looking for hard wood cuttings of Viburnum plicatum cultivars

[Staale]

Hello group,
I have just finished reading Michael Dirr's excellent book on Viburnums. Among others he points to a couple of cultivars of Viburnum Plicatum that more cold hardy than the cultivar Mariesii, wich I am sad to say I have already killed. The cultivars in question are Shasta, Shoshoni and Igloo.
V. plicatum is supposedly not impossible to propagate by hard wood cuttings (if the mother plant is not too old, and still in good growth). So, my question is, is there possibly a kindhearted forum member out there ready to mutilate her/his plant of one of theese cultivars?
Another plant I am not likely to see for sale here is V. nudum Winterthur or Earth Shade, but I do not know if they are likely to root from hard wood cuttings.

[johnw]

Staale - I used to work for a nursery on the west coast and their suppliers always had problems getting Mariesii to survive after rooting, at least, I should say, when it did root.

Mariesii is hardy here on the coast and Shasta and Shoshoni seem a bit hardier as I know of a few growing inland where it is warmer in summer but colder in the winter.  Unfortunately in my opinion these "improvements" are a bit congested in habit lacking the grace and openess of Mariesii.  Maybe others can comment as it may be a case in the colder sites Shasta and Shoshoni just don't put on the extravagant growth of Mariesii when it is well established in here.

johnw

[ChrisB]

I'd suggest you write to the National Collection Holder, Lord Kenyon - he has some 250 in the subsects he keeps.  If you go to the NCCPG web site they will have contact details there for him and two other collection holders for viburnum - Hyde Hall and Mr P R Smith.  Between them they should be able to help you find these viburnums and may even be able to offer advice about how hardy they will be for you.

[Staale]

Thank you both for thoughtful advice, John and Cris

John;
 I know that getting rooted cuttings through the winter can be tricky. Apart from being easy to transport, I reason that the longer first growing season that you get with hard wood cuttings is benefitial.
V. plicatum growing in Nova Scotia is interesting. Often I suspect that it is not the winter lows that kill a plant, but the lack of summer warmth. I am no expert on the climate in NS, but I believe it is distinctly coastal, and that summers are not too hot?

Chris:
What did one do before google? It tells me that NCCPG is the National Council for the conservation of plants and gardens. I will explore this route, and see where it takes me. Maybe at some point it would even be possible to visit one of the collections.
Staale

[ChrisB]

Staale:

All National Collections can be visited, a lot by appointment as they are on private property, but if you show a sincere interest in the genus, most CH's will jump at the chance to show them off to you.  I'd bore the pants off you about diascia or armeria  .  So go ahead, if CH's know you are serious, they will usually go out of their way to help.

[Onion]

Stale,

V. nudum Winterthur in the same way, as the V. plicatum cultivar's. Same time, same potmix, same time of rooting. We do it in the nursery at July directly in the pots. 6-8 weeks later the plants where well rooted through the pot. Next winter in a frostfree place. In April repot to the next pot.

Uli

[Staale]

Thank you, Uli,that is helpful information. I do not know where in Germany you live, but can you tell me if V. nudum is a good doer in your area?

Staale

[Maggi Young]

Greetings, Uli (Onion)! Welcome to the forum. It will be a great help for readers if you  will add your location to your signature box( you can d0 this by visiting your profile page) .... in the same way as I have....
"Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland"   

[Onion]

Staale,

I live in the northwestpart of Germany. Hardinesszone 7b-8a. V. nudum it a good doer in our place. But I got it from a friend in the south of Germany. He had in the last 4-5 years temperatures of minus 20 degrees. And after one of these winters I visit him and see the motherplant in well conditions.
Most of the broadleaf viburnum are very hard species. I think these is a adaption for cold periods. The evergreen viburnums are tricky in many ways. Wind, sun, not enough water etc.

Maggi,
I add my location to the signature box, right now. Was in hurry this morning.

