AusBonsai

I chopped the top off a lilly pilly late last summer and for some reason thought it would be interesting to plunk it in a bucket of water. I was surprised to see it continue to grow but no roots ever formed. I don't remember the month I did this but it is surely over 6 months and maybe 8 that this has survived in just a bucket of water with no roots. Some leaves have died of here and there but it is still pushing new growth. If nothing else this could be good information to flower arrangers

I assume most flower arrangers would already know this info. It's capillary action at it's finest! Was it straight water or might there have been some nutrients in it? I would've expected the plant to need some nutrients that plain water wouldn't provide... maybe some soil was in there, and the nutrients were taken into the water and the plant is getting it that way?

I suppose it'd be interesting to see how long the plant survives that way, but I wouldn't expect it to last more than 12 months, surely!

I wouldn't have expected it to live anywhere near as long as this. I have seen some survive for a while but not keep growing? I almost threw it out yesterday during a clean up but decided I would put it back and see.
There is no dirt nutrients or anything just plain old water

Bretts wrote:I wouldn't have expected it to live anywhere near as long as this. I have seen some survive for a while but not keep growing? I almost threw it out yesterday during a clean up but decided I would put it back and see.
There is no dirt nutrients or anything just plain old water

is it rain water or tap water? rain water may have something to do with this if it is from a tank then there would be some sediment feeding the water supply with nitrates and such, that could be helping along, got me buggered how you got no roots, maybe doesnt feel the need.
are you planning on just keeping this an experiment or did you want to use it?
if you want to use it you might have the chance of putting it in soil and trying to get it to strike roots... but i would say you would have to defoliate a lot too...

It was tap water to start but it would get rain water as well. There are even nutrients in the air but most plants don't use that much. It has not discoloured so it must not be lacking in anything at the moment?
If it had thrown some roots out I would have potted it up for sure but I will just leave this and see what happens. It has moved into a sunnyer position in the shade house so maybe that will tip it over the edge?

Bretts wrote:It was tap water to start but it would get rain water as well. There are even nutrients in the air but most plants don't use that much. It has not discoloured so it must not be lacking in anything at the moment?
If it had thrown some roots out I would have potted it up for sure but I will just leave this and see what happens. It has moved into a sunnyer position in the shade house so maybe that will tip it over the edge?

possibly will tip it over but it could make it throw roots aswell. i think with it feeding through a cappilary action it hasnt needed roots as it is getting a sufficient source. it is one tough b@#$%^& to still have so much life it it. maybe the sunnier position will help it throw roots out but i dont know... this is one hell of a conundrum mate.
it will be interesting to see how far this goes! and wether it will throw out roots or not

i had a zelecova cutting live, shoot and grow for over 12mths. growth was weak, but steady. it got tipped out of its pot by dog after 12mths or so, and found no roots. lived another 4mths before the dogs got it again. no hope after that. My theory is stored nutrients in the trunk. It was in normal potting mix, tended as normal (Watering and such)

Good piont Paddles I think JBP take 6 months or so even a year I think I may have heard to throw roots. You just have to keep them alive that long until they do with the right conditions.
Like Jamie said the lilly pilly must just be a tuff bugger

Maybe try a little humic acid in the water???

Just browsing down the back and found a laugh. I cut the top off two lilly pillys. During repotting this ones pot was stolen and it got a new one a few days later and then got left in the late frost. Did not like it That will teach me for being slack. The funny thing is there is a good chance this is the base of the cutting that has survived in water. Both trees sulked after being root pruned and cut back last year at the end of the growing season(live and learn) although they where cheap root bound stock. The other one had more cover during the recent frosts never got left on the bench for days without a pot and although some burning from the frost is starting to show vigor again.

That's a good idea Jow I might throw a few granules in. I have been using it a bit on my cuttings but I am unsure if having no clue what I am doing is the best option
Al told us the weed growers used it for cuttings but never elaborated on how it can be a benefit for that. Before they root after they root, what strength. I have been using a very weak dilution on them occasionally. I might work out my user name and pass word on the weed growers forum and ask some more questions from the experts myself.
I am still unsure if it is my imagination but I am sure the leaves look extra green this year. I almost need sun glasses on to look at my carpinus it looks almost fluorescent

bretts, dragging up an old post i know, how is this going?? as i was reading an article by harry harrington i came across this http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATdamagedhawthorn.htm it shows how a hawthorn with basically no roots has survived in a bucket of water throwing no roots but groing new shoots from the energy in the trunk, it migh help you with this lilly pilly, but i would reccommend putting it in some soil now and you might get roots on it.

Hey guys. I have a syzygium that ive been experimenting with. It was in poor health when i started due to being impossibly root bound. The roots were so long before there were any feeders so i chopped it all off below the base. Its got a 7 inch spread at the base now. The next thing i did was painting the cut ends of the roots with concentrated seasol and planted in diatomite. Ive been keeping it moist and watered with seasol sparingly. After two months it has just started throwing out growth all over the trunk. Tough tree and seems to react like a fig. Good luck.

I forgot to add that i chopped it back to a bare trunk that is 4 inchs wide and 5 inchs tall. I have had some die back of the leader. Im sure that if the tree was healthier and i did it in summer, the results would be better. Cheers.