longer sections that can be cut into pieces with at least two buds or
“eyes.” Make the cut just a little below the node. Or on slow-rooting
plants, pull off the cutting with a sliver of the main stem (a “heel”)
attached to the rooting end. Remove the leaves at the base, and dip the
cut end in one of the hormone rooting powders if you wish. Check the
formula on the label to make sure you have the correct one for that
type of cutting, and follow the directions precisely. Insert cuttings
in rows in the propagating box and firm the medium around the stem ends.
Almost all deciduous trees and shrubs can be propagated from summer
softwood cuttings, and so can evergreens--both the needle-leaved and
the broad-leaved varieties. Needle-leaved evergreens can also be
produced from similar cuttings taken in late fall, but they seem to
take longer to make roots. With mild bottom heat in the greenhouse,
however, the process is fast enough so the cuttings are rooted before
time to set them out in the nursery in the spring.
_Hardwood Cuttings_
When deciduous trees and shrubs have dropped their leaves, and this
year’s growth has had additional ripening from a few sharp frosts, take
cuttings of the ends of branches that seem fairly thick and sturdy.
Cut off any immature tips, and trim the cuttings (of miniatures) to
four to six inches long. Tie a dozen or so into a bundle with covered
wire, or some similar tie that will neither rot nor injure the bark.
Bury the bundles (some growers bury them standing, some in a horizontal
position) so they are completely covered with soil in a cold frame,
or use a box that can be kept where the temperature will be cold but
not freezing. In spring, unbundle the cuttings and root them like any
others in a propagating box, greenhouse, frame, or nursery bed.
_Grafting_
There are several different methods of attaching a stem or branch of
one tree or shrub to the roots of another until the two parts grow
together as one plant. So far, I’ve willingly left this field to the
professionals, or to amateurs who are seriously interested and make a
thorough study of it. I haven’t found the patience or free time for it.
_Layering_
Here is a foolproof method that guarantees a healthy new plant almost
every time. Although some root faster than others, there’s hardly a
tree or shrub with long or low-hanging branches that can’t be layered.
Of course, the safety lies in the fact that the new plant is part of,
and supported by, the parent plant until it is well rooted and strongly
established.
In spring, when the plant is growing vigorously, select a low-hanging
branch that can be pulled down to the ground. At that spot nick the
bark, or slit the branch, to encourage rooting. Pin it down with a
forked twig, a hairpin, or a clothespin and cover the tip with a
little soil. When roots have formed and the tip is growing lustily, cut
the branch between the new plant and the parent, then pot or transplant
as you wish.
_Air Layering_
Plants that do not have a low branch are air-layered by nicking a
stem or branch three or four inches from the tip, covering the nick
with a ball of moist sphagnum moss, and wrapping the ball tightly in
polyethylene, which is tied tightly at both ends. Hormone rooting
powder can be applied to the nick with a small brush if you wish. Make
sure the moss doesn’t dry out. When you see several good-sized roots,
cut the stem below the ball, remove the plastic, and transplant or pot
as you wish. Rooting speed varies with different plants. Some take only
six weeks; some, several years.
Air layering can be done in spring, using ripened wood of last year’s
growth, or in summer with new growth that is not yet woody and hard.
MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS
=Abelia= _Caprifoliaceae_
Ornamental shrub, persistent or deciduous, often half evergreen,
spreading. Leaves simple, opposite, nearly stalkless. Flowers white
or pink tubular, persistent purplish sepals. Native of Asia Minor and
Mexico.
CARE. Semisun, or some protection. Well-drained soil with leaf mold.
Amenable to pruning. Cool greenhouse. Hardy in zones 4 and 5.
PROPAGATION. Greenwood cuttings in summer, ripe wood cuttings in
autumn, layering in spring, rarely from seed.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, ground cover, slopes, and as
specimens; use as an evergreen in mild climates.
=Abeliophyllum distichum= _Oleaceae_ White Forsythia, Korean Abelia
Deciduous ornamental shrub two to three inches high. White flowers in
dense clusters in May and June or in February in mild climates. Leaves
like the abelia, branches arching. Close relative to the forsythia;
flowers smaller but more of them. Deep-purple flower buds form in the
fall.
CARE. Sun, drainage, moist soil, hardy in zones 4 and 5. Too severe
winter weather may kill the buds for spring. Needs some cover.
PROPAGATION. Same as for abelia.
SPECIAL USES. Same as for abelia.
