Adventures in Airlayering a Pyracantha coccinea

[Zerobear]

On March 1, 2022, I began two air layerings on a mature (15-20 year old) Pyracantha coccinea in our front yard. The first photo shows the location of the two layerings. After that, the photos show the smaller diameter layering progression, followed by the larger diameter piece.



The lower layering was a limb about 1 inch in diameter and the higher layering on a main trunk, with a diameter of mybe 2.5 inches. The smaller limb was layered with chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch) pine bark, wrapped in plastic wrap and taped with electrician's tape.





The larger diameter piece was layered in chopped Spangum moss, wrapped in a clear plastic bag whic was secured with zip ties.





Evidently I began my air layering project on national airlayering day. because the results for both attempts yielded excellent results. Today (5/10/2022), I removed the layerings, trimmed the stubs and potted the two cuttings. I left the larger diameter piece in the moss when I potted it.

 

[Zerobear]

I washed away the pine mulch from the smaller diameter trunk and trimmed the stub to get the fit I wanted in the pot.

 

[BrianBay9]

Nice job! Don't want to denigrate your airlayer skills, but it's hard to fail using pyracantha. Great place to start. Go back and find some other spots to air layer. It's tough to find spots on the mother tree that have significant taper, but that's what you need. Perhaps look for spots at the base of branch splits.

 

[Zerobear]

Nice job! Don't want to denigrate your airlayer skills, but it's hard to fail using pyracantha. Great place to start. Go back and find some other spots to air layer. It's tough to find spots on the mother tree that have significant taper, but that's what you need. Perhaps look for spots at the base of branch splits.

Yes. I knew it would be easy, which (as a relatively new bonsai hobbiest) is why I did it. Now that I have two air layers to add to the two other smaller plants I have, I'll probaly turn to other things. I am space limited and reluctant to end up with 7 or 8 pyracantha trees.

These efforts are relatively one sided, because the mother bush was growing against a brick wall. My efforts will now go toward working on shape and making th best out of what I have.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Very quick - I haven't started yet this year!

The smaller one - I've rooted pyracantha cuttings that big - so zero surprise that the airlayer worked.

2012
DSC08714 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

2019
10127635 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

2022 - flower buds just beginning to show
IMG_6489 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

 

[Zerobear]

Very quick - I haven't started yet this year!

The smaller one - I've rooted pyracantha cuttings that big - so zero surprise that the airlayer worked.

2012
DSC08714 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

2019
10127635 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

2022 - flower buds just beginning to show
IMG_6489 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

Loved these. I have spent so much time on your flicker pages admiring your stuff and day dreaming. The mother bush I used for these has never flowered much, but I hope I can convince these guys to bloom and make berries at some point in the future.

 

[BrianBay9]

Now that I have two air layers to add to the two other smaller plants I have, I'll probaly turn to other things. I am space limited and reluctant to end up with 7 or 8 pyracantha trees.

These efforts are relatively one sided, because the mother bush was growing against a brick wall. My efforts will now go toward working on shape and making th best out of what I have.

I can't seem to muster that discipline. I currently have five. I air layer more interesting starts all the time, and start cuttings when I prune. I end up keeping the best four or five and selling or donating the others at the club.

 

[Zerobear]

I can't seem to muster that discipline. I currently have five. I air layer more interesting starts all the time, and start cuttings when I prune. I end up keeping the best four or five and selling or donating the others at the club.

"at the club"

I wish I could say that. Closest one to me is two or three hours away and farther than I want to drive, since my noght time driving days are probably at an end. Oh well....