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Bay Laurel

16 years ago

I have purchased a Bay Laurel tree about a year ago. It is potted, and has been a houseplant since then. About 6 months ago a new shoot has sprouted close to the main trunk, and a new one is visible at this time again (does that mean that I have a female tree?). I am not sure if they are suckers or not, but I donÂt think they do any good to the main tree. Is November a good time to dig these new sprouts up? If it is a good time, how do I do it without stressing the main tree? Can you please advise? The young shoots look too good just to be cut away, and I would like to have them potted and make them nice gifts for the holydays. Thanks

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Comments (4)

georgeinbandonoregon
16 years ago
i believe that this species has a tendency to sucker regardless of sexual orientation but i doubt that you will be able to make divisions by simply removing the suckers as they generally are sprouts directly from the parent trunk without any roots of their own. in other words, they would end up being more like stem cuttings which would require bottom heat and a mist system for successful rooting.
pineresin
16 years ago
Any suckers coming a little away from the trunk will have some roots of their own. They grow easily from dug-up-and-transplanted root sprouts.

Resin
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Embothrium
16 years ago
Digging sprouts coming from roots in a pot could be quite a chore. Then there is the matter of what effect it might have on the parent plant to take out chunks of its roots near the trunk. When getting more plants is the main objective (and large outdoor specimens are not available) probably works much better to take stem cuttings and root them, or even just buy additional small plants for five or ten bucks each. Otherwise, just cut the suckers off at their point of origin, if you don't want them growing up through the branch structure.
snowflake4
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you, thank you everybody. Great thoughts! I think you are right not to bother to dig the suckers up, in order to keep the trunk away from any damage. The new sprouts look good, but not good enough to endanger the parent plant. Thanks again for helping me out to make up my mind.

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