Pyracantha Initial Root Work

[milehigh_7]

I have a real basic question. I just picked up some 5gal dwarf pyracantha coccinea.How much initial root reduction can I do? Can they be bare rooted?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

My pyracantha fills the pot each year, so I suspect you can get away with pretty drastic reduction without any problem. I do bare-root mine.

 

[milehigh_7]

Good enough for me

 

[Smoke]

I bare root mine also. Pyracantha grow roots like elms. Fast and long. Very fleshy and fat. They may even grow from root cuttings though I have never tried. One caveat though, they can be reduced quite severly buy be careful removing entire rootages that are ugly. Trace lifelines and make sure they serve small portions of the trunk. Removal of a wrong root can cause a portion of the trunk or entire branches to die. If a long unsightly root is to be removed, cut a notch half way through the root and remove it the next year. The root will look for nourishment elsewhere and not depend on the root allowing removal later. I do this on pyracantha as well as elms.

 

[milehigh_7]

Thanks Al!

 

[Eric Group]

I have a real basic question. I just picked up some 5gal dwarf pyracantha coccinea.How much initial root reduction can I do? Can they be bare rooted?

If it is in a 5 gallon can now, you should be able to saw the bottom 50-60%+ of the rootball off without problem.

I don't know if pyracantha grow easily from root cuttings either, but I did this with Crepe Myrtle and a Japanese Quince last year, and dropped the bottom part of the root mass I sawed off into a dirt pile next to my compost where I pile up old Potting soil... Both sprouted dozens of baby trees within a couple weeks! So, if you want to find out if they will pop from root cuttings- go ahead and try something simple like that...

 

[Bunjeh]

I have one that gets pot bound annually. I cut back 1/3 each time I repot and nearly half when I first took it from the original container. I think you could run over it with a semi and it would still come back.