Start Catalina ironwood from seed sown in autumn in a pot that drains. Nursery trees are almost always from seed. Summer cuttings are a slower second try.
Sow the seed in autumn in a pot that drains
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Autumn, in a container left outdoors | Do not sow into a waterlogged tray |
| Seed | Ripe follicles from a mainland garden tree, cleaned of chaff | Do not count on a big crop from a single wild island grove |
| Mix | A fast-draining seed mix in a pot with holes | Do not bury the seed deep in heavy, wet compost |
| After | Keep the surface just moist until it sprouts, then wean toward drier | Do not stand the pot in a saucer of water |
Catalina ironwood is usually started from seed. Collect ripe follicles in autumn, when they dry and open, and sow the cleaned seed in a pot you can leave outdoors. [1] Trees grown on the mainland cross-pollinate and set usable seed. Island groves are often clonal, so seed from a wild stand is a poor bet. [2] [3]
- Collect ripe, dry follicles in autumn and shake out the small seed.
- Sow in a fast-draining mix in a container with holes. Cover lightly; do not bury the seed deep.
- Leave the pot outdoors through the cool season, and keep the surface just moist.
- When seedlings show, give them sun and let the mix dry a little more between waterings. Move each one into its own pot before the roots circle.
How do I start Catalina ironwood from seed?
Sow cleaned seed in autumn in a pot that drains, and leave it outdoors. Keep the surface just moist until it sprouts.
Summer cuttings often fail — start from seed instead
Lists also say to take greenwood cuttings in summer, or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer. [4] That can work, but it is slower than seed and often disappointing at home. If you try, take a non-flowering tip, strip the lower leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone, and stand it in a gritty mix that drains. Keep it humid and out of hot sun, and give it months, not weeks.
- In summer, cut a firm, non-flowering tip in the morning.
- Strip the lower leaves, cut just below a node, and dip the base in rooting hormone.
- Insert the cutting in a free-draining mix, and keep it humid and out of midday sun.
- If nothing has rooted after several months, sow seed in autumn instead of taking more cuttings.
Sun, drain, and the first-year water plan for a growing tree stay on How to Grow Catalina Ironwood.
Can I root a cutting?
You can try a greenwood tip in summer, but seed is the usual home method. If a cutting has not rooted after several months, sow seed in autumn.
If the pot stays wet and nothing comes up, sow again in a mix that drains, and leave the container outdoors through the cool season.
FAQ
Why is seed from the islands unreliable?
Wild groves are often genetically the same trunks. Mainland garden trees cross-pollinate and set the seed nurseries use.
Can I grow a tree from a cut branch in a vase?
No. A flower cluster in water will not root. Sow seed, or take a prepared summer cutting in mix, not a bouquet stem.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/52470/lyonothamnus-floribundus-subsp-aspleniifolius/details - [2] San Marcos Growers -
https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=1024 - [3] Santa Barbara Beautiful -
https://sbbeautiful.org/santa-cruz-island-ironwood-lyonothamnus-floribundus-ssp-aspleniifolius/ - [4] Trees and Shrubs Online -
https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/lyonothamnus/lyonothamnus-floribundus/
This note is part of Lyonothamnus Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors