CLERODENDRUM UGANDENSE PRAIN. PROPAGATION, RETARDATION AND POST-PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE AS AN INDOOR POTTED PLANT.

Propagation of C.u. is very easy, but to obtain uniform plants it is necessary to use only terminal cuttings with two nodes, nodal stem cuttings tend to produce thin and too fast growing laterals. 100 % rooting was observed after two weeks.

To be useful as a potted plant growth retardation is necessary and previous experiments (Schüssler, 1987a,c) as well as those we have performed indicate, that it is possible to obtain a desired form and shape of the plants with growth retardants of the uniconazole family or ancymidol. Attempts to avoid or minimize the amounts of chemical growth retardants by utilizing various combinations of temperature fluctuations (DIF, Morning dip) under greenhouse conditions showed that a 30% reduction in height was possible without chemical treatment, but this is not always enough.

C. u. is apparently day- and temperature neutral with regard to floral induction (Schüssler, 1987b) which usually occurs after 6 or 7 leaf-pairs are formed on a shoot.

Post-production performance of the plants varies greatly according to production factors, correctly timed silver thiosulfate treatments are necessary, and the conditions of transport and holding rooms are important for good keeping quality.

Draw-backs for this plant species as a house plant are: unpleasant odors of green parts and high susceptibility towards aphid and white fly attacks.

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