are typically underground and are surrounded by plump and layered leaves that provide nutrients to the new plant. Examples of plants that use bulbs are shallots, lilies and tulips. Tubers Tubers develop from either the stem or the root. Stem tubers grow from rhizomes or runners that swell from storing nutrients while root tubers propagate from roots that are modified to store nutrients and get too large and produce a new plant. Examples of stem tubers are potatoes and yams and examples of root tubers are sweet potatoes and dahlias. Corms Corms are solid enlarged underground stems that store nutrients in their fleshy and solid stem tissue and are surrounded by papery leaves. Corms differ from bulbs in that their centers consists of solid tissue while bulbs consist of layered leaves. Examples of plants that use corms are gladiolus and taro. Suckers Also known as root sprouts, suckers are plant stems that arise from buds on the base of the parent plant's stems or roots. Examples of plants that use suckers are apple, elm, and banana trees. Plantlets Plantlets are miniature structures that arise from meristem in leaf margins that eventually develops roots and drop from the leaves they grew on. An example of a plant that uses plantlets is the Bryophyllum daigremontianum (syn. Kalanchoe daigremontianum), which is also known as mother of thousands for its many plantlets. Keikis Keikis are additional offshoots which develop on vegetative stems or flower stalks of several orchids genera. Examples of plants that use keikis are the Phalaenopsis, Epidendrum, and Dendrobium genera of orchids. Apomixis Apomixis is the process of asexual reproduction through seed, in the absence of meiosis and fertilization, generating clonal progeny of maternal origin. Artificial means Vegetative propagation of particular cultivars that have desirable characteristics is very common practice. It is used by farmers and horticulturalists to produce better crops with desirable qualities. The most common methods of artificial vegetative propagation are: Cutting A cutting is a part of the plant, usually a stem or a leaf, is cut off and planted. Adventitious roots grow from cuttings and a new plant eventually develops. Usually those cuttings are treated with hormones before being planted to induce growth. Grafting Grafting involves attaching a scion, or a desired cutting, to the stem of another plant called stock that remains rooted in the ground. Eventually both tissue systems become grafted or integrated and a plant