air layering muntingia and wax jambu any tips?

15 years ago

I recently purchased a Jamaican Strawberry (muntingia calabura), wax jambu (syzygium samarangense), and blackberry jam fruit (randia formosa) from Top Trop. They sent large trees but thanks to USPS, they arrived pretty beat up. Fortunately they have recovered and started to push new growth.

The muntingia and syzygium are actually fairly large trees that for my purposes need to be trimmed. Rather than just trim the branches, I thought about airlayering them. This would allow me duplicates for experiments, trades, or even recouping my initial costs.

Any tips or experience with air layering these trees or airlayering in general?

thanks for your help,

-Ethan

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Comments (15)

macawbirdbreeder
15 years ago
get the dvd from crfg. It is the best one ever
put together for public consumption. I have watched
my copy many times.
ohiojay
15 years ago
When you make the cuts, just make sure there is no cambium layers left between the cuts or it could heal back over. I did one on my longan. I just sprinkled some rooting hormone over the cut area and really wet some spagnum moss. Cover/wrapped the whole thing and sealed it up good. I then covered it in aluminum foil to keep out light. The hardest part is the wait!
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Right about now is the best time to start the air layer process if you're in the desert area in AZ. I'm going to start some more this weekend. Every year I air layer around 4 vines and it varies how many take root (usually depending on how well I cut them). This is basically what I do: The cut is the most important part I've found.. if you cut too deep, the vine will die before it can root, if you don't cut enough, it will just heal and roots will take a lot longer from it (if any form at all). I cut about 1 foot away from the end of the vine on a new growing vine. I cut a diagonal cut into the vine upward and about halfway through the vine is best. Then put a very small piece of wax paper (or grafting tape) in there to keep the sides separated. It's real easy to accidentally bend the vine and break off the cut at this point so you have to be careful (and I have the next part ready to go so I don't have to drop the vine). Then I dip a handful of dried sphagnum moss in water (not milled peat moss, I find that doesn't work as well for some reason), wring it out and then wrap it around the cut portion. I wrap press and seal cling wrap around it (you could use regular cling wrap too), then tie the ends firmly with a piece of string on each. Then wrap a piece of aluminum foil around it. The aluminum foil is pretty important because the plant needs darkness to grow roots. Make sure it covers the whole thing and no light is seeping in the sides. Then just leave it alone until spring.. I usually check them around mid February and you can see roots up against the side of the plastic. Then I just cut it just below the roots and place it in a pot where it grows like crazy over the summer. You could probably just plant them directly into the ground at that point but I like to make sure they have an easy time getting big before they go in the ground. I used to try to water the air layer over the winter, but I find it best to make sure the ends are sealed well with string (and the press and seal wrap makes it easier to seal it).
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popper1
15 years ago
The Muntingia roots pretty easily from cuttings.

David, Fl
eyeckr
15 years ago
I'm actually in the process of airlayering my muntingia in the exact fashion that ohiojay just described above. They do tend to shoot up and grow pretty lanky. Mine has been very prolific and rewarded me with some yummy fruits. I have the rare white fruited variety but would like to add the red one sometime.

I haven't tried airlayering Wax Jambu but find them very easy to root from cuttings. All the cuttings that are at least a centimeter to a half inch in diameter root for me but anything smaller usually just dies off. I've got some going now that are about ready to be moved up into larger pots.
red_sea_me
Original Author
15 years ago
thank you all for the input,

I'll have to try to track down that DVD, CRFG put out some nice stuff. I think I'll try air layering as opposed to cuttings, of late, my luck has been off with cuttings.

Jay how big of a distance between the cuts, small (1cm) or large (1/2") on a branch 1" in dia? Wonder if a larger space (to a point) would relate to more rooting area? How long did you wait for your longan? Did you remoisten the peat at any pont?

Eyeckr, I think the common name for your white muntingia is Panama Cherry? The is a large nursery (fruit destination) named Exotica in San Diego, CA. They have one of the white ones growing right next to a red (on a hillside). Based soley on my observations the white appears more cold tolerant. The red was still recovering from the 06/07 freeze while the white had fruit on it. Maybe in the future we could trade white for red?

thanks again,
-Ethan
red_sea_me
Original Author
15 years ago
figured out my distance question Jay, internet is amazing. Still, how long did it take and did you remoisten the peat?

-Ethan
ohiojay
15 years ago
I did remoisten the peat periodically...since I was being nosy about the progress I thought I might as well perform a useful function. It took a good 3 months and there was really only one nice root, you could see the rest forming around a knot. Got tired of it and went ahead and removed the branch at that point. Took a while for the new plant to get going but it did fine.
Eggo
15 years ago
check out gardenweb's JoeReal's homepage for links. He has a good how-to on airlaying. It is very helpful for anyone trying it out for the first time.

Here is a link that might be useful: joereal member page
ohiojay
15 years ago
Eggo?? Eggo? Is that really you or someone impersonating you?! Did you trip and find an internet connection?!! LOL! Good to see you posting again. As punishment for being gone so long, we'd like some details on how your plants are doing and lots of pics of course.
eyeckr
15 years ago
Red Sea me funny how you mention Exotica nursery since that's where I got mine. Great place to visit and I enjoyed the fruit tasting table. I guess they're the only ones who have the white form available. I thought Panama Cherry, Latires, Jamaican Cherry, Muntingia and Strawberry tree were all interchangeable so I'm not sure. No prob about a trade. Just send me a PM.
I did take a pic of my airlayer set up:

I probably could of used a larger ball of peatmoss but it should be okay. Every now and then I use a syringe and inject more water in the mass to keep it moist.
red_sea_me
Original Author
15 years ago
Eyeckr, I sent you a PM.

Thanks Eggo, I've some mango genetics for you (Lancetilla and Valencia Pride)

Good ole Joe Real, is there any propagation that he can't do?
Eggo
15 years ago
lol, Jay good to see you too! I've just been a little bit occupied but it's good to see how active the forum is. I'll try to get some pics up but nothing new growing here.

thanks Red, I'll PM later this week for a possible trade.
tonylam12000_yahoo_com
14 years ago
HI WHERE DID YOU PURCHASED THE MUNTINGIA CALABURA ? HOW TALL AND PRICE ? THANKS .I LOOKING FOR ONE
red_sea_me
Original Author
14 years ago
hello Tony,
I purchased my tree from Top (spam control) Tropicals in FL. They sent a fruiting size tree.

good luck,
-Ethan
Chrobrego (Orlando 9b)
7 years ago
For the Muntingia, just cut off a branch, trim off the bottom leaves, some rooting hormone, stick in dirt, water. That's it. During the growing season, it will take root quickly and form a beautiful new plant. I've never seen a plant root so quickly from a cutting.

air layering muntingia and wax jambu any tips?

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