Tea Tree/Melaleuca alternifolia

Hi group,

Anyone have any info or the location of info on how to propagate this herb?

I've tried cuttings in water and cuttings in vermiculite (under plastic). In water they just sit there (it's been 4 weeks of changing the water daily). In moist vermiculite
even under the plastic the cuttings shrivel right up and dry out. All except the tips of the branches are "hardwood" as in brown and coarse.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Chris

could be like erythrina and take months to root in water. add a few drops of bleach to keep the water fresher. If it does root in the water, remember to slowly replace the water with sand, don't just pluck it out and pot it up or it won't make it.

Chris, some sources indicate that propagation of M. alternifolia is more common from seeds, rather than cuttings.

The following cultivation article (see link below) indicates you should use "half-ripe" cuttings (the author recommends taking them in July/August....), so it may be as much matter of timing as patience. Or if seeds are available, you might try that route. Good luck!

http://gardenbed.com/m/2329.cfm

Chris, based upon what I read about the cuttings, I think they must be semi-hardwood cuttings. I would try the same propagation method as is described for azaleas and rhododendrons if it were me. Good Luck! :)

Terri

P.S., J.L. Hudson has seeds, if all else fails!

I don't know much about propagating anything really, but I have heard when you root something in water that you shoud add to rather than replace water. Has anyone else heard this? What is the general rule everyone else follows and what results do you get?