I purchase a hybrid Gomphrena (Pink Zazzle) and would like some tips on propagating it.
The info I have garnered thus far is that I should treat it like a succulent - lots of light, moderate water & fertilizer.
My intention is to put it in a pot outside and place it facing south where it will get 5-8 hours of direct sunlight this time of year, moving it indoors when the temps get below 40.
(Note) I live in Phoenix, Arizona.

My questions are... 1)Should I use a typical cacti/succulent mix to pot it? The container that it is presently in seems to have plenty of perlite and possibly some bark & vermiculite.

2) How can I propagate this wonderful plant? Cuttings? Root in water or soil? Division of tubes or root stock?

These plants are not succulents. They are tender annuals.

I think that Gomphrena (Pink Zazzle) is a hybrid and it may or may not set seeds but I am sure that the seeds would not produce the same plant. These are a newer plant I think they are tissue cultures. I would try propagating it several different ways and maybe one will work.

Good answer, Patti. Here's some more info:

http://www.gpnmag.com/crop-cul...

Patti and Tee, do you think it would root well in a Forsythe pot?
http://www.extension.umn.edu/d...
http://garden.org/ideas/view/g...

Thanks everyone for the tips and links! This is the very first Gomphrena I have ever purchased so more info is welcome.
Since there really is no definitive answer on propagation, can someone tell me what the habits of Gomphrenas are in general? i.e. Is it a spreading plant? If so I can try repotting into bigger pots and propagate by division of root stock. Unless of course this is a short-lived plant!

It's an annual plant. I've never tried propagating it except from seeds. It's so easy to grow that way. This is from a Bing search. The first few pictures that came up are actually mine.

http://www.bing.com/images/sea...

I don't know about the Pink Zazzle hybrid. Someone else may.

woofie said:Patti and Tee, do you think it would root well in a Forsythe pot?
http://www.extension.umn.edu/d...
http://garden.org/ideas/view/g...

I think that would be one of the first things I'd try. That seems to work well on many cuttings and you can make your own version of it with many different types of containers.

Annual plants complete their lifecycle in a single season.
http://www.gardening.cornell.e...

thanks again to SongofJoy, Patti1957 and Woofie for all the info.
I will research starting cuttings in a Forsythe pot and otherwise enjoy it while it lives. Perhaps I will be able to gather some seeds from it when it completes it's cycle and try to plant them - just to see what pops up. If I have any success next year I'll let you all know.
Cheers!

It's a lovely plant; best of luck with making more of them!

All I can find online is "propagate from seeds".

Good luck with planting hybrid seeds! If you plant lots, you should be able to select some that you like. And then you'll have several totally unique individuals.

I hope you'll post back here saying whether your plant set viable seeds or not. I see "one seed at the base of each petal".

BTW, one site recommended soaking the seeds for one day or even two before sowing. And still expect them to take a week or two to germinate at 70F. You can direct sow outdoors after all risk or frost is over, or indoors 6-8 weeks before setting out.

I've not seen this cultivar before, but I really want one now! Since 'Pink Zazzle' was only introduced this year, information about it from gardeners may be sparse at the moment. Since the plant is rather small and there's not a lot to cut from, I wonder if layering would be a safer choice? Opinions?

Also, I don't know what species were used in this cross, but Gomphrena haageana and Gomphrena 'Fireworks' can behave like short-lived perennials where winters are mild. They form an enlarged base that looks kind of like a tuber but I'm guessing is really a caudex ....but I'm not really sure.

As far as seeds, it could be sterile since it seems to be an interspecific cross. If it does set seeds, the resulting plant will likely be variable, as mentioned by Patti and Rick. If you want to collect seeds, wait until the flower turns tans in color and collect the flower head before it shatters. The seeds, if any, will be hidden at the base of the papery coverings. It can be difficult to tell the chaff and the papery-covered seed apart. Here's a pic that shows three seeds (with coverings) of G. globosa:


Now, I must find my own 'Pink Zazzle' !!!

I just discovered this beauty and want more of it. So, I bought a plant and took some cuttings from it. I used some root hormone on some cuttings and none on the other as an experiment. Since I just did this today I will get back to y'all in a few weeks with an update. Good luck to all and keep sharing.

I live in southern California and have gomphrina reseed. They are an annual in some areas, but come back beautifully here in seal beach california.

I live in southern California and have had gomphrina reseed. They are an annual in some areas, but come back beautifully here in seal beach california.