Did anyone try this with java ferns?

[bloodlucky]

I went into my room the other day to find my dad peering into my tank with deep thought. Since my java fern is growing roots out of its leaves, my dad thinks it would be a good idea if I clip one of the leaves with the roots growing out of it and attach it to another piece of decor in my other tank. Then he said the leaf would grow into another java fern!

I don't know how accurate this is but I was wondering if this theory is possible, removing a leaf with roots and attaching the roots onto another surface so the leaf would grow into a full plant.

Also my java fern is growing on my driftwood block. Can they grow on rocks too?

 

[hellaasian]

It might work cause some plants are able to grow when u cut them and yes it will grow on rock

 

[Bbarb27]

Most of my java ferns are attached to rocks. It makes it easy to move them around when I want to re-scape the tank

 

[Tetra1990]

Yes, I've done this before. But my experience was with a huge java fern. Not sure how big yours is. I just pinched off the leaf at the base and weighed it down with some gravel(have sand now). It takes time but soon you will see baby plants sprouting off.

 

[Rivercats]

Yes, you can do that. I've actually stuck some really small java ferns with tiny roots in nooks in DW and they will attach and grow. Slowly but steadily. As long as there are a couple little roots you can cut and replant/tie them.

 

[librarygirl]

Usually plantlets will grow from the roots, attached to the mother leaf . At some point the plantlet will remove itself from the mother leaf and become a little plantlet that you can replant and it will grow into another plant. If the root structure is long enough and the plantlets are good size you can carefully remove it on your own but it should remove itself at some point anyway.

 

[bloodlucky]

Can I attach them to rocks too?

 

[Rivercats]

Yes rocks will work, but try not to use super smooth ones, it's hard for even mosses to attach to those roundish smooth stones.

 

[jetajockey]

Just use a dot of superglue gel and it'll stick to most things. And I agree, don't mess with the plantlets until they start to look like little versions of the parent plant. If you want to, you can also cut the main plant into sections, you just need to cut it along the rhizome, and give it at least 3-4 leaves on each section if possible, the more the merrier.

 

[julielover]

Java Fern will grow almost anywhere. Mine grow just as well floating and rooted. They are really ferns and their roots don't need to be in the soil. Little plantlets grow out of the leaves all the time with Java Fern. A leaf that has broken away from the main plant will often start plantlets from various parts of the leaf.