Witches Broom

[Lynn E]

Large old black pine in the state park where I walk my dogs. It has a witches broom well within my reach.
The needles on the broom are small < 1/2 inch and a deep, glossy green.
The parent tree has needles abt 1& 1/2 inches long and cones are abt. 5 inches long.
The cones on the broom are less than 1/2 inch. I collected a few of them.

I'm going to try to sprout these. Anybody know if they will reflect the broom or the parent tree?
Thanks, Lynn

 

[Adair M]

Most likely the parent tree. That's why most named cultivars are grafted. (Or started as cuttings.)

 

[sdavis]

Please provide photos!

 

[Vance Wood]

This site and others like it have become almost totally photo driven. You no doubt have heard the phrase; a picture is worth a thousand words, this is absolutely true.

 

[Slow Learner]

Most likely the parent tree. That's why most named cultivars are grafted. (Or started as cuttings.)

THIS!

 

[Vance Wood]

THIS!

Did I say something to offend you?? That seems to happen a lot lately. If you are trying to post a picture let someone know and we will help, otherwise; when you ask for opinions that depend on other people's imaginations you are likely to get anything, most of which may be not what you like. Sorry for being frank.

 

[Adair M]

Did I say something to offend you?? That seems to happen a lot lately. If you are trying to post a picture let someone know and we will help, otherwise; when you ask for opinions that depend on other people's imaginations you are likely to get anything, most of which may be not what you like. Sorry for being frank.

I don't think the "THIS" was directed at you, Vance.

I think he was trying to say that he was agreeing with my post stating that witch's brooms don't propogate via seed.

 

[Slow Learner]

I apologize if what I typed was not clear. Adair is correct. I was trying to affirm what you said, that seeds collected from a witches broom would likely have the the dominant traits of the parent tree and not the recessive witches broom. I do not remember offending you in the past.

 

[AlainK]

Most likely the parent tree. That's why most named cultivars are grafted. (Or started as cuttings.)

Right: a lot of J. maples cultivars for instance came from witches brooms. Very often they're weak on their own roots when grown from cuttings, that's another reason why they're grafted (the first reason being of course to maintain the characteristics of the new plant).

If you want to reproduce it, you'll need the tree's owner permission, and skills in grafting...

 

[Vance Wood]

I don't think the "THIS" was directed at you, Vance.

I think he was trying to say that he was agreeing with my post stating that witch's brooms don't propogate via seed.

I agree with that. Most witches Brooms are formed by a virus or some other type of infection and the only way to cultivate it by vegetive means, cuttings, air layers and grafting

 

[Guy Vitale]

Vance, did you ever do anything with that Mugo that had a witches broom you brought to the show a couple weeks ago?

 

[Vance Wood]

Not yet. I have been toying around with just cutting it off. I could try growing a cutting though I have yet to grow a Mugo from a cutting I understand it is possible.

 

[Adair M]

Why don't you make grafts of that foliage onto another Mugo. And grow out all new branches?

 

[Vance Wood]

The forming branches on the Witches Broom are so close together it is impossible to isolate them. The growth on the WB is so dense it is starting to strangle itself out I am afraid.

 

[Guy Vitale]

The forming branches on the Witches Broom are so close together it is impossible to isolate them. The growth on the WB is so dense it is starting to strangle itself out I am afraid.

Yeah, that was crazy dense, never seen so many buds and needles in such a small tight space, I'd be curious if there's anything that could be done with it.

 

[Vance Wood]

I suppose I am going to have to try and do something even if it's wrong.

 

[Salcomine]

Are we talking witches broom like this on a spruce near my house?

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes.

 

[augustine]

One of my fellow club members, very experienced, dealt with the same thing some years ago. He found a witches broom on a VA pine. He then took cuttings and grafted them onto JBP. This tree grew up and he started collecting and growing seeds, some of which have short needles. I have one thickening up in the ground. Needles are not short but it is being grown aggressively with fert and water. We'll see what happens with the needles if and when it ever makes it into a container. The VA pines take forever to thicken up. However, several of my club members have VA pine bonsai and two of them are very nice.

 

[just.wing.it]

Very interesting, I was totally unaware of this.
Thanks all!