Flowering Tree Cuttings - Ask Extension
Hi there,
Our class is trying to make some trees from cuttings I purchased. We've got some buds on some of the sticks but that is it so far, we kn...
Knowledgebase
Flowering Tree Cuttings #811319
Asked September 19, 2022, 9:21 AM EDT
Hi there,
Our class is trying to make some trees from cuttings I purchased. We've got some buds on some of the sticks but that is it so far, we know we're looking for roots to grow. Is there anything special we should feed our tree cuttings besides water. They don't have leaves yet, we are misting them and covering them at night, keeping them hydrated and giving them warmth (70ish degrees) and have lights, window for them.
Mecosta County Michigan
Expert Response
Do you know the name of the tree the cuttings came from?? That information wud be helpful - Thanks!!
These are the cuttings we're trying to grow
Hello,
HERE IS PROPAGATING ROSE OF SHARON BY CUTTINGS
The Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) isn’t a true rose but a type of hibiscus grown throughout the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 8 for its delicate, short-lived flowers, which resemble old-fashioned roses. Cuttings provide the best method of growing new rose-of-Sharon bushes, especially for cultivars such as ‘Jean d’Arc’ and ‘Paeoniflorus’ because they may not produce viable seeds. Although Rose-of-Sharon cuttings root well, they must be taken at the right time of year and kept under the right conditions to successfully grow into mature plants.
Since you received these cuttings from a mail order outlet. It states below that Rose-of-Sharon cuttings need to be potted as soon as possible after they’re cut - this may be the problem. I am also assuming that these cuttings were well preserved in shipment.
Cutting Types
Rose-of-Sharon shrubs grow well from both softwood and hardwood cuttings. Softwood cuttings may be taken in late spring or early summer when the shrub is actively growing. Ideal softwood cuttings will snap when bent, and fresh new leaves at the tip and mature leaves 4 to 6 inches from the tip. Hardwood cuttings may be taken anytime from late fall into early spring when the shrub is dormant with no leaves, leaf buds, or flowers.
Prepare for Success
Rose-of-Sharon cuttings need to be potted as soon as possible after they’re cut, so preparing all your equipment beforehand is key. Fill up a small plastic pot with a moistened mixture of half sand and half sterile potting soil, and keep it nearby while you gather cuttings. If you plan on starting multiple cuttings, make a pot for each one. Clean your knife or scissor blades with rubbing alcohol to kill any bacteria. Also, pour a spoonful of rooting hormone powder into the bottom of a plastic cup, and keep it nearby.
Take the Cutting
Morning is the best time to take Rose-of-Sharon cuttings because that is when the shrub is most hydrated. Locate two or three 4- to 6-inch cuttings that are no thicker than a pencil. Cut each one at a slight angle using your clean, sharp blade. For softwood cuttings, remove all the leaves along the bottom half.
Treat the Cutting
Rooting hormone isn’t strictly necessary for growing Rose-of-Sharon cuttings, but it will help increase the likelihood of successful rooting. Dip the cut end of the stem into the rooting hormone powder, and then tap the stem to knock loose any excess powder. Throw away the rest of the rooting hormone, as it can’t be reused.
Pot the Cutting
One of the most important factors when growing Rose-of-Sharon cuttings is how they are potted. The bottom half of the cutting must be fully buried beneath the surface of the potting mixture, and the cutting must be completely upright. Press the potting mixture firmly around the cutting to hold it in place, and drizzle water around the base to settle the potting mixture and eliminate any air pockets.
Rooting Conditions
Both softwood and hardwood Rose-of-Sharon cuttings need moisture, bright light, and warm temperatures to root successfully. Cover the pots with clear plastic to hold humidity around the cutting, but make sure the plastic doesn’t rest against the cutting because it can cause damage. Bright, indirect light is best for rooting cuttings, so position the pots indoors near a partly shaded window or outdoors in light shade. Temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for rooting, so keep the pots on a propagation heating mat if temperatures are cool.
Cutting Care
Rose-of-Sharon cuttings don’t require much care during rooting, although they need a constant moisture source. Check the potting mixture every other day by poking your finger below the surface. Add water until it’s evenly moist but not sopping wet if it feels dry. Check for roots in four to six weeks by lightly tugging on the base of the cutting to feel if it’s stuck to the potting mixture. Rooting may take several months, depending on the cutting and its growing conditions.
Aftercare Tips
Freshly rooted cuttings must acclimate to outdoor conditions before being transplanted into nursery pots. The best way to slowly acclimate your cutting to lower humidity levels is to cut open the clear plastic and leave it in place for a couple of days. Remove the plastic, and move the Rose-of-Sharon cutting to a lightly shaded location outdoors for a week or so before transplanting it into a pot.
