Prunus Mume Propagation by Hardwood Cuttings During Early Winter - The Peter Adams Method

[RobertB]

Per Peter Adams book on "The Art of Flowering Bonsai, he says to take 5" cuttings in Autumn (I assume after leaves drop) and store them in a frost free green house, buried in moist sand. He goes on to say to seal the top and allow the callus to form over the winter on the base. I early spring you should check the cuttings for calluses. Dip only the cuttings that have developed calluse in rooting hormone and plant them. Growth should start within a month of so. He also says to discard any cuttings that do not calluse.

Has anyone tried this method? Ive read on this forum that ume is hard to strike from cuttings yet this book says they strike easily. I was thinking about doing this by taking cuttings as soon as leaves drop, storing them in something covered in sand the placing the callused ones (if i get any) in two different mixes 1 - regular bonsai soil, 2 - 100% pearlite. I assume they will also need to be covered and sprayed. Maybe they can just go in full sun without anything. I might try that too but would love if someone could share their experience and lessons learned. Leaves normally start showing on deciduous trees here around mid feb.

 

[RobertB]

Anyone? Bump.

 

[R3x]

I have not but will try this winter. I have few varieties of Prunus Mume - namely Beni Chi Dori (this one is a tree in the garden, rest are small trees in pots or in ground), Alboplena, Rosea Plena, Peggy Clarke, Alphandii (trying to find Omoi No Mama and Pendula) and would like to make some cuttings to grow on their own roots. So this will be helpful. Also planning on buying cutting propagator and try that for these as well as for others (especially barking JBP & Chinese elm and also Itoigawa and Shimpaku).

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Seems like the right method. I have tried summer cuttings, which aren't dead but not very alive either.
I wouldn't seal wounds though, and use sphagnum or inorganics instead of sand.

Wood lice are an issue. Keep them in mind, they will gnaw away your callus.

 

[RobertB]

Anyone else?

Seems like the right method. I have tried summer cuttings, which aren't dead but not very alive either.
I wouldn't seal wounds though, and use sphagnum or inorganics instead of sand.

Wood lice are an issue. Keep them in mind, they will gnaw away your callus.

Happy to hear you have had some success. I hope they make it for you!

 

[discusmike]

Mume is not easy to propagate,give it a try,Peter Adams was no novice so I would take his advice in a heartbeat

 

[0soyoung]

Mume is not easy to propagate,give it a try,Peter Adams was no novice so I would take his advice in a heartbeat

On the other hand, if one really wants to propagate mume, why wouldn't you give Peter Adam's way a try even if he was just a grouchy old BNutter of no repute?

I have read that it often works to dust the cut ends of cuttings before bagging up them with something moist inside a plastic storage bag for a week or two. For this time of year, why not pop the bag(s) into the frig for a few weeks (just like stratifying seeds), then strike them when you've gotten to suitable growing conditions outside?

I've also read claims that one can cauterize the cut ends (ostensibly to prevent desiccation) with a butane torch before refrigerator storage. Then cut off the cauterized rooting end, dust/dip in IBA/NAA before striking them in spring.

Of course, there are also the possibilities of taking cuttings in spring/summer with leaves on them (but I digress).

If one can come up with lots of cuttings (say, 6 per treatment group), a lot can be learned (and even success might be achieved) in one year instead of 10.

Lastly, how long does a cutting need to be? In principle, it seems that a cutting would only need to have one node (bud duo/trio with prunus - got to have those natural auxin sources or it will definitely be a dead stick).

 

[R3x]

I have posted some results regarding rooting Prunus Mume cuttings in aeroponic propagator here: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ume-cutting-good-or-bad.34293/post-691544

 

[Forsoothe!]

I have several different cultivars that I will try this year, not Mume.

 

[R3x]

I have several different cultivars that I will try this year, not Mume.

But cultivars of what species? Prunus Mume is the topic because the common knowledge is that they are pretty hard to root.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Flying Dragon; 'Shaina', 'Bene Hime', and 'Lionshead' Acer palmatum; "Goshiki' Zelkova.

I like this concept. So, I'll give you a more substantial baseline. Ignore me.

 

[bonsai45]

common knowledge is that they are pretty hard to root

totally depends on the cultivar

-I had 80-90% success rate with 1 cultivar

-50% success rate with another cultivar

-and 2/30 cuttings have succeeded with another cultivar

I am trying the Peter Adams methods this fall/spring - I will report back in Summer 2020

 

[R3x]

Flying Dragon; 'Shaina', 'Bene Hime', and 'Lionshead' Acer palmatum; "Goshiki' Zelkova.

I like this concept. So, I'll give you a more substantial baseline. Ignore me.

;-)

 

[R3x]

totally depends on the cultivar

-I had 80-90% success rate with 1 cultivar

-50% success rate with another cultivar

-and 2/30 cuttings have succeeded with another cultivar

I am trying the Peter Adams methods this fall/spring - I will report back in Summer 2020

Interesting. If you read my post I linked you can see that of 2 cultivars and several cuttings only 2 rooted and rest callused in what I'd call almost ideal environment. Do you know the names of the cultivars you mention? I will try this method this winter with all the cultivars I have. Currently I think 6 (Beni-chi-dori, Omoi-no-mama, Alboplena, Alphandii, Rosea Plena and Pendula) but 4 more should be on the way (Fuji-botan-shidare, Quoi-No-Wac, Dawn and unnamed one).

 

[RobertB]

i almost had some luck this year and some definite results to share. i had some winter cuttings make it till mid summer. they callused over and started rooting but wasnt able to handle the heat this year.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Mine failed. But 2 air layers both succeeded even though the spagnum dried out multiple times.
I did those air layers on the ben chi dori cultivar.

 

[R3x]

Today I did several cuttings from 5 or 6 varieties and put them into wet sand for winter. I will let you know about results. I attached picture of callused cuttings from aeroponic propagator in this thread: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/ume-cutting-good-or-bad.34293/post-693080

 

[River's Edge]

Well it works. Generally speaking, I may have made a few adjustments. here are a couple still in the Anderson flat, some have already been moved to their own pots and some were started in smaller containers rather than have to move them more often! Knowing this crowd I thought a picture was in order

And yes they did transfer successfully! However I can testify that new roots on prunus mume snap with little effort. Next round will see all cuttings placed in individual containers when they are struck Strongly suggest small particle size substrate to ease movement and transition. I used small pumice.
These cuttings are "Kobai" cultivar! Overall 50% success rate! Better results with thicker cuttings, my hypothesis is larger energy reserves.

 

[R3x]

All my attempts failed: rooted cuttings died (only had 2 roots each), fresh cuttings didn't callus and callused cuttings didn't root. The problem is the sand I had was to fine - held water, didn't drain so the cuttings were drowned for some time. Will try again this year. Will do some airlayers on Beni chi dori, took some cuttings to aeroponic propagator as well. Will try this method in autumn.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Well it works. Generally speaking, I may have made a few adjustments. here are a couple still in the Anderson flat, some have already been moved to their own pots and some were started in smaller containers rather than have to move them more often! Knowing this crowd I thought a picture was in order

Did you propagate them in 100% pumice with a top dressing of moss? Or did you use moss throughout your media?