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Purple Smoke bush propagation

almosthooked zone5

7 years ago

Not knowing where to ask this question but I have such nice growth on my purple Smoke bush this season and getting too tall for a back drop for my hosta bed. Has anyone ever tried to propagate the cuttings and started new plants. I took several cuttings, trimmed off the bottom leaves and placed them in water. Is this the right procedure?

Featured Answer

frankielynnsie

7 years ago

Check out this site for how to propagate smoke bush--

https://sites.google.com/site/smoketreepropagation/

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Comments (7)

josephines167 z5 ON Canada
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
If any cuttings have a bit of woody stem, I would suggest splitting the bottom with a knife so it's easier for water to be transported all the way to leaf tips quickly. (The same method when preparing lilac blooms for the vase.) If all green, I have had success with placing in damp vermiculite. Roots grow quickly in that medium.

Good luck!

P.S. Forgot to say that it wouldn't hurt to pinch off the uppermost tips of leaf growth to promote branching out.
almosthooked zone5 thanked josephines167 z5 ON Canada
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Thanks for the quick reply! I'm in Minnesota, zone 4a. It is getting full sun all day, and the water comes from an underground irrigation system that sprays from the top of the slope. The boulders I planted it by are soaked when the irrigation cycle is done, but I dont know how much water the plant has actually received. I need to go out there after a sprinkling some day and test it. I'm suspicious that the slope isnt getting as much water as I'd like as the sprinklers may be spraying over it. The other plants on the slope look ok, though. It was planted about six weeks ago, and I transplated it two weeks ago after noticing it looked bad. I havent done a bark test yet. I've given it several good soaks but it hasnt changed it's appearance. Such a bummer! I have a purple smoke bush coming from bare root dormant stage that looks better! :( Does that help?
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almosthooked zone5
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks Jo, I happen to have some vermiculite lest over from my hyertufa projects and wondered that too. I have stared one by heeling in a branch and my friend started some with seeds that fell under her bush. Just a fun thing to do to see if it works or not .
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
it a shrub.. there is a shrub forum ... though no problem asking here ...

the best way to find your answer.. is to use goggle to convert to the latin name.. and then add the word PROPAGATION to the latin name search ...

timing is usually of the essence in rooting HARDWOODS ... some you root on new green growth.. many on older hard growth .. etc ... many you root over winter in dormancy... when there are no leaves to suck the life out of the cutting .... etc ...

ken
almosthooked zone5 thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
almosthooked zone5
Original Author
7 years ago
I was trimming the bush anyway so if they root okay and if not that is okay too. I did check the internet as to timing and that seems to be an essential part of success. I have loads more of the bush I could cut if I did it too soon. I can see the leaves sucking out the life for sure. Just a fun experiment because the leaves are huge this season. If they all grow I have 30 clippings and God knows where I will put them if they live . lol

Faye
napapen
7 years ago
They air layer easily in the ground.
SusanB (Iowa Zone 5a)
7 years ago
I easily start new bushes with root cuttings from volunteers ar base of bush. Easiest way I found

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