When to Transplant Calycanthus Floridus?

Transplanting Suckers

• When left alone, a Calycanthus floridus will spread and naturalize through aggressive suckering. These suckers (or baby plants) that emerge around the parent shrub can be transplanted to other locations in the landscape. This transplanting is possible throughout the year as long as the transplants remain moist after planting. Use a sharp shovel to dig up the suckers with as much of the root system that you can easily handle. Smaller transplants require smaller root systems and often transplant better.

Transplanting Established Plants

• Transplanting an established Calycanthus floridus requires planning ahead. Shrubs growing for several seasons have larger root systems. Root pruning the shrub a year prior to the transplant date often increases the success rate. The best time to root prune deciduous shrubs like the Calycanthus floridus is in the fall once the leaves have fallen. Push a sharp shovel deep in the soil to create a root ball equal to half the width of the shrub. Dig out a root ball 6 inches larger in the spring.

Transplanting Purchased Plants

• When you buy Calycanthus floridus shrubs from nurseries, you must transplant them into the landscape. The best time to transplant purchased plants depends on the root condition, or how the plant is grown or shipped. Shrubs grown in containers survive transplants most times of the year, except during winter. Bare root plants transplant best in spring, and balled and burlapped shrubs transplant well in either spring or fall. Transplant Calycanthus floridus shrubs as soon as possible after purchase.

Planting Technique

• No matter what type of Calycanthus floridus shrub you transplant, proper planting is essential for survival. Dig a hole at least twice the width of the root system (or container) and a few inches shallower to allow for settling. Put a mound of soil in the center of the hole to place any bare root plants on and never plant the shrub deeper than it previously grew. Fill the hole and water well to force the air out and settle the soil against the roots.