'm speculating here on the mode of action, but the ideas are based on some study of terrestrial botany).

If these ideas are valid, I would suggest trying a little experiement. Plant the stem and wait for some adventitous roots to form. Pull the plant and trim off the lower stem to just below the first good node of adventitious roots. Trim off all of the other adventitious roots above this node. Replant the stem with the selected adventitious root node buried in the substrate. See what happens.

Also, some aquarium substrate fertilizers contain hormones to stimulate root growth (e.g., auxins, polyamines, etc.). If you are having trouble with excessive adventitious roots, avoid such fertilizers.

Another idea: Some aquarium fertilizers claim to be specific to leaves, so they might contain gibberellins (another category of plant hormones), which tend to inhibit adventitious roots. So, once you've replanted the root node, try using a "leaf fertilizer" formula.

One last little comment: Many aquarium plants are grown semi-emmersed, so perhaps they don't produce adventitious roots on stems growing well above the water, and those are the stems sold to us.





unirdna said:


> Ok then! It appears that you are all in the same boat as me.
> Now, the obvious question that comes to mind is, why don't these
> plants have advantitious roots when we purchase them? Is it
> that the growers know how to propogate the plants without the
> ...


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## hubbahubbahehe (Sep 13, 2003)

most plants sold in stores are emergent growth...


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