How to Propagate the Chickasaw Plum
Chickasaw plum, or Prunus angustifolia, occurs naturally in woodlands and open fields of the eastern United States, but it also grows across much of the country as an introduced species. The thicket-like growth habit of Chickasaw plums gives them a shrubby appearance, but they are actually small trees that will reach 30 feet in height under ideal conditions. A brief show of blossoms appears in spring and later gives way to 1-inch-long, reddish fruit, that can be eaten fresh or used in cooking. Many gardeners cultivate Chickasaw plum for its fruit, using both seed-based and vegetative propagation methods to create new plants. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Paring knife
- 6-inch pot
- Garden soil
- Perlite
- Anvil shears
- 0.5-percent NAA (naphthalene acetic acid) rooting powder
- Spray bottle
Instructions
-
Seed Propagation
-
1
Gather ripe fruit from a Chickasaw plum tree in late summer once they attain a uniformly reddish-purple coloring. Squeeze the fruit to test for ripeness. Look for fruit with firm flesh that yields to moderate pressure.
-
2
Score around the fruit lengthwise using a paring knife. Pull the two halves of the fruit apart to reveal the pit. Remove the pit. Pierce the hull of the pit with the tip of the paring knife to ease germination.
-
-
3
Sow the Chickasaw plum pit in a 6-inch pot filled with a mixture of 4 parts garden soil and 1 part perlite. Press the pit into the soil so the top edge is flush with the surface.
-
4
Pour 1/4 cup of water into the pot to thoroughly moisten the soil. Maintain moisture in the soil at all times.
-
5
Place the pot outdoors in a spot with bright, dappled light. Expose it to normal weather conditions during the winter so the cold temperatures will break the dormancy of the seed. Water the pot lightly only during extended dry periods.
-
6
Watch for sprouting in late spring. Water the seedling every four or five days with enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 1 inch.
-
7
Keep the Chickasaw plum seedling in its pot until it reaches 6 inches in height. Plant it in a partially shaded bed with moist soil once it grows several sets of leaves.
Cutting Propagation
-
8
Take a 6-inch-long cutting from a healthy Chickasaw plum tree in summer after the tree sets fruit. Choose a stem with green growth at the tip and semi-hard bark at the base. Find one with no fruit on it.
-
9
Cut the stem at an angle just below a set of leaves using a pair of sharp anvil shears. Remove all the leaves along the length of the stem, leaving four or five at the tip. Place the cutting in water to keep it cool while preparing the rooting pot.
-
10
Fill a 6-inch pot with a mix of 2 parts garden soil and 1 part perlite. Pour water over the soil mixture until it is evenly moist but not overly damp or soggy. Create a 3-inch-deep planting hole in the soil.
-
11
Treat the lower half and end of the Chickasaw plum cutting with 0.5-percent NAA rooting powder. Place the cutting in the planting hole and press the soil firmly against it.
-
12
Set the Chickasaw plum cutting outdoors in a place with bright, diffuse light and protection from drying winds. Maintain moisture in the pot to a depth of at least 1 inch at all times, but avoid overwatering the cutting since it could rot.
-
13
Mist the leaves and stem every day using a spray bottle or a garden hose with a misting nozzle to keep them cool and hydrated.
-
14
Check for root growth in 30 to 40 days by gently attempting to lift the cutting from the soil. If it resists the movement, roots have formed.
-
15
Plant the Chickasaw plum tree in a partially shaded bed with moist, organically rich soil once it begins to put on significant height and foliage growth.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Dormant hardwood cuttings of Chickasaw plums can be started in winter using the same basic steps described in Section 2, but the cuttings must be placed in a partially sheltered spot with no supplemental water.
Avoid getting rooting powder on your skin since it might cause an allergic reaction.
