| Home | E-mail | Cactuspedia | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search  |

 
 
 
Degrafting  Horticulture ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Adjective: Degrafted 
     
  The removing and rerooting of the scion from the stock of a grafted plant.
 
 
     
A plant is said to be degrafted when it (removed from the graft) will produce a new autonomous roots system.
Some degrafted plant root easily and grow fine while other seems to be tricky and very difficult to root and also more susceptible to disease. But usually correctly degrafted plants don't show any difference to natural plants on their own roots, and often they tend to grow much faster than seed grown specimens because of their numerous capillary roots versus the few larger roots of the seed grown ones.

It is often advised not to cut the plant with a blade but to break it off at joint by hand (if possible) aloowing it to dry for 2 weeks before planting.
A disadvantage, especially with large degrafts, is when they dry they become concave, they indent, which is bad with excessive water as it will form a little condensation which may possibly lead to rot, but if you cut and let it dry without much dehydration, its perfect. A small cut size helps (hylocereus or pereschia grafts for example have a much smaller cut surface area than a large trichocereus graft) also a rooting powder with some fungicide may promote root and reduce infections allowing the cut to dry more evenly without huge dehydration.

Some species (e.g. Lophophoras sp. grafted on Trichocereus sp.) can live out their entire lives without ever being degrafted while plants grafted on short lived stocks (E.g. Hylocereus) necessitate to be degrafted very soon.
 
     

 


Advertising



 

 


 
 
 
Holdfast roots  [ Botany  ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

 
     
  Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.  
     
Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans),  develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994
     

 

 

 

| Home | E-mail | Cactuspedia | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search  |