(Here's my second try at this post). I have a split-leaf philo that grows straight up from the pot for about a foot, then does a 90 degree turn and grows parallel with the floor. I have an idea I want to try to control this quickly-becoming unmanageable plant. There are eight leaves and massive arial roots (which I've sort of allowed to go crazy to help with my plan). What I want to try, provided it won't kill the plant, is to coil the arial roots into a larger pot, place a smaller pot in the center (for space), pack soil around the roots to let them grow into "real" roots, then, come late winter, chop the stalk off a couple of nodes below the lowest leaf, and plant the stalk upright (in place of the smaller, empty pot). (Confused yet?) Basically, I need advice as to whether or not such a drastic measure might kill the plant. Also, would the remaining stalk attached to the root ball sprout new life? I have a friend who thinks that even a short section of stalk with a couple of arial roots can be coerced into becoming a new plant.
