cangkok

Cangkok is a horticultural propagation method used in Indonesia, Malaysia, and other parts of Southeast Asia to clone woody plants. Also known as air layering, it creates roots on a living branch while the shoot remains attached to the parent plant, allowing the new plant to develop an established root system before it is separated.

The typical process involves selecting a healthy, vigorous shoot and preparing a wound or girdle around a section of bark. A rooting medium such as moist moss, peat, coco coir, or a commercial mix is packed around the wounded area and then wrapped with plastic to retain humidity. A rooting hormone may be applied, and the setup is kept in a shaded, humid environment. Over several weeks to months, new roots form within the medium; the layered shoot is then cut below the rooting mass and planted as a new, independent plant.

Variations include cangkok pucuk, which targets tips or young growth, and cangkok batang, which layers a longer stem section. While broadly described as layering, cangkok is distinct from grafting in that the new plant develops roots on the layered portion while still attached to the parent.

Applications include propagation of fruit trees and ornamentals, such as mango, durian, jackfruit, and various shrubs. Cangkok can be advantageous for species that are difficult to root from cuttings and for producing sizeable, true-to-type plants more quickly than seed propagation.

Advantages of cangkok include a relatively high success rate for many species and preservation of cultivar traits. Limitations include its labor-intensive nature, dependence on maintaining moisture and hygiene, and variable success depending on species and season.