# Getting new leaves from Anubias rhizome



## fisheye (Aug 12, 2013)

I have a lot of really old Anubias barteri v. nana. Some of them have rhizomes that are around 14-20 inches where a few inches had been under wood or between things in a spot where they had minimal light and have no leaves. I've moved them so that they now have these exposed sections with no leaves in the light. Is there a way to persuade them to grow new leaves or should I just be patient and hope they respond naturally in a few months?

I recall reading on the internet that you could make slits in the rhizome to promote new growth. Has anyone here had success doing this? Has anyone here tried this and hurt the plant? Is there a recommended way to make the slits? I am a little leery of doing something that could damage the rhizomes.


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## jeffdenney (Jun 21, 2013)

Good post. I am curious also. Subscribed.

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ei dosing and 6 hours light 100%


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## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

I too have an older Anubias barteri rhizome and all I did was let it do it's own thing.

I haven't heard about making slits on the rhizome but the best way to propagate A. barteri IME was to cut up the larger rhizomes and let the anubias produce new leaves on the bare parts of the rhizomes naturally. I think rhizome slitting is best reserved for anubias species with thicker rhizomes IMO.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Cut rhizome into ~2" sections. Cut off all roots. Put in an open top container with 2-3" of water. Then wait.

v3


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## angelcraze (Aug 20, 2013)

I chopped up all my anubias nana, it was subject to rot, cut it with a sharp blade, then used peroxide to disinfect, and long and behold, an explosion of new leaves. Anubias does not repair damaged leaves, and so removing these, and rotted parts of rhizome, plus adding clean slits has accelerated the growth in my anubias personally. Rhizomes can be split again and again, only to add growth every time, ime.


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## wildroseofky (Mar 5, 2013)

I cut my 2 inch anubias nana petite into two pieces with a sharp razor blade. I now have 4 plants where I had only two. No rot. Make sure each piece has a least a couple of leaves. Mine had three leaves each piece and is growing very well. I also have one that has started a plantlet from one of the cut ends.


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## fisheye (Aug 12, 2013)

Just for the record I was delaying messing with the rhizome. Today I looked and the bare sections have started sprouting little leaves. 

Pulling old leaves definitely got new growth sprouting on a lot of anubiases in the tank too.


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## angelcraze (Aug 20, 2013)

Yes, it's not worth it to leave damaged leaves on the plant. They do not regenerate. Snipping them off does encourage new growth, I have found too. I also put a slit into the rhizome of an anubias barteri with a sharp blade, and the plant grew another shoot of leaves in that area, I forgot. Oh, and the rot was because those ones were grown emersed, and I bought them from Ebay, (anubias nana) and had a lot of adjusting to do after they shipped across the world.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

I slit my Anubias a little on accident, haven't looked at it for a few weeks n behold!! New plant life...














came from this


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## J_Childs (Sep 6, 2013)

Where can I get tweezers like that? or something similar to those? I am referring to those in the picture =)


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## creekbottom (Apr 5, 2012)

e bay!!!


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## Pearl_Gourami (Nov 9, 2016)

OVT said:


> Cut rhizome into ~2" sections. Cut off all roots. Put in an open top container with 2-3" of water. Then wait.
> 
> v3


So all the roots are "useless" is it? What happens if I retain the roots?


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