Blue Atlas Cedar Grafted to Radiata Pine

[Mitchell]

Hey all!

A while ago I posted as thread requesting an ID on a Cedar. viewtopic.php?f=134&t=4976&p=57045&hili ... dar#p57045


After not being able to find any for sale, I decided to try grafting it to some Radiata's I had.

I didn't expect them to take because
1. My grafting skills are limited.
2. It was Cedar onto Radiata.

Tried hitting Google up for some instances of cedar grafts onto pine, but did not find anything after 3 hours of searching.
By this stage I was convinced it was not documented because it does not work. I proceeded anyway, just to put my mind at rest that it wouldn't work.

Grafted three Pines up put them aside, not thinking much of them for a couple of weeks.

I was surprised to find new growth on all the cedar grafts.

Needless to say, this pleases me greatly.
Anyway, thought some might be interested.

[Taffy]

An amazing result Mitchell - I would never have thought it could be done!

[Dumper]

nice.
how long has it been since it was grafted??

John

[Mitchell]

Thanks.

About three weeks, if they were not just shoved in the corner un-watered with no sunshine, then I would imagine that more growth would have been put on.

[Dumper]

interesting.

keep us updated.

[Chris Sirre]

Hey all!

A while ago I posted as thread requesting an ID on a Cedar. viewtopic.php?f=134&t=4976&p=57045&hili ... dar#p57045


After not being able to find any for sale, I decided to try grafting it to some Radiata's I had.

I didn't expect them to take because
1. My grafting skills are limited.
2. It was Cedar onto Radiata.

Tried hitting Google up for some instances of cedar grafts onto pine, but did not find anything after 3 hours of searching.
By this stage I was convinced it was not documented because it does not work. I proceeded anyway, just to put my mind at rest that it wouldn't work.

Grafted three Pines up put them aside, not thinking much of them for a couple of weeks.

I was surprised to find new growth on all the cedar grafts.

Needless to say, this pleases me greatly.
Anyway, thought some might be interested.

Hi Mitchel,

As an qualified horticulturist and very experienced grafter I think you're jumping a bit to early. Grafting Cedars aren't easy in the first place. They are very temperamental. Just when you think you have a good strike rate you lose some. Secondly it takes more than 3 weeks for them to take especially when they are shoved in a corner without care. So beforeevryone starts grafting Cedars onto Pines don't waste you're time and materials. The "growth" you're seeing is probably from the sap that is still in the branch. But ofcourse don't trow it out yet and prove me wrong!

Cheer,

Chris

[Mitchell]

Hi Mitchel,

As an qualified horticulturist and very experienced grafter I think you're jumping a bit to early. Grafting Cedars aren't easy in the first place. They are very temperamental. Just when you think you have a good strike rate you lose some. Secondly it takes more than 3 weeks for them to take especially when they are shoved in a corner without care. So beforeevryone starts grafting Cedars onto Pines don't waste you're time and materials. The "growth" you're seeing is probably from the sap that is still in the branch. But ofcourse don't trow it out yet and prove me wrong!

Cheer,

Chris

Probably right. Any idea when this residual sap will run out? Just so I know when to throw them.

[Chris Sirre]

Hi Mitchell,

Depending on the weather(evaporation) but this time of the year it can take a while.

Another thing you have to ask yourself is say it works, what is the advantage of it? Most Cedars are grafted on Cedrus deodara which is a vigourous grower and is readily available. The bark of Cedars and Pines are different and could look rather weird when grafted on eachother.
As an experiment yes by all means give it a go.You might surprise all of us.

Cheers,

Chris

[Mitchell]

As an experiment

Cheers,

Chris

Got it there mate.

[nishiki3]

update mitchell did the graft work

[Mitchell]

G'day nishiki3,

The graft in all appearances appeared to be taking. It lasted 3 more months, when the pine died. The Cedar was still throwing out new needle sets up until I killed the pine.



It could have just been stored energy in the cedar, throwing the needles, the graft may never have taken. When I took the budding tape off the cambiums had fused indicating it may have taken.

Anyway whole lot of speculation with no real purpose, just mucking around.