Washington: Symphoricarpos alba, snowberry cuttings

What is the best procedure for rooting snowberry hardwood cuttings for use in a container nursery? Is it true that you can only use first year wood? If not, what can be done to increase the success of older wood for cuttings?

 

In my experience snowberry is a very forgiving plant. I've been surprised to find dried snowberry sticks I used to prop up another plant, spring to life. Also very easy to dig up a piece of root and relocate. If you lived closer to Victoria, BC, I would say come over and get all the snowberry you want from my place. :) That goes for anyone else who wants some. Some people don't like this shrub but I think it's really lovely. It does tend to creep by roots, but it's not too hard to keep it under control. Have a hedge across my front yard and several clumps around the property. Has a nice lacy, light feel to it and I love the variety in the leaf shapes. Bit of fall colour too and, of course, berries for birds.

 

Thank you Akimbo! I would extend the same invitation to you if you lived closer to my place in the Blue Mtns near Walla Walla, WA. I actually was gathering cuttings from our property (about 3000' elevation) to start in containers for a revegetation project. We ended up soaking them in rooting compound for several days before sticking and several are budding out leaves. I will give them a few more weeks before I compare the success of the old wood to the new.

That is so cool that you use snowberry so extensively in your landscape. I also like them very much. The berries are lovely as well (although not edible). Our understory is just too crowded to let any natural tree seeding take place so I am trying to create some open spaces.

 

Have some growing under other trees and others in full sun, but they seem to thrive in part shade. Easy plant to grow. I guess that's why they are so successful. :)
Glad to know there is someone else who likes this plant.