Cuttings?

When is the best time to take cuttings to root of abutilon,hibiscus,bougenvillia?They have newer growth on some of them ,some are woody,not sure if I should wait till it's closer to spring

I would say wait until its much warmer. Like May...but that is just a guess.

I'd like to know also.

This message was edited Monday, Jan 28th 10:54 PM

This is from "Making More Plants" by Ken Druse

Aubutilon - softwood, greenwood, or semi-ripewwod cuttings

Bougainvillea - softwood, semi-ripewood (bottom heat), hardwood; or layering

Hibiscus - herbaceous cuttings in late spring to mid-summer; Tender evergreens - semi-ripewood cuttings & layering. Hardy h. syriacus is very easy from hardwood, but may be rooted from semi-ripewood, softwood, and greenwood.

I have been rooting abutilon cuttings all winter, when I prune off the new growth, to keep the plant within bounds. The top 4 inches of growth seem to root the best, any longer they seem to wilt. Many inside plants start to put on their spring growth in February and root very easily then. Also this is the time to start fertilizing plants, they are coming out of the winter douldrums and need a boost.

How are you rooting them?I stink at rooting.....

CC, Cala has given me several abutilon cuttings, even mailed some with no roots. I lightly dusted them with rooting compound and stuck in soil. Give light and water and they did the work themselves. good luck

Abutilon is so easy to root. i took some cuttings in December from the yard and they are callused now. Bottom heat seems to speed them up. I stink with the bouganvilla cuttings, but a friend of mine takes hers in the summer, semi ripe wood. She does her hibiscus at the same time.
I take cuttings from my phlox, veronica, platycodon and hardy hibiscus (and anything else that is up) in the spring when the new growth is about 3 inches high. This seems to make them branch better anyway. I've found that even if it's February when they are poking their heads out of the ground, the cuttings will root. This works for most herbaceous perennials.(dicots only, not monocots)

I also found out that if Cala just looks at your abutilon it will double in size in less than a month. Cala, the one that was in pot with salvia is huge now! maybe tripled since you were here. Potted up the two babies I was trying to bonsai (just kidding) in kitchen so they can catch up.

My abutilon is rooting in water. Found this out by accident. I was trimming my plant one day and just stuck the 4 inch top growth in water, just to see what they would do and in about a month, they had roots, planted them in soil and they are taking off. The second batch I have going now, I stuck two twigs of my corkscrew willow in with them to see if that will speed up the rooting. Just checked them, they have been in water for about 2 wks. and have roots starting to form. The willow trick, must work.

thanks Debby,I think I'll try both ways,Calla,you gotta come up here and LOOK at my plants !!!I need help with all of them.Is it true the variegated one is a virus?

CC, I just read that somewhere, here? I will have to look and see what I can find. I do know that certain tulips have a virus on purpose to make the blooms streaked.

I've heard that about the Rembrant tulips.I have a vareigated abutilon thats pretty big and a vareigated hibiscus thats not very big but I'd like to root some cutting's from them.I wonder if virus is the reason some are hard to propagate?

CC, that could very well be. I will investigate and see what I can find.

CC, if I send you a couple of cuttings from my abutilon megapotamicum (trailing one) would you send me a couple of your variegated one. Dee

YES!!!I didn't know there was a trailing one,thats gotta be cool.What does it look like ?Are the flowers the same?It would have to wait until it gets a little warmer,I have some I am trying to root,some are in water,some are in potting mix with rooting hormone,so far so good,none dead yet!!!

CC, sounds ok to me. I will start some cuttings for you; here is a site so you can see what it looks like, hope it works as I am not to good at this kinda thing:

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Malvaceae/Abutilon_megapotamicum.html

let me know if it didn't work and I will try again. What color flower is your variegated one?? Dee

wow, maybe you'll have some cuttings before the swap too? or maybe in the later spring?

Oh my !!!I love that!Now I can't wait!!!My variegated one,if I remember right is apricot,or pink, I think,they haven't bloomed in a few months,but they have buds now.I know my regular one is red,but I can't remember if the variegated one was a different color....boy I hate blonde moments!!!Or is this a grey moment??LOL,and tiG if she doesent have any then,I share with you.Hope your feeling better.

CC, really doesn't matter what color, just want a variegated one, ya know, gotta have one of everything (at least). Have you seen the 'Yellow Bells'. I have some seeds of this I got from my mother. Hers bloomed up till Christmas, now it is dormant. If you want some let me know. tiG, I will go cut a few more pieces off to root. Ya'll keep your fingers crossed that this works. Never tried it on this before, but the book says it is easy to root. Dee

Dee, Cala sent me unrooted cuttings through the mail. I dipped in rootone and put in the soil. If I can do it, anyone can:)

Has anyone tried to start Hibiscus, and Abutilon in perlite?
That's the white lightweight balls, put about 3" in jar. wet, so that some water shows about 1" in bottom, use rootone, cover with ziplock bag, watch, if starts to get fuzzy, open, let air circulate until it cleans off, most times, it does not do this, but just in case, let a little air in for short periods. I always start my Hibiscus(tropical) all winter, semi-hardwood. Abutilons same way, or in water, bag over jar, plenty of light. I start Bougainvillea in water, semi-green cuttings, waxed paper over top, rubberband, can put plastic over or not.
This for ones in colder climates, who can't start outside until spring.

I think I will try that for the hibiscus. I've not had good luck with them.

Hibiscus,I'm trying more cutting now!Even I can do the water ones!Thanks * hibiscus I e-mailed you but for some reason my server is having trouble sending it.Let me know if you get it.

This message was edited Tuesday, Jan 29th 7:28 AM