Q. How do you propagate Dizygotheca elegantissima and will it branch if the tip is snipped? Nancy Bandusena – Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
A. Well I am sure where you live you can grow the False Aralia (D. elegantissima) as an outdoor landscape plant since you are in a tropical climate but here in the Pacific Northwest we know it as a house or sunroom plant. The False Aralia had a heyday during the Victorian era as a conservatory plant. It has since been used occasionally in indoor landscaping and as a houseplant. Despite being having beautiful light and airy foliage with coppery cast this plant is finicky when it comes to warmth and humidity. Lack of warmth and humidity will cause the lower leaves to drop. This detracts from their inherent beauty. The False Aralia is reluctant to branch even when cut back so it is difficult to force new foliage below. They can be propagated by seeds (if your plant produces any) cuttings, and air layering. So if a plant is getting leggy you could air layer the plants (making a cut part way through the stem, putting rooting powder, wrapping inside the wound and outside with moist sphagnum moss and then wrap with plastic) to shorten up the plant. Once roots have formed you can cut below the layer and replant all the cuttings. Or Take cuttings using BONTONE ROOTING POWDER..