Alas, the two redbud trees we found in the back yard are destined for the compost bin, because they're right where the garage is supposed to go. We might be able to keep one of them, depending on how the layout goes, but does anyone know how one goes about propating redbud? It would be nice to grow a new one if we can't keep these two.

-- Xeney (garden@xeney.com), March 11, 1999

Answers

Response to Propating western redbud?

Thank you to both of you. And boy am I embarrassed for misspelling "propagate" TWICE.

Beth

-- Xeney (garden@xeney.com), March 13, 1999.

Response to Propating western redbud?

I looked up Western Redbud in Allan's copy of Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, which he (Allan) treats with a reverence more usually used for more spiritual works...

of course, this being Canada, eh, and this a text used by the University of Guelph Landscape Architorture Dept., it lists the tree only as a subspecies of Eastern Redbud (of which, incidentally, we have a lovely young specimen in our embryo garden).

Anyway, sez here under Propagation: "Seeds have hard, impermeable seedcoats and internal dormancy; scarification in concentrated sulfuric acid for 30 minutes followed by 5 to 8 weeks of cool (41 F), moist stratification is recommended..." Ty-D-Bol followed by fridge sessions? P'raps not. "...untreated cuttings taken in June & July rooted 75 to 90% in sand at 72F in about 4 weeks..." Easy enough. Maybe April-May if you are having spring already? Worth a try. "The redbud is a breath of fresh air after a long winter. In my opinion one of our most beautiful native trees." Mine too.

-- Katharine Mills (radix@ican.net), March 11, 1999.

Response to Propating western redbud?

I have propagated Redbuds successfully. I use a commercial grade rooting hormone level one, called Hormodin. Taking cuttings starting in June through the end of the month. Rooting usually takes about 4 weeks and a good 6-8 to get rooted in very well. Take the cuttings between the leaf nodes, carefully scrap off just the outer layer of bark on the bottom 1/2 inch of the cutting.

-- Renee (kat@intrstar.net), March 13, 1999.