The Home and Garden article was indeed interesting. Zebra plants,(Aphelandras) are beautiful and semi-rare, but difficult forcing future blooms. Air-Layering is done primarily with some Ficus, Dracaeanas, and Dieffenbachias. I've never heard it being done w/a Zebra plant..Instead: According to several books I read, the authors advise cutting back a Zebra after blooming. This is also done to encourage future flowering. I don't know if you're familiar with James Underwood Crockett from the old Victory Garden shows..aside from radio and tv shows, he's written books, one (possibly more) on house plants.. He states, The big problem w/zebra plants is leaf drop. "It's a normal occurrence in their cycle, but disheartening to gardeners. There is NO way to prevent this, but there is a solution. About a month after the flowers fade, when several of the bottom leaves have fallen off, cut the stem back to just above the second lowest node." he also recommends repotting the plant in commercial potting soil (soil of your choice) in a 1" larger pot and continue to pinch the stem back each time it has put on 6 inches of growth until the middle of July. By the following fall the plant will have developed several stems, which means more blossoms than it had when you first bought it. This plant is propagated in spring by rooting stem cuttings. These cutting will be ready to blossoom in Oct and remain until December. Mr. Crockett is one of many authors who advise cutting a Zebra back after flowering, mainly to encourage flowers. I doubt air-layering will work with Zebra plants. Cutting back is difficult, at least it is for me..(S)..I have a 2 yr old Zebra, and though it's lost leaves, it's not what I'd consider bald..but it'd be nice getting it to rebloom. He also suggests starting a fertilizer diet in March..I wish authors named the type of fertilizer to use on Zebras..They don't. Mr. Crockett also states decreasing water during winter months, but once daylight lengthens, and fertilizer is applied, more water is to be given. Do you think you'll try air-layering??? I'd be interested hearing if anyone had ever tried and the results..Toni

My list is big, but one I've tried a couple of times is the common Crucifix Orchid (Epidendrum). Got some from my father and they slowly dwarfed and then disappeared. He had clumps of them growing in the garden. Late last year I got some more from a friend in a warmer climate hoping those may fare better. So far they're still hanging in but staying small (fingers crossed). Another I've tried is Chalice Flower, Solandra maxima. A friend sent me a whole lot of already rooted cuttings. A few rotted straight away and the rest put out some new growth but also rotted over the next few weeks. It's annoying when you know people who have these plants almost as weeds.

2 leggy stems with 4 leaves each sounds a lot like a struggling plant, and the rate of cutting success decreases dramatically as vitality in the parent plant diminishes; so, if you need the cuttings to be successful, you'd be better served to get the plant back on track before you take the cuttings. Out of habit, and because it's the best way to get your plant back on track, I'd depot, bare-root, root prune, repot into an appropriate soil, keep the plant in the shade outdoors and keep the soil damp/moist, never wet/soggy. When the plant back-buds (it will), give the new leaves a chance grow a bit, then cut the plant back and stick the cuttings. Al

Zebra plants tend to do well in moist soil. It looks as if there has been some uneven watering here or the soil is packed in and the plant can't breath. They also resent being repotted. But even so, this one is in pretty bad shape at the moment. Did you let it drain after you submerged it in a bowl? If it continues to decline, you can cut the top off and replant it. New leaves will grow on the bare stem and the cut-off top will root in potting mix or water.