Acalypha Hispida (Cat's tail) getting leggy

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone is growing this plant and perhaps is having the same problem as me. Heavy rains along with fertilizer has just made the cat's tail plant go wild, growing at a very fast rate, and now the stems are starting to lean over, as if overwhelmed by the weight of the leaves and blooms. I bought this plant online over 2 years ago, and for a while it struggled, as it was very small and not too healthy. Now the plant is growing fast, and I would like to take advantage of this and perhaps take some cuttings for propagation. Has anyone ever propagated this plant that way? How difficult is it? I've heard that when it gets older, this plant becomes rather unatractive so I would like to have extra rooted cuttings in case that happens. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Olga

I have propagated Chenilles without any problem. Cut a stem, put it in some potting soil, and place it in a shady place. Make sure that you cut out any blooms, this allows the cutting to spend energy developing new roots.
In order to prevent it from getting to leggy, you can prune it often. The more you do the more branches it grows thus becoming bushier.

I've had mine for 6 years and it's not unattractive at all. I prune it when it gets too tall or when branches get too long. It is an easy not very demanding plant that flowers all year round. I hope this helps.

Val

Val,
Thanks for the great info! I just did some pruning on the plant, and have put the cuttings in dirt.
Olga

What a striking plant! Chenille and Cat's Tail seem to be appropriate names for it.