[Illustration:
Foliage details of popular miniature trees and shrubs
_Chamaecyparis pisifera
filifera aurea_]
[Illustration: _Acer palmatum dissectum_]
=Abies= _Pinaceae_ Fir
Pyramidal evergreen trees with whorls and graceful branches. Cones are
erect; leaves flat, narrow, whitish on the underside with two lines,
and shiny green above. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish from
spruce, picea. (Spruce sheds leaves when dry, and its cones hang.)
Bark is smooth and thin when young, thick and furrowed when old. Dwarf
varieties are _A. balsamea nana_, _A. grandis nana_, _A. procera
(nobilis) glauca prostrata_, two feet high.
CARE. Cool, humid. Hardy in the North.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings, grafting, seed.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.
=Andromeda= _Ericaceae_ Bog Rosemary
Low, dwarf evergreen shrubs with narrow leaves, urn or bell-shaped
pink flowers in May. Dwarf varieties are _A. glaucophylla_, less
than a foot tall with leathery green leaves lightly frosted beneath,
stems erect; and _A. polifolia_, a root-creeping species, the leaf
margins often rolled.
CARE. Cool, very acid soil, peaty, deep acid leaf mold. Prefers bog
garden; if among rocks, prepare soil to conform to above. Sun or part
shade. Very hardy.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings (mature wood under glass), layers,
division.
SPECIAL USES. Rock and bog gardens.
=Azalea (Rhododendron)= _Ericaceae_
The azalea differs from the rhododendron only in technical points. The
size varies from tree-like to almost prostrate. It flowers from April
to June and is the most vivid of all shrubs. Colors pink, yellow,
salmon, purple, white, red, and orchid. Some are fragrant.
CARE. Acid soil, sun. Moist, unsuited for areas where there
is less than twenty-five inches of rainfall per year. Water after
flowering when plant is making new shoots. Reduce watering in summer.
Prune to check irregular growth after blooming season. Remove old
blooms. Fertilize after flowering. Dust soil with sulfur.
PROPAGATION. Seeds; layering, in air and in the soil;
cuttings. Balled and burlapped plants can be set out almost any time.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, bonsai.
=Betula nana= _Betulaceae_ Birch
Deciduous shrub, spreading and branching to two feet, leaves to
one-half inch long. When young the leaves are sticky and fuzzy on the
underside. A native of Alaska. Flowers, catkins.
CARE. Moist sandy soil.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify at once), layering, green-wood cuttings
under glass.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, trough gardens.
=Bruckenthalia spiculifolia= _Ericaceae_ Balkan Heath
Evergreen, heath-like shrub ten inches high. Small pink bell flowers in
summer. Gives the effect of billowy daintiness.
CARE. Drainage and not soggy wet. Hardy, but mulch in zone 4 with salt
hay in winter. Sun; soil gritty and acid.
PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.
=Buxus= _Buxaceae_ Box, Boxwood
Evergreen shrub, very small with clusters of small flowers.
Slow-growing; in fact, boxwood I set out two years ago seems hardly to
have changed in size. But we await the possibilities with anticipation
and patience. It is a versatile shrub.
CARE. Little or no care seems necessary. It grows in just about any
soil not sandy or rocky. It has shallow roots. We protect it in winter
with a light mulch. Plant in spring or late summer; use little or no
fertilizer. It accepts being pruned or sheared.
PROPAGATION. Hardwood cuttings, suckers, division, layering.
SPECIAL USES. Edging, foundation planting, bonsai, hedges, pots, and
dish gardens.
=Calluna vulgaris= _Ericaceae_ Heather, Ling
Low evergreen shrub, clusters of pinkish bell flowers in August and
September, leaves very small.
CARE. Soil light, peaty, sandy, with acid leaf mold. Full sun best but
light shade is acceptable. Drainage is necessary in winter but prevent
dehydration by dry winds. Hardy.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings, layering, division.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, edging, containers.
=Caryopteris incana= _Verbenaceae_ Blue Spirea
Deciduous shrub, gray-green toothed leaves. Shrub grows to two or three
feet and forms a ball the same width; firmly packed with fuzzy, fringed
flowers in late summer, of blue or purplish tints.
CARE. Full sun, light soil, the sandier the better. Tolerates drought.
Not entirely hardy and may be killed-back but will bloom anyhow. Prune
severely in spring, making a more compact plant.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings of mature wood in August (root under glass),
layering, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Borders.
=Cassiope lycopodioides= _Ericaceae_
Low evergreen from two to three inches high and formed in a fat dome of
the same width. Needle-like leaves are tiny and overlap like shingles.
Has white bell flowers in spring.
