Red Tiger Lotus Plant

[katt-ja]

Hi,

sorry this isn't about discus, but i was moving my 5 inch tall tiger lotus plant and accidently detached the bulb from the plant, does anyone know if that will make the plant die? :confused: i hope not because i've waited or it to grow since it was just the bulb itself.

[scolley]

In all likelihood your lotus will grow new leaves. I've done the same thing many times. They are indeed fragile.

Leave the bulb where it is, don't disturb the roots, and you'll probably be fine. Though it may take a month or three.

[katt-ja]

so the main plant wont die??? :)

i hope it doesn't. it looks so great.
will the bulb start sprouting on it own again into a second plant?

[scolley]

I'm sorry Katt. I misunderstood. I assumed when you said "plant" that got detached that you were referring to a single leaf being detached from the bulb. But it sounds like you are describing a bulb that is an offshoot from the main bulb. I'm sorry, I misunderstood.

And I'm afraid, in that situation, I do not know what conditions must be present for those to produce shoots. But I do know that I pulled up my own lotus plants once, and then found a number of those smaller offshoots that had aparently been propigated from the main plant (that I pulled up). I'd never noticed them because they were in the substrate and had no leave.

I had a batch of plants going to Al, and wouldn't you know it? Those little bulbs sprouted leaves beautifully after a few weeks in Al's tanks! So you might be in luck.

[katt-ja]

no it's not an offshoot. it's the ONE bulb that the plant was attached to. i pulled it off by accident. i'm wondering if that would kill the plant?

[susantroy1]

Katt,

IMHO, no; the plant is not dead...;) the bulb contains all it needs to resupply the new leafs, I had one where I was cutting 6-10 leafs almost weekly or it would block out all the light by the plant(which is essentially what you are talking about). It got so big in fact that I propagated it into 3 separate plants and they all did well. I'd throw a plant tab under the bulb for good growth and it will be fine.

All The Best

Troy

[katt-ja]

so the bulb is going to grow into another plant?

[susantroy1]

Yea, its kinda like a tulip bulb all the energy is in the bulb it will sprout another stem within a few days to a week or so. If it does not after a month or so toss it out and get another, as they are very inexpensive.

All The Best

Troy

[April]

once it uses its nutrition..it has a full root supply of its own and breaks away. maybe it was done with the bulb . see how it goes.