Transplant the Cutting
Rose-of-Sharon bushes transplant well, but they need the right conditions to thrive. First, transplant them into 2-gallon nursery pots filled with potting soil, and grow them for roughly a year before planting them in the garden. Once established, choose a planting location outdoors with southern exposure and fast-draining soil. Full sun is best, but they will tolerate light shade in warmer climates. Space multiple Rose-of-Sharon bushes at least 4 feet apart to accommodate their mature size. Water weekly during their first year in the ground, but allow the soil to dry out in the top 1 to 2 inches between waterings to keep the roots healthy.
HERE IS PROPAGATING CRAPE MYRTLE BY CUTTINGS
Prized for their showy fuchsia flowers and small stature, crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are widely grown as landscaping trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, reveals the Missouri Botanical Garden. They propagate best from softwood tip cuttings taken in spring through midsummer when the tree is actively growing. Crape myrtle cuttings typically root in about four weeks and may be ready for transplant by late summer or early fall. Treat them with rooting hormone and keep them under humid, shaded conditions for optimal performance.
Since you received these cuttings from a mail order outlet, you would likely start with Item 5 - Prepare the Cuttings. I am also assuming that these cuttings were well preserved in shipment.
1. Prepare the Medium
Combine equal measures of milled peat moss and perlite in a bucket. Cover the mix with water and let it soak for one hour or until the peat plumps up. Drain off the water.
2. Fill the Pots
Fill 6-inch-deep pots with the wet peat and perlite mixture. Press the surface to expel the excess liquid. Poke a 3-inch-deep hole in the center of each pot with a pencil.
3. Clean Your Pruners
Clean any dirt or plant matter off your pruning shears with a damp paper towel; then disinfect the tool by wiping down the blades before and after use with a paper towel or clean cloth saturated with isopropyl alcohol. No soaking or rinsing is required.
4. Harvest the Cuttings
In the early morning, when the plant's tissues contain the most water, gather 4- to 6-inch-long cuttings from the tips of healthy crape myrtle branches. Choose cuttings with a diameter of 1/4 to 1/3 inch and plenty of leaves along the stem. Avoid taking cuttings with flowers or buds.
5. Prepare the Cuttings
Use pruning shears to sever each cutting straight across the stem right below a set of leaves and remove 1 inch of growth from the leafy tip. Pull off and discard all the leaves along the bottom half of each cutting.
Tip
If you can't prep the cuttings right away, put them in a clean ziplock bag and store them in the refrigerator till you're ready to continue.
6. Apply Rooting Hormone
Press the severed tip of each crape myrtle cutting into 0.1 percent indolebutyric acid (IBA) rooting hormone powder. Lightly tap the stems to remove any loose powder.
7. Stick the Cuttings
Insert the hormone-coated end of each cutting into its prepared planting hole, pressing it in until its lowest remaining leaves rest just above the surface. Gently firm the peat against the stem.
8. Move Them Outdoors
Place the potted crape myrtle cuttings outdoors in a sheltered, lightly shaded area away from direct sunlight and wind. Cover the top of each pot with a large clear plastic bag to create a humid greenhouse-like environment. Remove the bags at least twice weekly to expose the cuttings to fresh air.
9. Water the Cuttings
Water the crape myrtle cuttings whenever the top inch of the peat feels barely moist. Pour water around the base of the cutting and around the outer edge of the pot to encourage lateral root formation.
10. Mist the Cuttings
Mist the cuttings at least once a day to keep the leaves from wilting or drying out. Spray the tops and undersides of the leaves with a misting bottle until they begin to drip.
11. Check for Roots
Check for roots in about a month by gently tugging on the base of each cutting. If you feel resistance, the cutting has developed roots.
12. Remove the Plastic
Remove the plastic bag after the cuttings root and decrease watering to prevent damage to the new roots; add water only when the top 2 inches of peat feels mostly dry.
13. Transplant and Grow
Transplant the crape myrtles into 6-inch-deep pots filled with potting soil two weeks after they root. Grow them in light shade with 1 inch of water weekly until they put on significant growth.
14. Acclimate and Plant
Gradually acclimate the crape myrtles to full sun for one week before planting them in a sunny bed with well-drained, loamy, mildly acidic soil. Space multiple crape myrtles 15 to 20 feet apart.