CARE. Moist and cool, part shade, soil peaty or sandy and acid. Suffers
in long hot summers or drought. Native of Siberia and Alaska.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings from mature wood in August (root under glass),
layering, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.
=Chaenomeles (Cydonia)= _Rosaceae_ Japanese Quince, Flowering
Quince
Deciduous or semideciduous shrub with alternate toothed leaves of shiny
green tone. Blooms in spring before leaves appear, in shades of white
or pink. Later forms hard, quince-like fruit that is fragrant.
CARE. Almost any soil, but if fertile more flowers; drainage;
partial shade produces more flowers. Top-dress in spring with garden
fertilizer. Can be pruned for hedges (not too much).
PROPAGATION. Seeds (plant in spring and stratify), root cuttings,
cuttings from ripe wood (root under glass), layering, grafting.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges (do not prune as
much as privet), bonsai.
=Chamaecyparis (Retinospora)= _Cupressaceae_ False Cypress,
White Cedar
Actually this is an evergreen that grows to a hundred feet, but it
also comes in a wide variety of two-foot dwarfs. Basically the tree is
pyramidal and has leaves more like scales than needles. They are very
dense and tight, on drooping branches. Some of the dwarf species are
_C. obtusa coespitosa_ (tennis ball), _C. lawsoniana_, _C.
compacta_, _C. compacta glauca_, _C. nana compressa_.
CARE. Acid soil; needs moisture, due to shallow roots. Fertilize, prune
some to keep shapely, root-prune for rock gardens.
PROPAGATION. Seeds from the small cones.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.
=Chamaedaphne calyculata= _Ericaceae_ Leatherleaf
Evergreen shrub that is a native bog dweller and therefore good for
locations unsuitable for many plants. The evergreen two-inch leaves
look rusty underneath and are dull brown in winter; branches are
sparse. In spring it has dangling clusters of little white flowers.
One-foot variety nana effective in moist part of rock gardens.
CARE. Moist location, acid soil with peat.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood (rooted under
glass), layering.
SPECIAL USES. Bog gardens; dwarf variety for rock gardens.
=Cotoneaster= _Rosaceae_
This is a small shrub; some varieties are deciduous, some persistent.
Has small pink or white flowers in the spring. In fall has bright-red
berries. Deciduous leaves are colored before they drop.
CARE. Sun, but will accept some shade. Cool and moist but never
waterlogged. (Subject to red spider if hot and dry.) Use lime to
produce a slightly alkaline soil; use loamy soil. Needs circulation of
air and drainage. Prune only to remove dead wood or broken branches.
Doesn’t transplant readily. Plant in permanent location.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, sown when ripe or stratified by layers in autumn;
cuttings of young wood in late summer (root under glass).
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock walls, hedges, foundation planting.
=Cryptomeria japonica= _Taxodiaceae_
This is a Japanese evergreen tree that grows to towering heights but
has several dwarf varieties: lobbi, pygmaea, and nana. It has shreddy
red-brown bark and distinctive root formations above ground, making it
very appealing for bonsai work. Blue-green leaves.
[Illustration: _Cotoneaster humifusa_ and _juniperus
sabina tamariscifolia_]
[Illustration: _Cotoneaster humifusa_ with flowers and berry]
CARE. Protect during hot and dry summer, and from low temperatures. It
is best in warmer climates. Enriched soil is not necessary but produces
a more pleasing tree.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings, grafting. Seeds are stratified, and do
not always come true. Cuttings are more satisfactory.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.
=Daboecia cantabrica= _Ericaceae_ Irish Bell Heather
An evergreen shrub, upright and dwarf (ten to eighteen inches). The
leaves are dark green but fuzzy white underneath. Purple, drooping-urn
flowers, in clusters, last all summer.
CARE. Soil gritty, sandy, and peaty. Protect in winter and be careful
about drainage. Mulch with salt hay or evergreen leaves.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood under glass.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens.
=Daphne= _Thymelaeaceae_
Some of these little shrubs are evergreen, some are not. Some of them
grow very low. All of the several varieties bloom in early spring,
often on bare wood. Colors vary from white to pink. Most varieties are
fragrant.
CARE. Plant in a cool, moist location in light soil, drained and
slightly sandy. Protect in winter with straw or salt hay.
PROPAGATION. Seeds are sown at once or are stratified; softwood
cuttings after flowering; layering; hardwood cuttings in fall.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, border planting, rock
gardens, greenhouse forcing, ground cover, bonsai.
