Cistus propagation

[Darren]

Cistus are not usually difficult from cuttings in my experience, but we have one especially nice one which was grown from seed sown well over 20 years ago that is being very awkward. The seed packet was labelled C. ladanifer but the resulting plants seemed to be hybrid. They have the leaves of ladanifer (and are very sticky) but the flowers are pure white and very large (peony sized). Our last plant is getting quite leggy and we need to move it soon in any case so we would like to propagate it vegetatively.

I have taken cuttings (soft & semi ripe) for 3 years with no luck. The hardwood cuttings I took last autumn are (at least) not dead yet so may still root. And Susan has taken some to try in a mist propagator she has access to.

Can anyone recommend anything else if these fail?

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Darren,
I don't have any knowledge of Cistus propagation specifically, but another method might be to try an aeroponic propagator. They sometimes work where other methods fail.

Paul

[Carolyn]

I wonder if layering would work, Darren?

[JPB]

Darren, I do not have problems with Cistus cuttings. I take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or early fall and put them in pressed turf pots (2x sowing soil, 1x perlite >2mm; 1x vermiculite >2mm but other substrate works fine too as long as it is aery) after dipping in rooting powder. I use a propagator and put it under fluorescent light at 10-15C. Rooting starts after a month or so. Rooting percentage is normally 50-75% depending in the species. C. ladanifer is easy also.

Good luck,
Hans

[Darren]

Thank you all for your helpful hints. I will let you know how I get on.