The common trumpet tree (Catalpa bignonioides) is often confused with the angel's trumpet due to the similar name. In fact, they are completely different types of plants. In the case of the trumpet tree, it is up to 15 meters (and very wide). Deciduous deciduous tree with large, heart-shaped leaves and showy, white flowers. The tree, which originally comes from the USA, can be propagated quite easily using seeds, cuttings or planters.
How to propagate a trumpet tree with cuttings?
To propagate a trumpet tree with cuttings, half-ripe shoots about 10 cm long should be cut in July/August, leaves except for the top pair should be removed and dipped in rooting powder. Then plant the cutting in potting soil and keep the substrate slightly moist. Overwinter the cutting indoors.
Choose half-ripe shoots for propagation from cuttings
If you want to propagate your trumpet tree using cuttings, it is best to choose half-ripe shoots about ten centimeters long in July / August.
- Keep the cutting surface slightly slanted,
- this makes it easier for the still rootless cutting to absorb water.
- Remove all but the top pair of leaves.
- If the leaves are very large, you can cut them in half.
- This means that less water evaporates through the leaves.
- Dip the cut site into a rooting powder (€9.00 on Amazon).
- Now plant the prepared cuttings in a pot with potting soil.
- Place the plant in a bright, but not directly sunny and warm place,
- for example on a windowsill.
- Keep the substrate slightly moist, but not wet.
Overwinter the cutting indoors; the still very sensitive plant is unlikely to survive the cold season outside. It is best to keep the young tree in a pot for at least two to three years, as trumpet trees only become winter-proof as they get older.
Spherical trumpet tree only through grafting
However, if you want to propagate a globe trumpet tree, please note that these varieties can only be grown through inoculation (i.e. H. refinement). So you have to inoculate a shoot, for example of the popular variety 'Nana', onto a rootstock. The common trumpet tree is usually used for this.
Older specimens form sinkers
Older trumpet trees often develop sinkers that root themselves and grow on the ground. Growing offshoots is very easy: you just have to cut the (rooted) young plants off the mother plant and continue to treat them like cuttings. However, it makes little sense to let the offshoots root alone: on the one hand, the young trumpet trees often do not survive a typical German winter, but on the other hand, the very large and wide-growing trees should not grow too close to one another and thus compete with one another for light and nutrients.
Tip
Propagation using (home-grown or purchased) seeds is even easier than propagating cuttings. Trumpet trees produce seed pods that turn brown when ripe.