=Deutzia= _Saxifragaceae_
This is a heavy flowering shrub with a compact, plump shape. The
flowers, resembling small hoop skirts or bells, cover the plant almost
completely. Colors vary with varieties, white, pink, and pink with red
touches.
CARE. Will grow and flower in some shade. Accepts most any soil. Needs
drainage. Most varieties are hardy.
PROPAGATION. Both green-wood and hardwood cuttings, layers, seeds in
spring.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, greenhouse forcing.
=Euonymus= _Celastraceae_ Burning Bush
Sizes can vary from dwarf shrubs to medium-size trees. Sometimes it is
evergreen, but is more likely to be deciduous. Simple, opposite leaves;
clusters of small flowers in spring. Has showy fruit which turns red in
fall and opens to drop the seeds. Has brilliant red coloring in autumn.
CARE. Grows in ordinary soil and does well in shade (bright sun makes
for better colors in fall). Most varieties are hardy.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (sown in spring), layering, hardwood cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, pots, dish gardens, rock gardens, hedges.
=Fothergilla= _Hamamelidaceae_ Bottle Brush
Native American shrub, deciduous with alternate coarse-toothed leaves,
hazel-like in appearance and brilliant in fall colors. During the
flowering season blooms of a lustrous white resemble shaggy dust mops.
It is slow-growing and adapts itself to bonsai treatment.
CARE. Seemingly, it requires little pampering. It likes moist
situations. It is hardy and can be pruned to size and shape.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, layers (may take two years to root), and root
cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, bonsai.
[Illustration: _Ilex crenata helleri_ ca. 20–25 year old
spec. with _Abies glauca conica_]
=Ilex crenata helleri= _Aquifoliaceae_ Holly
Holly may be a tree or a shrub and is sometimes an evergreen. The waxy
green leaves are known to anyone who has ever seen a Christmas wreath.
The red berries are almost as striking. Most varieties grow slowly.
CARE. Most like rich well-drained spots. They need acid soil or the
leaves turn yellow. They are hard to transplant and it should only be
tried in the spring before growth starts. The deciduous varieties are
easier to move, but are not so hardy. If you are buying a tree, get
nursery stock that has been freshly dug. Mulch, but not near the trunks
in winter because of mice. If you desire the red berries, spray with
hormones. Prune yearly for shape, in winter.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify, slow to germinate), cuttings of young
ripe wood (root under glass).
SPECIAL USES. Hedges, rock gardens, containers, foundation planting,
bonsai.
=Juniperus= _Cypressaceae_ Juniper
Evergreen trees and shrubs with needles or scale leaves. Can be tall
trees or prostrate shrubs that hug the ground. Foliage is a beautiful
blue-green.
[Illustration:
A beautiful specimen of _Juniperus procumbens nana_ with
pansies in a corner planting]
CARE. Moderately moist loamy soil. Some (_J. communis_) thrive in dry
spots amid rocks. Most are hardy. Many varieties are exceptionally
hardy and accept sun or shade, city dust, fumes, and smoke. All like
drainage and wide spacing.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings, seeds, layering.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, containers, bonsai.
=Picea abies= _Pinaceae_ Spruce
Pyramidal, evergreen, coniferous trees native to the cooler parts of
the country. They have four-sided leaves that fall easily, leaving
cones that usually droop. Although many varieties are tall and
majestic, there are some of the most shapely dwarfs in the family.
They grow so slowly they are desirable for small landscapes. Among the
dwarfs are: clanbrasiliana, gregoryana, maxwelli, nana, nidformis. The
latter, with its dark-green needles and flat open top, is also known
as the bird’s nest spruce. It is less expensive because it grows very
easily from cuttings.
CARE. Hardy, tolerates more wet than firs or pines, and is at home in
most soils.
PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, bonsai.
=Pinus= _Pinaceae_ Pine
Among the many familiar pines of ornamental interest there are several
dwarf forms for limited landscapes. All bear needle-leaves in typical
bundles of two, three, or five according to type. Here are some
possibilities: _P. cembra chlorocarpa_, _P. mugo (montana) mughus_, and
a variety of the white pine, _P. strobus nana_.
CARE. Light, dry, sandy soil. Plant where sheltered; for example, a
northern slope. Dry summer winds and unseasonable, warm winter sun will
turn the leaves brown. In transplanting trees, remember that the roots
do not stand exposure to air. Take the biggest possible chunk of dirt
with them. In buying, get stock that is balled in burlap.
PROPAGATION. Seeds and grafting.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, containers, rock gardens, foundation planting.
