Propagating Erythrina Bidwilli

I've successfully rooted 3 or 4 of these after about 400 tries.

I've tried air-layering, weighing limbs down with a brick after scraping off bark and covering with Rooton. The ones that have been successful were just cuttings stuck in a pot of potting soil and left in the greenhouse over the winter with fairly regular watering. 95% of those were not successful.

Anybody know how to do it? I've got several people waiting in line for them.

Thanks.

Kay

Congratulations, I have tried dozens of cuttings with every imaginable method and had no luck at all.

I have never grown bidwillii. I had small E. Crista-Galli seedlings
that had stretched, not enough sun. I cut the tops off, about 6 inch cuttings, placed
them in a cup of water and had roots in a week or two. I
don't know if other Erythrinias can be rooted in this manner but worth trying? Since these were young seedlings, the growth would have been soft, not hardwood.

Jackie

Well, heck, Jackie....I've sure got nothing to lose by trying it. These darn things are sterile, so cuttings are the only possiblity for new plants.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll let you know if it works.

Out of curiosity, what time of year did you do yours? I'm afraid the fall might not be ideal, but they will die back soon, so I'm gonna give it a go anyway.

Kay

Kay, this was in early summer, probably June. They were lanky
and when I cut them and placed in a cup of water, didn't expect
anything to happen. What a shock. Roots in no time.
Let us know how it turns out. Edited to add that if this doesn't work,
wait until new growth in the spring to early summer, and take
soft wood cuttings and try again.

Jackie

This message was edited Oct 26, 2005 12:08 PM

Hey Jackie! I did the evil deed today. 'Had lots of green shoots to play with. If this doesn't do it, I'll give it another shot in the spring. Sometimes we try to hard to do things.

I've had the cristi-galli for years and done cuttings from it in soil successfully. 'Never even thought of rooting in water.

Thanks again for the suggestion. I'll let you know if it works.

Kay