A rhizome is a type of underground plant stem that produces roots allowing a plant to spread horizontally across an area. Many different kinds of plants have rhizomes including grasses, succulents, ferns, and some flowering plants.
The benefit for plants that have rhizomes is that they are able to spread themselves out to find and consume nutrients and water from the ground. This does allow some plants to survive in harsh environments where resources can be limited.
Different types of plants that I cover in my blog that grow with rhizomes include:
Plants that grow with rhizomes are able to be easily propagated. To propagate a plant that has started putting out new shoots from its rhizome you simply:
- Clear the plant’s roots and rhizome of soil.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the rhizome of a new shoot that has started growing some roots.
- Place the new cuttings into a new pot with some appropriate potting mixture for the plant.
- Water the new plant and position it where it will get an appropriate amount of sunlight.