The cause of Rich Green color of Salvia divinorum leaves

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

So I noticed a very consistent and repeatable way I get green color in my leaves. When I take a cutting from one of my mother plants and put it into one of my bubbler systems, a few days later the leaves of the cutting turn a rich dark green healthy color. It happens consistently every time now. I have a 2 ideas of why this happens and not sure which would be correct...

My first theory is that the new environment of almost 100% humidity and constant fresh air being pumped in is the cause. I am sure the plant loves this and thrives in this environment and the green color is just the plant being "healthier."

The second theory is that since there are no roots and the plant has to take in all the nutrients it needs from the leaves, the leaves turn a richer color. The mother plants can take in nutrients from the roots so the leaves aren't as green.


So maybe one of you college kids studying plants and such can tell me if either theory is right... My vote leans towards theory #1.

JARG

[Jupe]

...haha..you in trouble now....google up "nitrogen and photosynthesis".......its all about the Green!!!

Leaves may amp up chlorophyll response(no roots) to pull in both more light and more atmospheric Nitrogen?

don't fertilize cuttings water unless aerated, and even then....man you can grow some greenwater in about 5 minutes.....get any oil on top of that (peanut butter off of fingers even!!!)....its like a fungus party.......nasty

yeah, I'm a pig....eating and working... dropping food into the science project

[carnivorous4pie]

If you want really dark leaves you could add Iron Sulfate or Chelated Iron however I'm not sure of the amounts I added, I think it was like a quarter of a teaspoon. The leaves went very dark in the new growth.

[Plasticman]

would darker growth mean more photosynthesis for the plant?

[Baracs]

Doesn't plants tend to have darker colors when in less light. Not sure, might be a myth but it sounds plausible, less light means it needs more photosynthesis cells to take what it can. Don't know.

[Plasticman]

Actually Baracs, upon further speculation you're right, the darker leaves are in response to less light. JARG, when you transport your cuttings to your bubbler system, does it have considerably less light then before?

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Nope, they are in the same light conditions as they were before....they sit right next to the mother plant...

JARG

[darkshadow]

i think its cause of the fact that the stems are hollow and suck up more water therfore its trying to stimulate itself so it may live

[black8teen]

JARG when you transplant a new plant you also put it in a soda bottle to use for humidity? Does that by itself reflect light causing the conditions to be different?

[JustAnotherRegularGuy]

Not quite sure what you mean. When I put my new clones in the bubbler there is a 2 liter on top for a humidity dome. Then when I transplant them to soil I keep using a 2 liter humidity dome for 1 to 2 weeks slowly taking it off during that period.

The rich green color I notice is a day after I put the new clones into the bubbler system. It is noticeably richer than when I first put them in there. And once the clones start to get a good root system going in the bubbler, the color seems to taper back to what the mother plants look like, even while the new clone has the humidity dome on.

So basically the rich green color is during the period that the clone has no roots and is developing roots. Once it has a good root system the color tapers back off. The humidity dome could be playing a part, but I don;t think it is the only factor. When I take some more clones I will get pictures along the way to add to this post. It's astonishing how green they get.

JARG

[lightbearer]

i dunno jarg. I would like to say that you are right on, but I've experienced similar foliage responses to completely different situations.
I have a soil sally under a 400w mh that is slowly chuggin along though she's good and healthy. Her leaves vary from a lightgreen with a hint of yellow to dark green depending on when she was last watered. I know it's time to water again when soil doesn't stick to my fingers and I can begin to see yellow. Then after a good drink she's back to dark blue green. And there's no wilting so it's not as if she's really dieing from lack of moisture.
Another time I see that dark green is on new leaves. As they come in they are first a deep yellow green then quickly turn lush blue green and slowly return back to that yellow green as they grow. I'm not sure why it does that, but I've noticed on all my new growth.

And to address your two theories :

1. The only indications I've witnessed of stress or health changes due to humidity have been wilting/drooping. Color change has never been observed. Though that's not to say it's not a possible indication, merely I've never seen it happen like that.

2. When you flush weed plants before harvest you replace the nutrient solution with lpain r/o h2o and force the plants to use up stored sugars. This kills most fan leaves and tones down the color of the bud. It is my belief that salvia would exhibit a similar response to no nutrients and use stores (causing foliage variegation and/or death) rather than amping chlorophyll production.

[Hero4Evz]

My guess is since you remove the roots the only way for the plant to produce nutrients is through photosynthesis and thus the plant probably pumps up chlorophyll production creating a very green color. Same would go with lightbearer's situation. When there's more water there's the potential to do more photosynthesis so the plant probably figures it'll make the most of it and kicks up it's chlorophyll count to make the most of this now abundant product. Just a theory though so don't hold me to it.