Gloxinia – Vegetative Propagation

If you wish to have additional plants exactly like your original one, you must use one of several methods of vegetative propagation. A tuber that develops several sprouts in the starting medium may be cut up almost like a pie, with a sprout to each piece of tuber. The cut surface should be dusted with powdered charcoal and allowed to lie in the air for an hour to further dry the cuts before each piece is again placed back in the starting medium. Each section will develop into a replica of the original plant.

If you do not wish to reduce the size of your first tuber, you may use another method. Let the sprouts grow about three inches long, then cut all but the center sprout free and root these, either in water, sand, or vermiculite, just as you would any other cutting.

Leaf propagation is the most popular method. Healthy, medium-sized leaves are best and can be rooted at any time but I usually cut off a few leaves after the first flowering period so the appearance of the plant is not impaired. Keep as much stem on each leaf as possible. Only the stem must be inserted in the rooting medium; the leaf itself must remain dry or it will rot. If you root the leaves in water, use rain water.

By R. W. Vliet

More on Gloxinia care and growing at the below Links:

• The Modern Gloxinia
• Growing Gloxinia Tubers
• Germinating Time – Temperature – Light Requirements – Feeding Plants
• Blooming Period

• Growing Gloxinia Tubers
• Gloxinia – Blooming Period
• The Modern Gloxinia
• African Violets – Rooting Leaves in Soil