Root Cuttings

M. Frary

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What kinds of temperate trees can be propagated from root cuttings? I know Elm can but what others? I'm guessing not pines. Well not guessing I'm sure.
So that leaves deciduous trees and tamarack.
 

Stan Kengai

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Basally dominant plants like quince, forsythia and azalea are extremely easy. Contorted quince are spectacular from root cuttings because the roots are extremely contorted naturally. Crabapple is possible but not really feasible, division is a better bet there.

In my experience, quince and elms are the only plants where starting from root cuttings can be advantageous over cuttings or division.
 

Hack Yeah!

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Anyone ever try Trident maple root cuttings? I went to repot one today and it looked like the root structure was some type of ROR gone bad, so I chopped it up planted the parent and two root cuttings. Nothing lost either way, just wondered if others had been successful.
 

0soyoung

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Pyracantha - a bonsai subject though hardly a tree.

It seems that anything renowned for suckering, such as chaenomeles, camellia, and the entire prunus genus ought to, but I don't specifically know that they can be propagated by root cuttings.

Aspen is a tree that famously suckers (entire groves are often just sukers off a single root system), but who cares since it is unsuited to bonsai (but it is legitimately a tree)?
 

RobertB

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I am trying a crepe myrtle root cuttings now. Basically i had to cut a one during repot with nice curves and I thought what the hell. I know most ficus will also. Also have two of these starting.
 
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