How to Grow Tecomaria

From Cuttings

• 1

  Harvest a 6-inch-long tip cutting from the end of a healthy, vigorous Tecomaria stem in early summer, about mid-May. Select a cutting with four or more sets of leaves and no flower buds.

• 2

  Sever the cutting just below the point where two leaves emerge from the stem. Make the cut straight across using floral snips. Remove the leaves from the bottom 3 inches of the cutting.

• 3

  Set the Tecomaria cutting in a jar filled with cool water while preparing a rooting container. Set the jar in a cool, shaded spot to keep the cutting fresh.

• 4

  Combine equal measures perlite, coir and coarse sand in a large bowl or bucket. Stir the mixture while pouring 1 to 2 cups of water over it to distribute the moisture evenly.

• 5

  Fill a 6-inch-diameter plastic pot with the perlite mixture. Create a 3-inch-deep hole in the center of the perlite mixture.

• 6

  Remove the Tecomaria cutting from the jar of water. Shake off the excess liquid. Press the bottom 3 inches into a jar of 0.1 percent IBA rooting talc. Tap the stem to release the excess powder.

• 7

  Place the end of the Tecomaria cutting into the prepared hole in the rooting pot. Press the perlite mixture snugly against the stem to steady it.

• 8

  Set the potted Tecomaria cutting outdoors in a partially shaded spot with good air circulation. Limit sun exposure to 30 minutes or less during the afternoon.

• 9

  Maintain soil moisture at a 2-inch depth at all times while the Tecomaria cutting is rooting. Avoid letting the soil dry out for more than a few hours.

• 10

  Check for roots in 25 to 30 days. Keep the Tecomaria cutting in its pot for two weeks before planting it out in a sunny bed with loamy soil and good drainage.

By Layering

• 11

  Grow Tecomaria by layering in early summer about late May or early June. Start the process once temperatures top 55 degrees F at night.

• 12

  Prepare a rooting pot. Fill a 6-inch-diameter plastic pot with garden soil taken from the base of the parent shrub.

• 13

  Find a vigorous stem at the edge of the Tecomaria parent shrub. Select one with green bark, a pliant feel and no buds or active flowers at the tip.

• 14

  Pull the stem down toward the ground. Bend the stem at a 65-degree angle 6 inches from the tip. Pluck off and discard any leaves present 1 inch on either side of the bent section.

• 15

  Scrape the underside of the bent portion of the stem using a utility knife. Remove a thin layer of the outer bark.

• 16

  Apply a thin layer of 0.1 percent IBA rooting talc to the wounded portion of the Tecomaria stem. Dip the stem directly into the jar of rooting talc or apply it with a brush.

• 17

  Press the bent portion of the Tecomaria stem into the prepared pot of soil. Push it 1 inch deep and cover it completely. Place a medium-sized stone on top of the pot to hold the stem in place.

• 18

  Maintain soil moisture in the pot at a depth of 2 inches. Apply 1/2 cup of water every three to five days.

• 19

  Check for roots in 25 to 30 days by lifting the stone and gently tugging on the stem to feel if it is anchored. Replace the stone if the stem feels loose and wait another 10 to 15 days before checking again.

• 20

  Sever the stem connecting the rooted Tecomaria stem from the parent plant using a utility knife. Cut the stem flush with the soil in the pot.

• 21

  Keep the Tecomaria sapling in the pot for a four to six weeks to allow it to produce a larger roots system before planting it out into a permanent bed.