Marianne's Response

Dead corn plant has new leaves forming at base of cane

I had a 3 cane corn plant that died in a freeze. I just left it outside in the same pot until I could get a new plant to replace it. I recently looked at it and noticed 3 new heads with leaves at the base of the tallest cane. All the heads at the top of the cane are dead. I dug up some of the soil around the cane to expose the new leaves and wondering what I should do next. Should I cut off the top half of the cane with new growth and repot it? If so, how should I cut it?

Posted by Caroline Kieffer on May 15, 2021

Marianne's Response

Congrats on your Lazarus cane plant - the top must have frozen but the roots are alive. I would cut back the dead trunk to a few inches above where the new growth is. You can try to plant the cut trunk but I doubt it will sprout. Of course you have nothing to lose and good luck with this plant so consider this a challenge and see if you can get the trunk to grow. Enjoy your new plant and Keep Growing, Marianne Binetti