Styrax Japonicus Hardwood Cuttings

[MaxChavez]

Starting this thread for science! Ha.

But kinda. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of Snowbell propagation out there, so I figured I'd document. Maybe they'll thrive, maybe eventually wither.

Late winter, this 15 foot tall snowbell on our block got hit by a car and cut down by a maintenance crew. After passing the pile of sticks for 3 days, I had a day off and curiosity(and the branch structure and lichen on the small branches) got to me. (Full disclosure, it was a very damp 3 days)

Anyways, I took a bunch of hardwood cuttings. Outside temps were still regularly hitting freezing, but just peeking out of dormancy(March 1st, Seattle, US)
Dipped in rooting gel and planted in 50/50 coir and pumice/8822 fines. Kept in a cool, low light windowsil inside. They pushed new growth in about a week. I covered with an xl ziploc bag with an air vent at the top over the pot. Misted 2x a day for the first 3 weeks.
It's been a little over a month now, growth seems pretty stable, so the bag is gone. As buds emerged, I've been trimming them off to save energy/water. Still misting 1x a day. Putting them out for sun occasionally. I'll probably move to outside after the current storm passes, as leaves on the other neighbor trees are almost caught up now.

Just thought I'd share the experiment.

Any suggestions on when to try and tease them apart? I didn't really have high hopes, so I really packed them in there

 

[penumbra]

I would not mess with them until next year. You are not going to know if you have suceeded for months.

 

[MaxChavez]

I would not mess with them until next year. You are not going to know if you have suceeded for months.

Thanks for the advice. Would you recommend the move to outside? Or possibly return the plastic bag tent to retain humidity?

 

[pandacular]

I'm curious if these things are still holding on. I had a similar attempt at saving a great huge fallen branch from a dogwood I found in Bellevue earlier this year, but didn't manage to keep any leaves on the cuttings.

 

[MaxChavez]

They have dropped several leaves, but I have seen some rooting. I think now I will try a small amount of fertilizer and see if I can encourage a flush of growth. I'll also be moving them outside soon.
This is my first season with propagation, and the results have certainly been mixed. Sorry yours didn't make it! @pandacular

 

[pandacular]

It's okay, I'm pretty new to this and it was a pretty aggresive move to try to save that branch (though I trimmed it down to about 20%).

One of my very first trees is a snowbell, and I'm hoping yours do great!

 

[BrightsideB]

They have dropped several leaves, but I have seen some rooting. I think now I will try a small amount of fertilizer and see if I can encourage a flush of growth. I'll also be moving them outside soon.
This is my first season with propagation, and the results have certainly been mixed. Sorry yours didn't make it! @pandacular

Hope your cuttings do well! I love that specie!

 

[MaxChavez]

Hope your cuttings do well! I love that specie!

Thanks! I love them as well. Also picked up this cool variegated variety to start some air layers on!

 

[MaxChavez]

Small update
The thickest original cutting is still going very strong. Can't wait to see how it keeps developing.

 

[Pugs]

Thanks! I love them as well. Also picked up this cool variegated variety to start some air layers on!View attachment 494285

Is that "Frosted Emerald"?

 

[rusticana]

Starting this thread for science! Ha.

But kinda. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of Snowbell propagation out there, so I figured I'd document. Maybe they'll thrive, maybe eventually wither.

Late winter, this 15 foot tall snowbell on our block got hit by a car and cut down by a maintenance crew. After passing the pile of sticks for 3 days, I had a day off and curiosity(and the branch structure and lichen on the small branches) got to me. (Full disclosure, it was a very damp 3 days)

Anyways, I took a bunch of hardwood cuttings. Outside temps were still regularly hitting freezing, but just peeking out of dormancy(March 1st, Seattle, US)
Dipped in rooting gel and planted in 50/50 coir and pumice/8822 fines. Kept in a cool, low light windowsil inside. They pushed new growth in about a week. I covered with an xl ziploc bag with an air vent at the top over the pot. Misted 2x a day for the first 3 weeks.
It's been a little over a month now, growth seems pretty stable, so the bag is gone. As buds emerged, I've been trimming them off to save energy/water. Still misting 1x a day. Putting them out for sun occasionally. I'll probably move to outside after the current storm passes, as leaves on the other neighbor trees are almost caught up now.

Just thought I'd share the experiment.

Any suggestions on when to try and tease them apart? I didn't really have high hopes, so I really packed them in there

View attachment 557334
Small update
The thickest original cutting is still going very strong. Can't wait to see how it keeps developing.

Their seeds are all over my place. So I've never dreamed of taking cuttings. And lichen all over it as well. Kind of a messy tree. I'll have my work cut out for me soon. Over 2 wheelbarrows full. Heres my forest I started from its many seedlings.

Starting this thread for science! Ha.

But kinda. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of Snowbell propagation out there, so I figured I'd document. Maybe they'll thrive, maybe eventually wither.

Late winter, this 15 foot tall snowbell on our block got hit by a car and cut down by a maintenance crew. After passing the pile of sticks for 3 days, I had a day off and curiosity(and the branch structure and lichen on the small branches) got to me. (Full disclosure, it was a very damp 3 days)

Anyways, I took a bunch of hardwood cuttings. Outside temps were still regularly hitting freezing, but just peeking out of dormancy(March 1st, Seattle, US)
Dipped in rooting gel and planted in 50/50 coir and pumice/8822 fines. Kept in a cool, low light windowsil inside. They pushed new growth in about a week. I covered with an xl ziploc bag with an air vent at the top over the pot. Misted 2x a day for the first 3 weeks.
It's been a little over a month now, growth seems pretty stable, so the bag is gone. As buds emerged, I've been trimming them off to save energy/water. Still misting 1x a day. Putting them out for sun occasionally. I'll probably move to outside after the current storm passes, as leaves on the other neighbor trees are almost caught up now.

Just thought I'd share the experiment.

Any suggestions on when to try and tease them apart? I didn't really have high hopes, so I really packed them in there

Starting this thread for science! Ha.

But kinda. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of Snowbell propagation out there, so I figured I'd document. Maybe they'll thrive, maybe eventually wither.

Late winter, this 15 foot tall snowbell on our block got hit by a car and cut down by a maintenance crew. After passing the pile of sticks for 3 days, I had a day off and curiosity(and the branch structure and lichen on the small branches) got to me. (Full disclosure, it was a very damp 3 days)

Anyways, I took a bunch of hardwood cuttings. Outside temps were still regularly hitting freezing, but just peeking out of dormancy(March 1st, Seattle, US)
Dipped in rooting gel and planted in 50/50 coir and pumice/8822 fines. Kept in a cool, low light windowsil inside. They pushed new growth in about a week. I covered with an xl ziploc bag with an air vent at the top over the pot. Misted 2x a day for the first 3 weeks.
It's been a little over a month now, growth seems pretty stable, so the bag is gone. As buds emerged, I've been trimming them off to save energy/water. Still misting 1x a day. Putting them out for sun occasionally. I'll probably move to outside after the current storm passes, as leaves on the other neighbor trees are almost caught up now.

Just thought I'd share the experiment.

Any suggestions on when to try and tease them apart? I didn't really have high hopes, so I really packed them in there