[Maggi Young]

Thank, you, Uli! 

[Robert G]

Hi Everyone,
Firstly I should introduce myself. My name is Robert and I work at an arboretum in Ottawa, USDA zone 4. Woody plants are my job and love. Arisaemas are another passion, woodland plants too. Honestly I love almost everything green with a focus on that which actually survives in our northern climate.  My friend Kristl Walek encouraged me to join this forum. I signed up a while ago and this seemed a good point to jump in.

Unfortunately at work we only have the straight species in question. Its performance has been dissappointing in the last six years that I have worked there. We had a collection of cultivars, but they died before my time. I will check the records on Monday though. Any cultivars we might still have would be older. The main reason I jumped in is that I am really interested in your future results. Anything that does well in the north is of interest to me. I have had great luck with hardwood cuttings of Viburnums of all kinds. Like Uli said we stick them in pots to reduce root disturance. In summer I do my best to keep them cool. The summer can be fatal. It was -35C yesterday, but in the summer it could be 40C with the humidity. Not to drag you away from your mission have you considered Viburnum x juddi. It does well here and both hard and soft cuttings have worked for me. Dirr's book made me propagate and expand our collection.

[Staale]

Thanks again Uli, and a (belated) warm welcome to the forum from me too.

Hello and a warm welcome to this very global forum to you too, Robert. Good to hear that Kristl is 'spreading the word'. I am not sure that 'mission' is the right word here, but you all know how it is; you somehow notice a special plant that appeals to you, and then the hunt is on (and can last for years!). Yes, I have also considered V x juddi, and think it too a promising plant. Dirrs book really made me aware how diverse this genus is. Good to hear V x juddii does well with you. I live a good bit further north than you, but our climate is not as extreme, I think. In winter we have experienced -25 C, but down to -20 C is more common. Also our summers are not nearly as hot, 33 C being the hottest ever registered.

 

[johnw]

Hi Everyone,
Firstly I should introduce myself. My name is Robert and I work at an arboretum in Ottawa, USDA zone 4.

Welcome Robert. It's heartening to know there are a few Canadians not in deep hibernation - well, marooned indoors but at least not in a deep slumber.

Yesterday was frigid here as was Thursday. We got to -9c for a millisecond, this morning was -16c but the greenhouse is at +18c so the window was opened partially.  Somewhere around -9 or -10c and on the way up.  Rain for late Sunday and Monday.

A few of the evergreen Viburnums are growing on the coast here - V. rhytidophyllum and its hybrids mainly. One of two V. davidii are about but in the southern end of the province - males only I'm afraid.   

How is your Magnolia fraseri faring at the Arboretum?

johnw

[Robert G]

Thank for the welcoming words.

Staale,
I suspect that it those cultivars will do well for you once you get them. Not to get away from those Viburnums, but John mentioned V.rhyidophyllum and hyrids. For us V.x rhytidophylloides 'Alleghany' is performing well. Good luck getting those cultivars. Is the University of Olso a possiblity? At work I have received seeds from there the last few years. They seem to have a nice collection, from the website anyhow.

John,
The two Magnolia fraseri are doing really well. I collected seed last fall and hopefully there will be some seedlings for the nursery this spring. They really deserve to be planted more. Today we warmed up to -14C. Take care.

[Onion]

Hi Everyone,
Firstly I should introduce myself. My name is Uli, I work in a nursery as salesmanager (think my job is described in English) in the northwest part of Germany. In the job I work with the trees and shrubs only on the computer and with the telephone. But in my own garden my favourite woody plants are Viburnums, Philadelphus and broadleaf Azaleas.
And everyone who asked why my nickname is onion, I must say.
My secret love are the onions (Allium), tulip species, the tulipa-greigii cultivars and some of the easier southafrican bulbs (Eucommis, Galtonia, Thulbaghia).
Hope you all understand my English, but the last hours in school depend on 1994.

Uli