Re: Cuttings

Sandy Connerly wrote:

> When you get a plant that sports a variegated branch and you think it
> might be stable, I have heard that sometimes the branch is variegated
> only on one side of the stem.  I have heard that you can take a short
> cutting, slice it in half lengthwise, and root it to keep only the
> variegation in it.  Does anyone know how successful it is to take such
> cuttings. It would seem they would be ripe for diseases entering with
> such a large cut area.

Sandy,

Such a cutting might or might not survive, but mutilating it will decrease
its chances.  A better way is to take the cutting normally, and get it
growing.  The shoots that sprout from eyes on the variegated side will
usually be fully variegated.  You can take usual cuttings from this
subsequent growth the normal way, and they should root normally.  This is a
much safer method than trying to split the original cutting.  It may take a
little more time, but you will not risk losing a unique sport.

John MacGregor
jonivy@earthlink.net
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