Search results for "Propagate white oak"
http://www.google.com/search?q=propagatew+white+oak&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=OAV&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&ei=UP-UTs2HB6qbiAKah6hN&ved=0CBcQvwUoAQ&q=propagate+white+oak&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=a0af293b98df815e&biw=1095&bih=600

Search results for "propagate tulip tree"
http://www.google.com/search?q=propagate+tulip+tree&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Here is a link that might be useful: propagate tulip tree

1. What is a "cherry willow". I am unaware of a tree with such a common-name. I see three or four mentions on Google, but they appear to be from suspect sources. Could just be an uncommon common-name, but it might help to have a proper ID.

2. Cuttings are an extremely widely used method for propagation, BUT it depends on the plant involved. Some trees can't be grown from cuttings or are much easier propagated by other methods. A quick google search, using the correct scientific name and the word propagation, will usually turn up lots of information on any particular species.

3. "Supposedly, normal trees don't branch out lateral limbs much at the bottom."
Not sure what you mean by that. Most trees have lower branches until they are either pruned away or shaded out. Maybe a picture would shed more light on what you are talking about.

Brandon, I believe that weeping cherries are sometimes regionally referred to as 'Cherry Willow'. I've also seen it used in those Sunday paper inserts and other catalog sources.

Thank you all for the info and replies.

Brandon, here is the image I saw on catalog I WAS attracted to and bought the plant. However, what I have had is nothing like this
{{gwi:464356}}

What I meant by "Supposedly, normal trees don't branch out lateral limbs much at the bottom" is almost any tree is sort of pushing itself up as it grows. The main leader is not having too many branches at the bottom, as you see this cherry willow/weeping cherry tree in the picture, or any other trees. Mine is branching out everywhere that I have to cut them each season, unlike pine, oak, or maple trees in my yard. I never need to cut pine, oak, or maple tree branches to make them look like a tree. When they grow taller and bigger, the branches grow mainly at the top like a lollipop. The branches of my weeping cherry are spreading widely at the bottom, as well as everywhere else.

Perhaps, only "weeping" varieties of tree are lime this?

How tall was this tree when you got it, and what was the source.......IOW internet, box store, independent. It would explain some things. I'm also assuming it's a weeping cherry.

If we make the assumption that you have some type of weeping cherry.....

Many weeping cherries are made from weeping scions grafted onto standards (in this case the word standard refers to a tall stem). If your cutting is from the weeping part of such a tree, it is not going to look like the parent tree unless it is either grafted onto a standard or trained. It sounds like you may have "half of a tree".

Yes, my weeping cherry does look like "half of a tree." I got it from online store. I don't remember what's the website. Mine is about 3 and a half years old counting from the date I planted it. When I got it, the Y shape measured about 5-6 inch tall. Mine also branches out at the crown a big time. The branches look like a spider with all the legs spread out

I thought that grafting is a method of combining two variations of plants, such as 2 different kinds of apple growing on the same tree. How do you graft to propagate?

Grafted trees have one type of plant growing on a different kind of rootstock. Weeping plants are often propagated like this. There isn't actually any other way for some plants to grow, as they do not naturally root well, or come true from seed.

Since the rootstock is alive and growing, it sometimes sends up "suckers," sprouts of the rootstock plant, not the desirable plant grafted onto it. For example, my contorted filbert shrub and my Hamamelis 'Diane' both send up shoots from the rootstock every year that I have to cut or tear off. It's very annoying!

My suspicion is that yours may be sprouting from the rootstock as well as from the stem. As long as it IS growing at the top, I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Karin L

"I thought that grafting is a method of combining two variations of plants, such as 2 different kinds of apple growing on the same tree. How do you graft to propagate?"

Many trees are grafted. Almost all fruit and nut trees, grown to produce a crop, are grafted. Also, many tree cultivars (named cultivated "varieties") are reproduced using grafting. Grafting can be done to add multiple cultivars onto one tree (topworking, etc), but the more common form of grafting is where a scion is attached to the rootstock at just above ground level, usually when both are small.

In the case mentioned above, the standard is used to provide height so that the weeping cherry looks like a tree instead of a shrub or groundcover. A seedling or stooled/layered rootstock is used as the rootstock and trunk, and then the weeping cultivar is grafted onto the top of the trunk at the height desired for best aesthetics.

"My suspicion is that yours may be sprouting from the rootstock as well as from the stem."

Like I said earlier, we really need a picture. If a substantial part of the growth is coming from below a graft, then that's one thing, but, from the original description, I had pictured a plant growing more unruly and "branch(ing) out everywhere from the top to the very bottom." If the latter is the case, it sounds likely that the tree was grown from a cutting taken from the scion (weeping part of the tree) and not grafted at all. But,again, it's all guesses at this point.

As you can see the "main leader" is slanted on the left corner (one of the v or y shape when I got this plant)
{{gwi:464357}}

{{gwi:464358}}

All the branches coming out from the rootstock like a firecracker bursting out. I am glad I have not cut them, so I can show those crazy branches to you

Thanks

Karin and Brandon, thanks for explaining how grafting is done to weeping cherry trees. I understand now the concept of weeping cherry top with the tree form trunk at bottom. However, wouldn't it be hard to graft a very short scions? I assume that mine was not grafted, or how can it be cheap to buy a 5-6" tall weeping cherry tree seedling what was grafted?

In the picture, it looks like the main trunk is growing almost horizontally. I also notice that there is no sign of a root flare. If the tree is grafted, you should be able to see the graft union (bulge) unless it's buried. Those suckers do appear to be root suckers (maybe from a rootstock). I can't really tell much more from the photo. I would recommend keeping the suckers removed. Leaving the suckers until they get large like that may encourage more suckers to grow once you remove the larger ones. Yanking theme off as soon as they are large enough to get ahold of is probably the best practice.

Either buy a plant from a reputable nursery, or you've got a lifelong job, from my personal experiences..... LOL

Yes, it seems to have been a poorly selected plant. It maybe could have been corrected with careful initial planting, removal of one leader, and rigorous removal of early suckers, but with the v/y shape you did have a challenging task.

Now you do have a major problem there, and I think my inclination would be to just get rid of the plant and start with a new one. There is no reason why a single plant should be a "lifelong" job for you. Dig it up, discard it. Alternatively, you could dig it up totally, see what is rootstock and what is grafted on, cut what is growing from the rootstock, cut off one trunk, and replant with the best leader heading upwards, and keep it tied straight until it is the height you want. This is the perfect time of year to do that. But honestly, I would say it is not worth it, not for that plant. It's common enough to easily replace if you really want one.

I've bought my suckering shrubs from reputable nurseries; some plants just do that. Suckering is always annoying, and only some plants are worth the hassle. But if the main plant does not even grow upward, no plant is worth the trouble.

Karin L