Propagation of Heptacodium jasminoides Airy-Shaw by Softwood and Semi-hardwood Cuttings

Abstract Softwood and semi-hardwood two node cuttings of Heptacodium jasminoides from basal and middle stem sections rooted better than terminal sections. Basal and middle softwood cuttings exhibited greater rooting (65 and 55% resp.) than terminal cuttings (42%). Basal softwood cuttings produced more roots (7.0) than terminal cuttings (3.8). Root length and rootball diameter were not different among the three cutting positions. Semi-hardwood basal cuttings produced an average of 53.5 roots, while middle and terminal cuttings produced 25.8 and 19.7, resp. Cuttings treated with the potassium salt formulation of indolebutyric acid (K-IBA) exhibited increased rooting, greater root number and length, and greater rootball diameter in softwood cuttings. Semi-hardwood cuttings treated with K-IBA rooted in higher percentages and produced more roots than untreated cuttings.