I love this tree but have tried to propagate it from cuttings to no avail. Does anyone know how to propagate it? I cut off a branch and new growth is coming out from the cut, it's about a foot long, still juvenille leaves. Will these root?
This was taken last fall, it's grown bigger now.
http://www.anbg.gov.au/PROPGATE/propagat.htm says that it is difficult to root. I know that E. ficifolia can be rooted. The flower color in E. ficifolia is quite variable and the only reliable way to get the true red is to clone red flowering trees. Have you tried with rooting hormone, mist bench, bottom heat, or any of the other techniques used to root difficult subjects? I wonder if it makes a difference to use stems with juvenile foliage or semi-hard cuttings? Good luck with your efforts.
Seed is available and might be your best bet. E. citriodora grows very fast. Mine are about three years old and the tallest is about 12 feet tall. I got them in liners from Ponto in San Diego County Ca. http://www.pontonursery.com/pages/2/index.htm is their availability list. Ponto usually starts growing the E. citriodora about now for late spring and summer delivery. I have purchased a number of them over the years from them. I do not believe they sell mailorder and you buy by the flat. E. Citriodora is available online at several sites. Because eucalyptus grow so fast you have to be careful buying them as they are often very rootbound with roots circling in such a way that the trees never do very well and choke themselves, dying in a few years. E. citriodora is one of the more frost sensitive eucs. It is also subject to several pests in California. But it is a wonderful tree, very statuesque, with beautiful white bark. Some of the best plantings are in the area between Santa Barbara and San Diego, especially along the freeways.
Thanks. I bought this as a rooted cutting about 4 years ago. It grew in a pot for several years(big pot) and lost it's top in a storm. In 2003 we moved to TX and it's been in the ground ever since. It is very tall now, way over my head and the bark is just starting to peel to show the white. I love it. My friend down the road has a nursery, she has a half dozen kinds of eucs, but not a lot of luck rooting them either. I've tried heat mats, mist and used only new growth, haven't tried hardwood.
I needed a few more at my office, so I ordered some seed from J.L.Hudson. They just came today.
http://jlhudsonseeds.com/SeedlistE.htm is where you will find them. I do not think they are that difficult to propagate. You could also collect some seed pods from your present tree and try that.
Calalily,
This is an olde fashion tecnique: take the part you want to stick in soil and cut it at the very bottom in an 'X' formation 1 inch deep. I hope you have longish hair; weave human hair in and out of the 'X' cutting to keep the X open. Dip in rooting harmone and keep in sand. My grandmother used this to do rose bushes and taught my mother and then to me. It really does work!
~* Robin
Susie
Ya want some of my hair????LOL
Hey if it works maybe I'll try it
I am rooting challenged........bigtime
OK, when I cut in the X formation, do I cut the cutting loose from the main plant? or is this like air layering?
Calalilly,
I will be planting E. citriodora seeds tomorrow in your honor, only supposed to take 10 days or so. If this works and the hair doesn't you will have your answer. No special treatment required according to JL Hudson.
I need to check out his catalog. I haven't ordered from him in years. I read about one that has either pink or red bark, it sounded pretty.
I planted a couple of rows of E. citriodora (32 cells). Used the coir, which has great texture. Suppose to be up in a couple of weeks. Did you get your cutting made?
Not yet, haven't had time. I'll do it this weekend.
No sprouts yet on the eucs.
No roots on the cuttings yet either.
Eucs are sprouting. About a third of them so far. Used coir instead of peat moss.
Calalily,
Sorry about not getting back here sooner. I forgot to put a watch on this thread.
when I cut in the X formation, do I cut the cutting loose from the main plant? or is this like air layering?
Thanks Robin, I understand what you mean. We have willows, I've used willow water before, but had forgotten about it.
Eucs are all getting their regular leaves and doing well. I got pretty close to 100 percent germination.
You're doing better than me, my cuttings bit the dust. I think I'm going to JL Hudson and order some seeds!
They are nice people. Ordering is not bad. You just download their form, copy the items over from the catalogue and the rest is pretty easy. Seed came fast and there was plenty. I got a bunch of daturas and other things at the same time.
