My Cyphostemma appears to have smaller leaves this year. Usually they are as big as a beagle's ears. Did you prune recently? Or do I need to wait?
Keith is a great source of info.

Mike

Mike -

I pruned it a couple of weeks ago. Instant buds.

Ask Keith if it is too late yet - but, if you don't like your leaves, take'em off!

;-)

Glad to help spread some knowledge for a change.

It's never too late to prune, just did mine again the other day.

Tom,
Cut those long branches back to the trunk, it will respond positively. Then root them and have 3 more plants. One thing good about Cyphostemma pruning in couple of years you'll never know, no matter how drastic it's done.

Got this in a trade in Aug '07
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Then I tried to soften the corners
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Sept '07
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today
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next year you won't even look like it was pruned.

If you look in the last photo, left hand side. 6yrs ago that Cypho rotted bad. You can't even tell.

Keith -

When should I cut them back to the trunk - can I do it this season again (i.e., now)? That's not asking too much?

Tom,
You still have about 3months of growing left? You keep them in the house during the winter right?

Should be no problem pruning, trunk will be fine as long as you don't mind looking at a stump for a couple of months. Those cutting should root in 2-4wks so you should be good there too.

okay, I am out there with my shears again tomorrow!

Yikes!

I am thrilled about starting a cyphostemma from cuttings. Are these branches ready? or too green? They are dusty from garden dust at the moment. Root hormone and heavy on the perlite to start? Thanks

Mike
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Cut it! Right where attaches to the trunk(easier to root last years growth). Let the cutting dry a day or 2 and place in moist soil in a warm shady location. 2-4 wks you should have a new plant.

I'm going in!

Ditto on the Yikes!

BTW Mike,
Your fat b@st@rd appears to need more direct sun, and are one of the easiest to root.

So, after you let it dry for two days, then put it in moist soil - how frequently should you water after that? Should you let the soil dry between waterings, or keep it evenly moist?

Thanks!

Keep moist, similar to a compost pile. The reason I use compost as an example is a few years ago I pruned my juttae and threw the pieces on the pile. About a month later I saw new growth emerging.

Life is good.
New bud on the parent plant and a tiny bud appearing on the cutting. Plus the change to even more sun agrees with the Cyphostemma.
Moved the cutting to more sun this morning.
This has been a new step for me in my hobby. Thanks guys.
Mike

Mike, Tom,

Have your cuttings rooted or shown new growth?

3 fat b@stard(75%), 2 juttae(30%) and 3 segmentatum(100%) have rooted and putting out new growth

My fat b has new growth on the cutting but I am leery of taking it out to check for roots yet. Is it safe to check? Bad experience repotting a plant once and the roots fell off.

Probably safer just to leave it be. I just get anxious and want to look what's going on. My soil is very loose and just away when I tip the pot on it's side.

This morning I noticed a new bud coming out near the base of the mother plant! Total of four new buds. Cool!

With the successful rooting of segmentatum(%100), fat bast@rd(%100) and juttae(%75) I took cuttings of adenocaule, uter and bainesii this afternoon. Maybe I'll do betiforme and currori too.

Mine has produced a great caudex. It will take temp. down to 20F but I have mine in the ground and two in the green house, the ones in the green house did not do as well.
You gave me the courage to cut mine back now. My oldest ones produce seeds. Thanks, Norma