HELP! DS has snapped the stem of my mystery plant..

[knit1purl1]

... and we don't even know what it is called.

Have uploaded a pic here tinypic.com/view.php?pic=w859uq&s=5 (hope this works). The stem is like a succulent? and grows very tall vertically with the leaves dropping off as a new 'layer' appears at the crown (like a palm) but the leaves themselves are not succulent.

It is a very precious plant to me as it was a wedding present from a close friend who has since died. She didn't tell me the correct name of the plant and I can't find an clues on-line.

I don't know what to do. Can I root the broken stem somehow? Any identification or advice gratefully received.

No idea what it is but try putting the stem i nwater and seeing if roots come.

Thanks, will try that.

Hoping too that someone will be able to name it so further advice can be sought!

here

good news, just plat the stem in gritty compost and it should take root

Excellent. Now this is where I sound v dim:

• what exactly is gritty compost?

• as I presumably don't have any at the mo am I better leaving the stem in water till I get some or taking it out?

• where is gritty compost to be found?

See? Help me once and all I do is ask more questions!

Am just so relieved something may be possible to keep it alive. Thank you.

Leave the Aeonium out for a couple of days so as the broken bit scars. Don't worry as it will not dry out.

Gritty compost has lots of sandy type bits in it and is very free draining - a cactus compost would be good.

Presumably the plant was already in the type of compost needed... if you look at the pics on the website i linked to it shows them in quite rough potting mix, looks almost like pebbles.

You could make some up by mixing regular compost and grit though.

reading that site it looks like the stem left in the pot and the stem broken off will both grow for you so i wouldn't worry too much about the bit he broke off (unless you're keen on having two of it in which case pop it in some compost)

the stem left in the pot should sprout a few buds soon.

That is brilliant. I will definitely try and keep both going as with children like mine it is wise to be prudent.

(More prudent than I was in putting it at reachable height this morning. Yes indeed, he managed to break it after less than one hour. Sigh.)

I know the feeling, ds1 is obsessed with defoliating my plants and the baby thinks compost is cat food so goes to great lengths to transport it from the pots all the way accross to the cats bowls

Add that to 5 cats who variously eat, shit in and knock over my plants it's a wonder i have any still living!

Aye, but still cannot believe that I forgot this fact - and with such an important plant.

Didn't even get cross about it - was on too much of a mission to find out what could be done (DD was astonished, having already put herself in the duck-and-cover position soon as we found out!)

Just keep telling myself they are lovely kids really. They are lovely kids really. They are lovely kids really. They are lovely ki...