It is possible to propagate redbuds from cuttings, but they don’t take reliably, which is why growers tend to rely on propagating seed when possible instead. It’s best to transplant either in the fall or spring, and you should avoid planting in the winter or summer. Once a seedling is about six inches tall, you can plant it in the ground. Bring them back inside any time the temperature drops below 35☏. Place the containers outside in a spot that receives partial sun, about six hours per day. Sow one germinated seed a quarter-inch deep in each container. To do this, fill a six-inch compostable pot with potting mix. The second you see growth emerging from a seed, plant it. If you see mold, remove the seeds and place them in fresh sand in a clean bag or jar.Īfter about five weeks – though it might take up to 10 weeks – you should start to see growth. Occasionally check to make sure the sand mix is moist and there’s no mold forming. Bury the seeds in the sand, seal, and place the bag or jar in the fridge. Or you can submerge the seeds in nearly boiling water held at 180☏ for about a minute.ĭrain and rinse the seeds carefully if you used acid, or drain and allow the seeds to cool if you prepared them in water.įill a jar or resealable bag with equal parts sand and sphagnum moss and moisten it so it feels like a well-wrung-out sponge. That means wearing protective gear like gloves, eye protection, and a mask. You can often find this at stores sold in the drain cleaner aisle.ĭon’t forget, this is strong, poisonous stuff, so heed all safety precautions on the label. One option at this point is to soak the seeds in sulfuric acid for 30 minutes. Even if you only want to grow one tree, prepare several seeds just to be safe. They’re long and pea-pod shaped, and they should be brown at this point.Ĭollect and lay the pods on a screen or hang them from a piece of string to allow them to air dry.Īfter a few days, remove the seeds from inside the pods. Not feeling daunted? Head out in the fall and look for the seed pods on a mature tree. Then, you need to wait about two months for germination to take place. The seeds, which appear in the fall, need to be dried, scarified, and stratified before planting. In addition to the following methods, it’s possible to propagate these via grafting, but it’s so unreliable and challenging that we don’t recommend it unless you’re already an expert grafter. Redbuds are difficult to propagate and beginners should stick with buying a sapling or seedling at a nursery. Native people like the Alabama, Cherokee, and Delaware used the roots, bark, leaves, seeds, and flowers extensively for food and medicine. However, many cultivars have been bred to do well in full sun or drought conditions. In the wild, they tend to grow in the understory beneath larger trees, and as such, they prefer partial shade or partial sun and moist soil. canadensis cultivar named Zig Zag® that has exaggerated zig-zagging. The branches have a slight zig-zagging growth pattern along the internodes, and there is one C. These small trees form masses of pink, mauve, magenta, or red flowers in the early spring before the purple-to-green heart-shaped foliage leafs out.įlowers form on older wood on the trunk and stems rather than new growth, which is known as cauliflory.Īfter the flowers fade, seed pods begin to form and mature over the summer, though some cultivars are sterile so they won’t produce any fruit pods. chinensis), are cultivated all over the US in Zones 4 to 9. These, and species from Europe and Asia such as Judas tree ( C. The western redbud isn’t as hardy as the eastern species and can only be grown as far north as Zone 6. occidentalis growing in the wild, where it is native.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |