My lovely white Azalea is extending one of its branches into a path.
I want to cut off the branch and try to grow a new plant from it.
Usually I have pretty good luck on this kind of operation.
Wondering if any problems particular to Azalea.
I went on-line to several Azalea sites, but did not see this question addressed.
This is So. Calif coastal.
TIA
I have no experience of Azaleas but a woody branch will often take better if layered rather than by cutting a slip. A number of web sites say it works with azaleas. If you cannot bend it down to the earth or a pot try air layering.
D
Azaleas respond to layering very well.
I once rooted an azalea cutting. The potting medium was a mix of equal parts of peat moss and coarse sand, well moistend. I used a rooting powder.
For a mini-greenhouse, I took an empty liter soda bottle and cut off the top. I then pried off the hard plastic bottom. Turning the bottle upside-down, I put it over the pot.
The cutting did root, but it died when I tried moving it into a larger pot.
I started some clones from cuttings many years ago. I used some rooting hormone and stuck a few cuttings in soil.
The cuttings took, but the plant I have from that is growing very slowly. I had some deer attacks and frost die back but 8-10 years later the plant is less than 12 inches high and it looks pretty bare right now.
It has bloomed, almost every spring, but I think the plant is still struggling to get going. Could be a result of the way I propagated it, or just normal for young Azaleas, or just a result of where it's planted.
The other thing you can do with Azaleas is pin a branch to the ground. Come back in a year or 2 and it will be rooted. I've had a few branches root like that on their own.
Thanks to all for thoughtful advice. From the location of the plant, layering or pinning to ground would be difficult, so I am going to take a chance and just cut off the invading branch and try to root it. Wish me luck!
HB
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.