# Unusual growth - Growth on a stick



## SFLguy (Feb 16, 2016)

I know this plant is exhibiting some unusual growth, I just don't know what to do about it or what caused it, any ideas?







Besides this, it seems to be healthy, no signs of bugs, infections, or rot. It is also sending up a flower now so I'm only assuming it's happy (instead of it being a stress induced flower)


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## PaphMadMan (Feb 16, 2016)

This isn't terribly unusual with Barbara section plants. Inconvenient but not serious. You may hear many possible causes, some of them contradictory - genetic predisposition (certainly a part), bad media, over-fertilization, too warm, low light, high light, too wet, high humidity, crowding, hormones/vitamins. That last one is the easiest to change if it applies, kelp products most commonly. Otherwise, if other plants are doing well I'd wait and see what this does in the next growth cycle before making changes.


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## SFLguy (Feb 16, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> This isn't terribly unusual with Barbara section plants. Inconvenient but not serious. You may hear many possible causes, some of them contradictory - genetic predisposition (certainly a part), bad media, over-fertilization, too warm, low light, high light, too wet, high humidity, crowding, hormones/vitamins. That last one is the easiest to change if it applies, kelp products most commonly. Otherwise, if other plants are doing well I'd wait and see what this does in the next growth cycle before making changes.



Thanks for the advice. I'm mostly worried about it only growing new fans from up there


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## Ozpaph (Feb 16, 2016)

If it starts a growth half way up - repot so the new growth is at the correct media level height


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## SFLguy (Feb 16, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> If it starts a growth half way up - repot so the new growth is at the correct media level height


So I snip it off?


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## PaphMadMan (Feb 16, 2016)

SFLguy said:


> So I snip it off?



No, but you will need to pot it deeper with each growth if it continues this pattern on later growths. You may see the next growth come from near the base or half-way up the beanstalk. Alternatively, some people have managed to air layer growths like this, and remove it after it has roots.


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## SFLguy (Feb 16, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> No, but you will need to pot it deeper with each growth if it continues this pattern on later growths. You may see the next growth come from near the base or half-way up the beanstalk. Alternatively, some people have managed to air layer growths like this, and remove it after it has roots.


So what do I do with the older fan? Plant it under ground? I've heard good things about air layering, I'll have to read up some more on it


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## abax (Feb 16, 2016)

Air layering is quite easy to do and most of the time is very
successful. You make a small slit at a node just
under the goofy growth, place a toothpick through the slit,
wrap the whole shebang with sphagnum, wrap Saran Wrap
around the sphag. and tie off both ends. Leave a bit of
space at the top of the wrap to keep the sphag. moist.
When you spot new roots about one to two inches long,
detach the plant and pot up. The plant does all the work.


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## PaphMadMan (Feb 17, 2016)

SFLguy said:


> So what do I do with the older fan? Plant it under ground? I've heard good things about air layering, I'll have to read up some more on it



Try the air layering if it interests you, certainly. But at this point I would wait and see what it does next. If the next growth comes from near the base you may not need to do anything. You'll have to get creative or drastic some only if the new growth starts well up in the air.


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## SlipperKing (Feb 17, 2016)

Did you buy the plant this way or you grew it?


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## SFLguy (Feb 17, 2016)

abax said:


> Air layering is quite easy to do and most of the time is very
> successful. You make a small slit at a node just
> under the goofy growth, place a toothpick through the slit,
> wrap the whole shebang with sphagnum, wrap Saran Wrap
> ...


Thanks for the info!


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## SFLguy (Feb 17, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> Try the air layering if it interests you, certainly. But at this point I would wait and see what it does next. If the next growth comes from near the base you may not need to do anything. You'll have to get creative or drastic some only if the new growth starts well up in the air.


Yeah, if it starts from the base, everything's fine, it'll be fun if it doesn't


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## SFLguy (Feb 17, 2016)

SlipperKing said:


> Did you buy the plant this way or you grew it?


I grew it that way. It came with just the old growth in bloom


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