Hello My name is Peter. I live at the West Coast of Sweden. I have a question about the bush Helwingia japonica. I have bin promised a shoot from this rare bush if I can tell the owner when and how propagation is best. Should I take leaf cuttings or branch cuttings, or should I do it in some other way. When is the best time to take these cuttings, before or after flowering? (I only have access to one plant so it won’t set seed). And last, what is the optimal temperature and soil to propagate the shot in. Peat, Clay, sand etc.?
Hi Peter: I've included two URLs that provide a little information on Helwingia Japonica other than this one below from the UBC. http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=140 The best way to propagate is to take hard wood cuttings, sometime in June, July or August depending on where the plant is currently being grown. You will want either a sand, sponge rock or perhaps sponge rock, perlite and a sand mixed medium to grow the cuttings in after you have dusted or dipped them into a rooting growth hormone to initiate root growth. You will want to take several small cuttings off the one shoot you will be provided with. I strongly suggest you do some research on plant propagation to better learn how you want to deal with the cuttings. Also, you will probably have to have a greenhouse to help you or you will need a grow light in an indoor set up. A mist watering system may also be essential for either growing indoors or in a greenhouse. You should be marginal where you are to grow this plant. Supposedly it is hardy down to -7 degrees. Too bad there isn't more information about the growing aspects of this plant online. I seriously doubt this plant can handle our heat in a Zone 8 so what there is for information online so far to me is rather suspect. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Helwingia+japonica http://www.biologie.uni-ulm.de/systax/dendrologie/helwingia.htm Hopefully someone that knows this plant will chime in as I cannot help much for this particular plant. Jim
Heklwingia help Thank you very much Jim, I need all the help I can get, and a little help is better than no help at all... Peter
propagation The basic requirement for plant propagation is a moist envirnment but not too wet. A small cold frame should do well to progate the cutting of this plant. The cutting should be taken on the growing tip down two to three notches, then clean up the leaves to only three left, then dip in rooting medium. Insert into a tray 1"X1"X2" containing 50%peat & 50% sand. Water once a day. It should root within two months. Try for the next two to three summers on this plant, you may have too many to handle and you will learn the tricks of cutting. Good luck
