A grower posted this picture on a different forum. I thought it might be interesting to discuss this; personally I would like to know the answer since I have seen it on other seedlings.

This is a seedling of Vera Cruz Rose. Second year. It is branching at the leaf nodes. What causes this?

I dont know what causes it but I have a few seedlings that have done this. Anyone else have any suggestions?

Hello

I would suggest that this plant is so happily growing that it does not feel like producing inflos. The large internodes indicate too much water and N fertilizer. VCR is a vigorous grower, you can expect the same from its seedlings. I would switch to a high Potassium fertilizer formula to bring cold and stress resistance to the plant.

Luc

Good advice. BUT - why is it branching all by itself?

From Lucs explination it sounds like it is vegative, and feels no need to flower...so it is doing its vegative thing and producing more foliage...is that correct Luc?

We have had this on about a dozen seedlings this year with several looking like small bushes with 6 or 7 sets of branches on plants that are only 10" tall. Most of them are seedlings of Mary Helen Eggenberger. We use very low Nitrogen fertilizers on all our seedlings so it cant be that in our case!

Plumeria2u said:Most of them are seedlings of Mary Helen Eggenberger

Now THAT is intriguing!