What Are Witches' Broom Conifer Seedlings?

Definition

• Witches' broom refers to the small, dense, thick bunch of twigs growing on normal-sized branches of conifers. Witches' brooms are most frequently seen on conifers belonging to the pine, spruce, cypress, cedar and hemlock families. The growth often appears as dark balls of twigs in tree crowns, but is also likely to occur in other areas of the tree.

Reasons

• There are many reasons why conifers produce witches' brooms. The most common is that this growth occurs from a mutation in the bud and shoots of the trees. The growth of conifers is considered among the most interesting horticultural and biological mutations. These mutations are either the results of the trees' reaction to a parasite or pathogen, such as those that cause galls on broadleaf trees, or that it is a result of an internal genetic mutation from within the tree itself.

Propagation

• The seedlings from tree cuttings from witches' brooms leads to the growth of miniature plants of the same species. These miniature trees may or not may not produce viable cones that can be used to produce other dwarf varieties. Witches' broom seedlings have a very slow growth rate and take years to develop a mature size. Searching for witches' brooms and propagating dwarf-sized conifers from these is a hobby of many gardening enthusiasts.

Method

• Growing new conifer seedlings from witches' broom starts by taking 4- to 8-inch cuttings from the witches' broom. Remove all leaves from the lower half of the cutting. Fill a small pot with equal amounts of sand, peat and perlite. Dip the base of the cutting in rooting hormone and plant immediately in the pot, inserting to a depth of about 2 inches. Water well and place in a bright area out of direct sunlight. Keep rooting medium moist. Cuttings generally root in four to six weeks.