Hope this helps
HERE IS PROPAGATING ROSE OF SHARON BY CUTTINGS
The Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) isn’t a true rose but a type of hibiscus grown throughout the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 8 for its delicate, short-lived flowers, which resemble old-fashioned roses. Cuttings provide the best method of growing new rose-of-Sharon bushes, especially for cultivars such as ‘Jean d’Arc’ and ‘Paeoniflorus’ because they may not produce viable seeds. Although Rose-of-Sharon cuttings root well, they must be taken at the right time of year and kept under the right conditions to successfully grow into mature plants.
Since you received these cuttings from a mail order outlet. It states below that Rose-of-Sharon cuttings need to be potted as soon as possible after they’re cut - this may be the problem. I am also assuming that these cuttings were well preserved in shipment.
Cutting Types
Rose-of-Sharon shrubs grow well from both softwood and hardwood cuttings. Softwood cuttings may be taken in late spring or early summer when the shrub is actively growing. Ideal softwood cuttings will snap when bent, and fresh new leaves at the tip and mature leaves 4 to 6 inches from the tip. Hardwood cuttings may be taken anytime from late fall into early spring when the shrub is dormant with no leaves, leaf buds, or flowers.
Prepare for Success
Rose-of-Sharon cuttings need to be potted as soon as possible after they’re cut, so preparing all your equipment beforehand is key. Fill up a small plastic pot with a moistened mixture of half sand and half sterile potting soil, and keep it nearby while you gather cuttings. If you plan on starting multiple cuttings, make a pot for each one. Clean your knife or scissor blades with rubbing alcohol to kill any bacteria. Also, pour a spoonful of rooting hormone powder into the bottom of a plastic cup, and keep it nearby.
Take the Cutting
Morning is the best time to take Rose-of-Sharon cuttings because that is when the shrub is most hydrated. Locate two or three 4- to 6-inch cuttings that are no thicker than a pencil. Cut each one at a slight angle using your clean, sharp blade. For softwood cuttings, remove all the leaves along the bottom half.
Treat the Cutting
Rooting hormone isn’t strictly necessary for growing Rose-of-Sharon cuttings, but it will help increase the likelihood of successful rooting. Dip the cut end of the stem into the rooting hormone powder, and then tap the stem to knock loose any excess powder. Throw away the rest of the rooting hormone, as it can’t be reused.
Pot the Cutting
One of the most important factors when growing Rose-of-Sharon cuttings is how they are potted. The bottom half of the cutting must be fully buried beneath the surface of the potting mixture, and the cutting must be completely upright. Press the potting mixture firmly around the cutting to hold it in place, and drizzle water around the base to settle the potting mixture and eliminate any air pockets.
Rooting Conditions
Both softwood and hardwood Rose-of-Sharon cuttings need moisture, bright light, and warm temperatures to root successfully. Cover the pots with clear plastic to hold humidity around the cutting, but make sure the plastic doesn’t rest against the cutting because it can cause damage. Bright, indirect light is best for rooting cuttings, so position the pots indoors near a partly shaded window or outdoors in light shade. Temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal for rooting, so keep the pots on a propagation heating mat if temperatures are cool.
Cutting Care
Rose-of-Sharon cuttings don’t require much care during rooting, although they need a constant moisture source. Check the potting mixture every other day by poking your finger below the surface. Add water until it’s evenly moist but not sopping wet if it feels dry. Check for roots in four to six weeks by lightly tugging on the base of the cutting to feel if it’s stuck to the potting mixture. Rooting may take several months, depending on the cutting and its growing conditions.
Aftercare Tips
Freshly rooted cuttings must acclimate to outdoor conditions before being transplanted into nursery pots. The best way to slowly acclimate your cutting to lower humidity levels is to cut open the clear plastic and leave it in place for a couple of days. Remove the plastic, and move the Rose-of-Sharon cutting to a lightly shaded location outdoors for a week or so before transplanting it into a pot.
Transplant the Cutting
Rose-of-Sharon bushes transplant well, but they need the right conditions to thrive. First, transplant them into 2-gallon nursery pots filled with potting soil, and grow them for roughly a year before planting them in the garden. Once established, choose a planting location outdoors with southern exposure and fast-draining soil. Full sun is best, but they will tolerate light shade in warmer climates. Space multiple Rose-of-Sharon bushes at least 4 feet apart to accommodate their mature size. Water weekly during their first year in the ground, but allow the soil to dry out in the top 1 to 2 inches between waterings to keep the roots healthy.
