Growing a Christmas tree from a cutting

General tips / questions on seeding & planting

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter

gloworm
KG Regular
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 1:59 pm

Can this be done ?
Nature's Babe
KG Regular
Posts: 2468
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:02 pm
Location: East Sussex

Hi Gloworm. Yes, but it is easier from seed, and it depends on the tree, if it was cut several weeks ago it's not likely it will take, they will grow on in tubs but are not happy after a few years as naturally they grow very tall.
The RHS says both,from seed and cuttings, but links don't work they seem to be updating.

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/pro ... px?pid=374
Last edited by Nature's Babe on Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Sit down before a fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconcieved notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss nature leads, or you shall learn nothing.
By Thomas Huxley
http://www.wildrye.info/reserve/
User avatar
John
KG Regular
Posts: 1608
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 10:52 am
Location: West Glos

Hello Gloworm
I seem to remember reading sometime ago that they are much better when grown from seed. You are far more likely to get a good sized, evenly proportioned tree.

John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
User avatar
peter
KG Regular
Posts: 5842
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:54 pm
Location: Near Stansted airport
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 33 times
Contact:

Taking the question literally.

Can a Norway spruce be grown from s twig taken from an established and growing tree to use as a cutting?

I have not heard of this being done. If it was easy then that would be the norm commercially, but I believe they use seed.
Last edited by peter on Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: How did my phone turn growing into felony?
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.

I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5574
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 129 times

Having grown my own for a number of years last year it was a bit of a shock to have to buy one for almost £30 so I decided to plant some more. Got nice little plants that have grown a lot in their first year, bought 6 Norway Spruce and 6 Caucasian Pine and added 4 Scots Fir from our our seed so I have got 16 years sorted eventually, just wondering how long before I cut the first one. Pretty sure they wouldn't grow from cuttings and I try most things.
http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/product_10315.html
http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/product_10189.html
User avatar
FelixLeiter
KG Regular
Posts: 830
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:18 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

They most definitely cannot be grown from cuttings. They are always grown from seed, which is why there is variation between individuals.
Allotment, but little achieved.
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5574
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 129 times

I searched afterwards. What I call the flat conifers, like Leylandii, are quite easy from cuttings but I wouldn't have expected to root the ones more like bottle bushes (that's bottle brushes not the plant). However it looks like it is possible http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/p ... s/1654.pdf though I haven't found Picea Abies or Abies Nordmanniana quoted as working.
solway cropper
KG Regular
Posts: 126
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:21 pm
Location: north-west Cumbria
Contact:

When I was a lad I worked in forestry for a few years and planted tens of thousands of the darned things, all of which were raised from seed. Softwoods are generally difficult or impossible to grow from cuttings unless you have specialized equipment and then it's a bit pointless as they take so easily from seed. Cypress/Thuja, etc are an exception and can easily be raised from cuttings. My late father had a nice collection of ornamental cypress grown from cuttings taken surreptitiously from public parks!
gloworm
KG Regular
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 1:59 pm

It's just that I have several Christmas trees that were planted afer the festivities & are now 20ft+ high, thanks Geoff for your link I think that's the easiest way.
User avatar
Johnboy
KG Regular
Posts: 5824
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:15 pm
Location: NW Herefordshire

Hi Gloworm,
It is not impossible to take a cutting from a Norway Spruce because the Forestry Commission locally did a series of experiments around 40 years ago and although they could strike the cuttings they could not get them to grow straight and that was useless for timber production so NOW they are all grown from seed. I was taking part in that experiment as part of my training.
JB.
Nature's Babe
KG Regular
Posts: 2468
Joined: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:02 pm
Location: East Sussex

You back from France Johnboy? I hope you enjoyed the break.
It's amazing how easily some stuff roots, even branches stuck in the ground to support peas have grown roots occasionally. We get a lot of sycamore seeds blow into our garden and yesterday I pulled out several seedlings most straight one bifurcated.
Sit down before a fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconcieved notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abyss nature leads, or you shall learn nothing.
By Thomas Huxley
http://www.wildrye.info/reserve/
gloworm
KG Regular
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 1:59 pm

Thanks for info JB

I've ordered a few 1-1.5 ft from Geoffs link below

http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/index.html
thetangoman
KG Regular
Posts: 112
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2010 5:55 pm
Location: Land of golden sands,blues skies,cold beer and magical sunsets.

Highly unlikey to grow from cuttings..go for the traditional method of seed, but allow time for germination as they can some time , depends on the species really though.
liame00
KG Regular
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:00 pm

Hello there,
I don't think that Christmas tree grows from cutting.
Thanks
User avatar
Johnboy
KG Regular
Posts: 5824
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:15 pm
Location: NW Herefordshire

Hi Liam,
The Norwegian Spruce Tree is the traditional Christmas Tree can be grown from a semi-mature cuttings taken during July and August but the chances of getting a worthwhile Christmas Tree are slim. Norwegian Spruce grown for Christmas Tree production are grown from seed.
JB.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic