Runner Plants
Runner plant is a sub aerial modification of the stem. Sub-aerial means some part of this modification is in air while some part is in contact with soil. There are generally 4 sub aerial modifications of the stem namely, Runners, Suckers, Stolons and Offsets.
In runner, the lower branch of the plant bends and comes in contact with soil. The node present in that branch produces adventitious roots and new plants are formed. They grow just above the surface of the soil. This process of forming runner Plants is explained by the picture below:
Sometimes, Runners are correlated with Stolons. However, There is a difference. Stolons are also sub aerial modification of stem in which lower branches of the plant grow in air for some period of time, later they also get curved and the branch goes inside the soil (Runners branch doesn’t penetrate the soil, they just come in contact with soil and forms roots), producing roots and new plants grow from there. Some examples of Stolons are mints and jasmine.
Another difference between runner plants and stolon plants is that, The runner doesn’t have photosynthesis and is dependent upon the mother plant while Stolons have photosynthetic ability. In this article, we will be learning about the examples Of Runner Plants in detail.
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Examples Of Runner Plants
1. Oxalis
Oxalis is a genus containing about 550 species of flowering plants. They are small in size. They are considered agricultural weeds as they compete with crops for nutrients, space and water. They produce runner plants and spread quickly.
2. Strawberry
Strawberries can be taken as the best example of a runner plant. It is one of the most beloved fruits in the world. They prefer low temperature for vegetative growth and slightly warm temperature for flower initiation and fruiting. The strawberry is propagated using runners. Runners are formed in a one year old plant. Early formed runners are vigorous, have a good root system and are more productive.
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3. Doob Grass
Doob Grass also known as Cynodon dactylon is a famous lawn grass. There are different types of cynodon, some are prickly in nature while some have cushion-like effects. They are the best examples of runner plants. When they are planted to a particular spot, they spread and cover the whole ground. They are grown in gardens and used as a land cover.
4. Peppermint
Peppermint is generally used as a flavouring agent. They are small and generally grow at the shore of freshwater rivers. They have small dark green foliage. They also propagate using runners. When you plant a peppermint in your home, then – it doesn’t require much care as it spreads Pretty fast covering the surrounding area within no time. You must maintain the regular water flow for better results.
5. Spider Grass
Spider plant is a small Indoor plant which also produces runners. They are generally kept in hanging baskets but they perform better when sown on ground.
6. Bugleweed
Bugleweed is also grown by runners. They spread Pretty fast and cover the ground. They can get out of control if they aren’t managed or pruned.
Conclusion
Thus, These are the 6 best examples of runner plants. The main concept is that, it is modification which is used by plants for propagation. It can also be called as stolon. There are similar other modification that are used in propagation. Hope, this article cleared your confusion. If you have any questions, you can also ask us from our contact us page. We will reply within 24 hrs.
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