=Rhododendron= _Ericaceae_
Some of the most charming of our truly miniature shrubs, far too
infrequently known and grown. Rhododendron species and hybrids may be
under a foot tall at maturity and have leaves as small as a little
fingernail. The only thing out of proportion is the size of their
flowers. Here are some of them: cantabile, chryseum, cinnabarinum,
cuneatum, didymum, fastigiatum, ferrugineum, flavidum (primulinum),
glaucum (glaucophyllum), hypolepidotum, impeditum, kotschyi, radinum,
riparium, russatum, williamsianum.
CARE. Humus-rich soil, sandy and of open texture. Mulch for winter
season and water before freezing weather. Withered leaves in the dead
of winter mean lack of moisture as well as cold weather.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, softwood tip cuttings (in June).
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, edging, foundation planting.
[Illustration: in winter
_Rhododendron keiskei_
in spring]
=Sciadopitys verticillata= _Taxodiaceae_ Umbrella Pine
The five-inch needles of this slow-growing Japanese evergreen spread
out from new tip growth like the ribs of a half-open umbrella, giving
it an airy distinction. The tree, a squat pyramid, with short branches
and a stubby main trunk, is ideal for bonsai cultivation.
CARE. Grows well in most any soil but does better in one that
has been enriched. As it is slow-growing, there is slight danger that
it will outgrow its dwarf proportions. Transplant only when young and
do not expose the roots. Protect from severe winter conditions.
PROPAGATION. Seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.
=Spiraea= _Rosaceae_ Spirea
This popular deciduous shrub varies as to size, with most varieties
far out of the miniature classification. However, there are some short
ones, with _S. bullata (crispifolia)_ an out-and-out midget of
twelve to fifteen inches. It has rose-colored flowers in midsummer.
_S. arguta (compacta)_ is slightly taller. In May it has garlands
of fragrant white flowers. _S. bumalda_, with deep-pink flowers
in early summer, grows to about two and a half feet. Most others are
considerably taller.
CARE. Almost any soil is acceptable providing it is not too heavy and
has drainage. However, plenty of moisture is essential. Plenty of sun
is necessary for good flowering. Pruning also promotes flowers, but do
it after the blooms have fallen. Transplanting is easy, even with bare
roots. Fertilize occasionally.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (ripe or stratified), cuttings of green or hard
wood, layers.
SPECIAL USES. Borders, rock gardens, hedges, foundations.
=Taxus= _Taxaceae_ Yew
This evergreen shrub is very valuable to those who garden in
smaller-scale plots and grounds. There are a number of extremely low
and slow-growing varieties available at most nurseries and in several
different forms. All have the typical yew masses of glassy, evergreen
needle-leaves and satiny red, berry-like fruit. All accept shearing,
even need it to preserve their symmetry and small size. It is often
difficult to differentiate between the many varieties when they are
young, so be sure to check them when buying.
_baccata_--English yew--A tall tree but available in these
small forms: adpressa, a broad, dense bush with half-inch
needles in thick masses; repandens, a flattish, low, and
spreading form with drooping branches, two to four feet tall.
_canadensis_--American or Canadian yew--Three to four feet
tall and for planting in the shade. Suffers from unusually warm
winter sun. Its variety stricta is neat and upright and stays
under two feet in height. The green needles are yellow-tinged
when it is young.
_cuspidata_--Japanese yew--This variety is recommended for
Northeastern planting. The slow-growing variety densa is plump
and rounded and twice as wide as its four-foot mature height.
Another variety, nana (brevifolia), is considerably larger,
horizontal, and spreading in habit.
_cuspidata nana_--This species slightly different, has
a deeply fissured trunk with red berry fruit and very dark
evergreen leaves. It is highly regarded as a miniature and
excellent for bonsai work.
_stricta_ (_fastigata_, _hibernica_)--An upright
column that tops dwarf proportions sooner than most others.
CARE. Slightly acid soil. Fertilize frequently in early spring and
early summer. Good drainage. Don’t plant under rain gutters. Top-dress
with old manure. Easily transplanted. Shear just before spring growth
starts, to control size and shape. Winter sun may burn needles.
Comparatively free of disease.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratified), cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges, rock and wild
gardens, tub planting, bonsai.
=Teucrium chamaedrys= _Labiatae_ Germander
This is an aromatic Old World shrublet that is adaptable to many uses
in the garden, whether formal or informal. Most varieties are less than
a foot in height. It flowers in late summer. Many gardeners raise it
for its decorative value and snip off the blooms. It is hardier than
boxwood and less costly.