What's still growing?

[GavinG]

Well, it's bleak mid-winter here, mornings are usually frosty, and any sensible plant has just about given up.

So I was surprised to see just how many natives have soft tips and sign of activity. In particular, Mels stypheloides, hypericifolia, squarrosa, and thymifolia, Calls seiberi and linearis, Kunzeas ambigua and muelleri and Eucs crenulata, viminalis and scoparia. Not all Mels, Calls and Eucs, and I couldn't see pattern to it.

Now I've got the question in my head - if they're actively growing in mid-winter, should I take cuttings now, as they are much less likely to suffer dehydration stress than in spring or summer?

Has anyone taken native cuttings in winter? And what's growing in your area? (and yes, I know that everything's still growing in North Qld!)

Just wondering.

Gavin

[Jan]

Has anyone taken native cuttings in winter? And what's growing in your area?

Certainly been strange the way some plants are still powering ahead here on the Southern NSW Tablelands. I took a punt yesterday and dug a Peppermint Gum stump that I’ve had my eye on. It has shot a multitude of new shoots from the top so I thought that if the lignum tuber is active, and the new shoots certainly seem to indicate just that, it might be a good time to get it out of the ground, butter the cuts with honey and hormone powder and plant it in a bit of seed raising roots – fingers crossed for new roots to emerge soon. Always learning with natives and our individual climates.

Jan.

[shibui]

Gavin,
I take native cuttings all year. They just take a bit longer to strike in winter. Time of year will depend more on your facilities for growing cuttings than temp. Actively growing plants have lits of soft, succulent tips that wilt easily so you need good misting to keep them alive. I find semi matured cuttings more successful so best taken after a flush of growth matures a bit.
Most of the temperate natives are still growing here too - red gum, leptospermum, melaleuca, callistemon. There's a couple of Toonas and the figs that are trying to grow too but they live in the igloo to protect from frost.

[Steven]

G'day Gavin,

Interesting post and questions. Most of my natives are actively growing. Not as vigorous as during the warmer months but still plenty of growth. Trees include; Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, Leptospermum, Babingtonia, Tristaniopsis laurina (all Myrtaceae) and Casuarina. My M. rhaphiophylla has even shot new growth from the trunk! There are some exotics active also; Buxus, Acer ginnala (was first to loose leaves and already has a flush of new growth) and a Chinese elm I purchased in Melbourne from the estate of Mr. Lin has started growing. It was nearly dormant in May when I purchased it but I think the move to warmer Sydney has tricked it into thinking Spring has sprung.

I haven't tried cuttings in winter so can't comment.

Regards,
Steven