HERE IS PROPAGATING CRAPE MYRTLE BY CUTTINGS
Prized for their showy fuchsia flowers and small stature, crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) are widely grown as landscaping trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 9, reveals the Missouri Botanical Garden. They propagate best from softwood tip cuttings taken in spring through midsummer when the tree is actively growing. Crape myrtle cuttings typically root in about four weeks and may be ready for transplant by late summer or early fall. Treat them with rooting hormone and keep them under humid, shaded conditions for optimal performance.
Since you received these cuttings from a mail order outlet, you would likely start with Item 5 - Prepare the Cuttings. I am also assuming that these cuttings were well preserved in shipment.
1. Prepare the Medium
Combine equal measures of milled peat moss and perlite in a bucket. Cover the mix with water and let it soak for one hour or until the peat plumps up. Drain off the water.
2. Fill the Pots
Fill 6-inch-deep pots with the wet peat and perlite mixture. Press the surface to expel the excess liquid. Poke a 3-inch-deep hole in the center of each pot with a pencil.
3. Clean Your Pruners
Clean any dirt or plant matter off your pruning shears with a damp paper towel; then disinfect the tool by wiping down the blades before and after use with a paper towel or clean cloth saturated with isopropyl alcohol. No soaking or rinsing is required.
4. Harvest the Cuttings
In the early morning, when the plant's tissues contain the most water, gather 4- to 6-inch-long cuttings from the tips of healthy crape myrtle branches. Choose cuttings with a diameter of 1/4 to 1/3 inch and plenty of leaves along the stem. Avoid taking cuttings with flowers or buds.
5. Prepare the Cuttings
Use pruning shears to sever each cutting straight across the stem right below a set of leaves and remove 1 inch of growth from the leafy tip. Pull off and discard all the leaves along the bottom half of each cutting.
Tip
If you can't prep the cuttings right away, put them in a clean ziplock bag and store them in the refrigerator till you're ready to continue.
6. Apply Rooting Hormone
Press the severed tip of each crape myrtle cutting into 0.1 percent indolebutyric acid (IBA) rooting hormone powder. Lightly tap the stems to remove any loose powder.
7. Stick the Cuttings
Insert the hormone-coated end of each cutting into its prepared planting hole, pressing it in until its lowest remaining leaves rest just above the surface. Gently firm the peat against the stem.
8. Move Them Outdoors
Place the potted crape myrtle cuttings outdoors in a sheltered, lightly shaded area away from direct sunlight and wind. Cover the top of each pot with a large clear plastic bag to create a humid greenhouse-like environment. Remove the bags at least twice weekly to expose the cuttings to fresh air.
9. Water the Cuttings
Water the crape myrtle cuttings whenever the top inch of the peat feels barely moist. Pour water around the base of the cutting and around the outer edge of the pot to encourage lateral root formation.
10. Mist the Cuttings
Mist the cuttings at least once a day to keep the leaves from wilting or drying out. Spray the tops and undersides of the leaves with a misting bottle until they begin to drip.
11. Check for Roots
Check for roots in about a month by gently tugging on the base of each cutting. If you feel resistance, the cutting has developed roots.
12. Remove the Plastic
Remove the plastic bag after the cuttings root and decrease watering to prevent damage to the new roots; add water only when the top 2 inches of peat feels mostly dry.
13. Transplant and Grow
Transplant the crape myrtles into 6-inch-deep pots filled with potting soil two weeks after they root. Grow them in light shade with 1 inch of water weekly until they put on significant growth.
14. Acclimate and Plant
Gradually acclimate the crape myrtles to full sun for one week before planting them in a sunny bed with well-drained, loamy, mildly acidic soil. Space multiple crape myrtles 15 to 20 feet apart.
Hope this helps
Hello Again,
HERE ARE SOME REFERENCES:
Plant Propagation by Stem Cuttings Instructions for the Home Gardener - North Carolina State University at this link: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/plant-propagation-by-stem-cuttings-instructions-for-the-home-gardener
New Plants From Cuttings (HO-37-W) (HO-37-W) - Purdue University at this link: https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/extpub/new-plants-from-cuttings-text-only/
Propagation by Cuttings at this link: https://www.esf.edu/efb/ettinger/plantprop/Presentations/Stem%20Cutting%20Activity.pdf
HERE ARE SOME REFERENCES:
Plant Propagation by Stem Cuttings Instructions for the Home Gardener - North Carolina State University at this link: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/plant-propagation-by-stem-cuttings-instructions-for-the-home-gardener
New Plants From Cuttings (HO-37-W) (HO-37-W) - Purdue University at this link: https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/extpub/new-plants-from-cuttings-text-only/
Propagation by Cuttings at this link: https://www.esf.edu/efb/ettinger/plantprop/Presentations/Stem%20Cutting%20Activity.pdf
