Im am rooting umbrella trees right now off a plant i bought from Walmart. I placed three medium-sized cuttings in Miracle-gro Moisture Control and added Perlite to the soil. I dipped the damp stems in Rooting Powder (i can send you some if you dont have any-you really dont need much) and covered them in plastic after watering them a bit. I then placed them behind one of my larger plants so it can recieve light while in the shade. I have never done this before so im hoping it works. I no longer have the parent plant and this is my last chance.

Maybe you can divide the larger, broken pieces into smaller cuttings in case some dont work out.

I think I tried rooting a Scheff stems in water and it rotted on me! Then I rooted a couple smaller branches back into the same pot with the mother plant (multiple stems and leaves attached to single green stem) that were cut from a bigger branch and they rooted ok without any rooting hormone.Using hormone couldn't hurt though.

I didn't do anything special to them (cuttings) Being in the same pot as the mother, they were watered when the mother was watered.
If you need to make any cuts to make the plant look better, near where you make the cuts, new leaves will grow.

Billy Rae

I don't know where to cut them to achieve maximum growth, I have only four house plants and know little more other then how to water them and keep them fairly happy. So if you could please go in to a bit more detail for me I would SO appreciate it! Thanks! Tanya

Tanya,
On the thickest parts of the branches, you make cuts right above any growth you see (leaf node). Say you have some leaf growth in the middle of a branch that's very long, the rest of the branch is bare, you can cut the stem back to just above that growth, same if you want an all around bushier plant, cut the branches just above where the stems and leaves are growing off from the wider branches. New leaves will sprout near the cut area.

Hope that helps some
Billy Rae

Thank you VERY much! I appreciate your help! Tanya

I just checked my umbrella trees today and i see the cuttings have rotted on me. This is my second time trying this and the second time it has failed. I think i will try something easier to get my confidence up! How are yours doing?

Don't worry about the main plant, it will put on new growth soon. Make sure the plant is warm & in good light.

You needn't worry about where you cut a scheff back. Leaving foliage on a particular stem is unnecessary. Scheffs retain large amounts of photosynthesizing tissues in stems & produce new leaves & roots quite readily.

Stem tip cuttings with all but one or two leaves removed will root quickly in perlite or a porous soil w/o the aid of a rooting hormone. Place cuttings in bright light, but not direct sun. Ideal soil temp about 70* F. Taking tip cuttings will also stimulate back-branching on that stem. You can also cut a portion of stem into 1-1/2 - 2 inch leafless pieces & just lay them atop a moist soil in bright light where they will root.

Al

The mother plant is starting to look better then before, with a ton of new growth! The cuttings I put in with her are dead, and there is only one of the ones in soil still alive, however the ones in water are sprouting roots, and looking great! Thanks for all of your help!