Stromanthe Triostar Division, Propagation by Division

Stromanthe Triostar Division: I’ve had my Stromanthe Triostar for approximately 14 months. In that time, it has grown two new rhizomes as it began to fill out its pot. Wanting to make sure it will have room to continue growing new rhizomes this season, I decide to divide it into two plants to give both sections plenty of room to grow.

The first thing that I did was to gently remove the root ball from the pot. Because my plant was in a ceramic pot and not a nursery pot, this was a little more difficult. I also wanted to protect its roots so the soil was a little damp as well. It took some gentle prodding but by loosening the soil along the rim of the pot, I was able to work the root ball loose without causing any damage.

With the root ball out of the pot, I gently worked apart two sections of the plants. This left one section with three rhizomes and the other section with two rhizomes. Again, I gently pulled the sections apart, careful not to tug too firmly at the roots.

With the new sections separated, I examined both sets of roots to check for any problems like rot (mushy roots) or pests. Thankfully, the roots looked healthy.

I set about repotting both sections. For any of my marantas, I tend to amend potting soil with a lot of perlite, or other mediums, that allow for not only fast drainage, which marantas need, but also for plenty of spaces in the soil for the roots to take in oxygen.

Once repotted, I watered both generously with distilled water. Marantas, and other plants with origins in the rain forest, are often sensitive to minerals in our tap water such as salts, along with things like chlorine (synthetic chlorine/chloromine) and fluoride. Exposure to these minerals usually shows up first on the leaves, burning the edges and tips, though the actual damage begins at the roots.

Watered and happy, my division resulted in me having two plants instead of one. I have a friend who wants one of the plants and I’m happy to share the stromanthe love. I’ll probably hold onto both for a while though, as I want to make sure that the division is successful over time.

If you have any suggestions or questions, leave me a comment! I am always looking for feedback and new ideas.

Until next time, be well and take care!