propagating beech
 

Hello All,

I would like to try and grow a beech from specific tree in a local park (Tricolor). Last year I took some cuttings just when the leaves dropped, used rooting hormone, but they were dead by spring. Has anyone ever successfully taken beech cuttings, how, when?

Thanks

Darren

djhughes wrote:

: I would like to try and grow a beech from specific tree in a local park
: (Tricolor). Last year I took some cuttings just when the leaves dropped,
: used rooting hormone, but they were dead by spring. Has anyone ever
: successfully taken beech cuttings, how, when?

I've tried and not succeeded. I think that you may need to graft.
I've seen purple beech growing green leaves from the base of the main
truck, and assume the tree was a purple graft on a standard seedling.

"J Jackson" wrote in message
...
djhughes wrote:

: I would like to try and grow a beech from specific tree in a local park
: (Tricolor). Last year I took some cuttings just when the leaves dropped,
: used rooting hormone, but they were dead by spring. Has anyone ever
: successfully taken beech cuttings, how, when?

I've tried and not succeeded. I think that you may need to graft.
I've seen purple beech growing green leaves from the base of the main
truck, and assume the tree was a purple graft on a standard seedling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grafting is your only option. Fortunately young beech trees are
readily available and could be grafted in the spring. An alternative is to
collect the mast from local beeches and hope that one of the seedlings has
some of the characteristics you want.
This worked very well for me with a glorious sycamore/acer; though I
cheated by letting the hundreds of seedlings grow naturally and just
selected the best.
Best Wishes Brian.