Vegetative Propagation Methods in Cornelian Cherry Cultivation

When Cornelian cherry is planted as seedlings grown from seed, only 6-year-old seedlings can flower and bear fruit, whereas planting with vegetatively propagated seedlings can maintain the superior traits of the mother plant, and they generally flower and bear fruit in 4 years. Common vegetative propagation methods include cuttings, grafting and layering.

1. Cutting propagation Generally from April to May, from superior-type mother trees, select vigorous, pest- and disease-free one- to two-year-old branches, cut them into 15 cm to 20 cm long cuttings, cut the upper end flat and the lower end slanting, keep about 4 leaves on each cutting, and cut off all the remaining leaves and petioles. Use a mixture of humus and fine sand in equal proportions as the cutting bed, open furrows on the cutting bed at 20 cm row spacing, insert the cuttings in the furrows at 8 cm to 10 cm plant spacing, covering with soil as you insert them. After inserting, water once thoroughly and cover with agricultural film. In mid-June remove the agricultural film and set up a shade frame with 10% light transmittance; after about 90 days to 100 days they will root and survive.

2. Grafting propagation Cornelian cherry is generally grafted using seedlings grown from seed, and tree species of other genera in the same family as Cornelian cherry, such as Swida wilsoniana, Cornus controversa and Cornus kousa, can be used as rootstocks. The seedlings used as rootstocks are best one to two years old with a ground diameter of 0.6 cm to 1 cm. Select superior-type middle-aged mother trees with a vigorous tree habit and no pests or diseases, collect fully developed one-year-old branches from the middle-upper part or outer periphery of the canopy, cut them into 10 cm to 15 cm lengths, and seal the upper and lower cut ends of the scions with paraffin. After sealing with wax, store the scions in a low-temperature place ready for grafting. The suitable grafting period is from April to September.

3. Layering propagation Every year in autumn, in October, select superior-type mother trees that are vigorous and about 10 years old, bend branches sprouting around the root collar or branches close to the ground down to the ground, and notch them to the xylem at the point where they are to take root in the soil. Then bury them in a 15 cm deep hole, cover with soil and firm it down, fix the branch tips exposed above ground to wooden stakes, and strengthen management; when new roots have grown, separate them from the mother plant and plant them out.