Well, yes. If that is what the person you are trading with is requesting. Sometimes people have leaves to trade, other times it's baby plants. You post what you have to trade and what you are looking to get in return, it can be leaves, plants, baby plants, or a mix. Did you go to the plant exchange area of this forum? The weather is just warming up in most places to start sending leaves by mail. That is why trading has been slow. Happy Trading! tish

If you trade leaves do you start them with a rooting powder or something??... I am not ready to trade yet, just trying to learn more :)

No rooting hormone...I've only received Epiphyllums with rooting powder on them. It's not necessary for AVs because I hear they have extraordinary rooting hormones all on their own. You cut a good leaf, then you pack it nicely so it doesn't get damaged and then mail it off! There are other threads in here on how to pack the leaves. There are at least five different ways :-) The way Korina suggested works well! Make sure if they're named to put the names on their individual packages. If not named, maybe a nice photo printout of the plant would be nice to ID it for your tradee.

minibot

I've tried with rooting powder and without and get the same results. I get most leaves to root, I only lose a couple now and then.
tish

A long time ago someone posted about an experiment they did with rooting hormone on AV leaves. The conclusion was that hormone stimulated root development but seemed to retard the sprouting of new plantlets. So, I don't think it is a good idea. The best success with rooting leaves, for me, is to do it under lights and enclosed, somehow. And, the best way to enclose pots is to put them in small pots that are placed on a tray with a large dome that fits the entire tray--i.e. the "10/20 domes". This name refers to standard industry trays that have inside dimensions of 10" x 20". Domes come in two heights--2" and 6-7", and can be found either by mail order or in hydroponic stores. An alternative to domes is to enclose pots in plastic bags or to root leaves in clear "clamshell" containers from the supermarket or deli. But, doing all of the above under lights is better than in windowsills (at least it is for me).

For mailing leaves the biggest mistake is to put them in a plastic bag with a lot of moisture or a wad of wet moss or paper towel around the leaf stem (petiole). The moisture will move from the wet wad and rapidly rot the leaves. A moist bit of moss or towel can be wrapped around the base of the petiole of a leaf, but it must then be wrapped in foil, with the rest of the bag dry. But for a few days in transit, leaves can be sent in ziplock bags without any additional moisture or anything. If they arrive limp, they can be soaked in a bowl of water for a few hours or over night before planting.

Slightly amusing story: Once I was bringing home, via airplane, a very large number of ziplock bags of cuttings, leaves and plants. I packed them to tightly fill a small softsided suitcase--that way they wouldn't shift around and smash into one another. When I arrived the suitcase was about 2/3 full. The various air pressures of the baggage compartment had forced all the air out of all the bags, which were packed with out any additional air in them in the first place. All the bags were like vacuum packed! The plastic was tighly flat against the cuttings. I was concerned, but, found that all the cuttings were just fine. I think the flattening and squeezing out of air actually improved their freshness. So, I don't subscribe to the theory that bags of leaves should be inflated with air.

Jon

Jon, you're right. I read an article in AVM that the particular hormone rooting powder is made of stimulates roots while discouraging axial growth. Good on suckers and crowns, bad on leaves. Besides, AV leaves root so well on their own, why spend the $$?

I send my leaves in a very small ziploc bag (free from a local bead store) with all the air pressed out. Like you said, Jon, it discourages rot, and with no air and no light in the packing, it shouldn't transpire much water. I've never had a complaint.

Well, except for this one time, but it was from Cal. to Texas, and a wrong ZIP made it take over a week... The second box arrived unharmed. :-)

Korina, gettin' the trading itch

HI Trish, how are you? I saw your thread here and wanted to say hi. I have just purchased from bluebird 6 mini av's - they are so adorable and healthy. I also have 1 un-named standard av that is in bloom now -- gorgeous purple frilly flowers. If your interested I can send you a leaf or 2. Let me know, ok?
It's been raining the whole weekend, my garden has grown over the past 24 hours!!!! And I finally cleaned my kitchen.

Maureen