I was given a leaf stem by my best friend to grow his favourite plant but his passed away and this plant is not growing, what am I doing wrong? I don't know the name of it. I have also attached a picture of what it look should look like .. please can someone help me.. I can't let this plant die 😢😢😢

Looks like oleander...
While I've rooted limbs by covering them with mulch.... I haven't actually tried rooting severed limbs...

Looking at the first picture, I'm seeing what appears to be new growth... I wouldn't worry about the leaf drop... The large leaves are usually mostly removed or cut in half when propagating cuttings .

@stone .. thank you for your message .. the first picture is all I have .. the second picture is of the plant by best friend grew who has passed away.. what do you think I need to do, so the roots can come out that one stick stem. It's been like that for months. I very new to growing plants .. your advice will be greatly appreciated. Should I be using a different soil or feeding some plant food ?

Thanks in advance

Some plants are slow... and oleander doesn't seem to grow in the winter.
Sometimes there is no replacement for patience.
As long as the stem remains green, I wouldn't give up hope.
Please avoid trying to rush things with fertilizers and soil replacements, and other things guaranteed to do more harm than good..

@stone - now that you have told me the name, I have searched for the plant. do you think I should get a heating mat to help with the growth of the weed ? Or rooting hormone .. I am scared I don't want to kill it .. it's means too much to me ..

Thank you

Welcome, maybe it should of been started in a smaller pot?

@karmahappytoes - do you think I should change the pot now ?

No, don't change the pot and soil now. Oleanders can take months to root but its still green so there's still hope. I too see what looks like a tiny leaf. Stone gave you the best advice, be patient and care for it has you have been.

@DaisyI - thank you 😊

I was going to move it to my living room window where there is direct sunlight ? Do you think this would help?

Also put a plastic cover over it too ?

Warmth would probably help but if its too warm, instead of growing roots, it will grow leaves like a cut flower and then will never root. What will really help is spring.

All my propagation books says hardwood cuttings taken in late summer root easily without any special treatment. But... Is there a leaf node or two under the soil? The usual way of taking cuttings is a stem with at least 3 nodes (more is better), one up and the rest below ground. If there are no leaf nodes, it make not root. No, not a good time to check. It will root or rot so be patient.

@DaisyI - thank you, I will leave it as it is and where it is 😊

I'm going to disagree with DaisyI, I was always taught that you should use a small pot for cuttings. Why, you want them to root in a smaller pot due to they would be lost in a large pot. You want them to start their roots and fill the pot!
The sooner their roots fill the pot the better the plant you will get.

I would normally agree with you but this cutting has been in soil for several months and is starting to grow. A repot at this point would probably kill it.

DaisyI, to leave it in the larger pot could also kill it or take years to become a good plant.

I am even more confused do I change the pot or not ?

Sabz68_LJ said: I am even more confused do I change the pot or not ?

I believe Daisy is correct and I would not change the pot.
The reason one normally starts in a smaller pot has nothing to do with filling the pot with roots - it has everything to do with the amount of water that a large container of compost will hold when there is very little growth happening to draw upon that moisture. This contributes to rotting of the cuttings vs. rooting. I would leave it alone but I would be cautious and water very judiciously.
Established plants love warmth and sunshine and want very good drainage and tolerate moderate drought quite well.

Currently the plant pot is sitting in the kitchen window, should I move it to the pourch where there is more light, or will it die in too much sun ?

Got to tell ya...
I think you are stressing entirely too much over this one cutting.
Please just leave this one alone...
Get other plants....

When I rooted a bay tree... it was a very slow undertaking... Luckily, I have plenty of other faster growing plants to take my mind off the ones that seem to be doing nothing.

@stone - I have a lot more plants that I do care for, but this one means far too much to me, that I would be devastated if I killed it and didn't give it all the care it needed .. thank you

Have you ever heard the expression "loved to death"?
That's what happens when we keep doing stuff to plants that aren't performing as fast as we want...
Is why I keep telling you to exercise patience...