Cinnamomum zeylanicum –when to pug?

[Epicatt2]

Hello All,

My Cinnamomum zeylanicum was recently moved up from a 2-1/2-inch pot into a 4-inch pot and is now about 10-inches tall and seems to like being in the larger pot.  It has been growing more rapidly now plus a small growth has emerged from the potting soil next to it about two inches away.

So, is this species known to send up adventitious growths from its roots?  What's coming up is only about 3-inches tall right now but has the same veination on its leaves as the taller plant.

Also, does this species benefit from removing the apical tip to encourage branching?  If so how tall should it be allowed to get first?  It will be a potted specimen since zone 9b might prove too cold for it from time to time.

So far I havent been able to locate much of anything pro or con about pugging this species.  Any helpful references in print out there about this species?

Comments?  Suggestions?

TIA

Paul M.
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[Daintree]

I have one in a pot in my greenhouse, and I cut it too tall the first time and had problems with the branches hitting the ceiling of the greenhouse. I would cut it about a fourth of the intended height (so if you have an 8 ft ceiling, cut it at 2 ft, if you have a 10 ft ceiling, cut it at 2 1/2 ft etc.  Then when it branches, cut each branch down to about 1-2 ft, and you should get a nice canopy.  Now that mine has hit the ceiling, I let the branches go, and they drape down for a nice effect.
Also, in case you didn't know, when it blooms, the berries are actually edible!
Should mention, my tree is ten years old and in about a 20 gallon pot.  They do not like much nitrogen fertilizer, and I have burned mine a few times.  Also, be careful when pruning that you can actually see the whole branch, because I have accidentally cut off blossom clusters before, because I couldn't actually see the top of the canopy...

Cheers,
Carolyn

[Epicatt2]

Thanx Carolyn.

That is good advice on several counts. 

I'll prolly wind up mostly using the leaves to cook with or make tea.

It's likely close to time to move the plant up again into a larger pot.  I'll try a gallon this time.

Any coomment about whether this species throws up adventitious growths from the roots?  If so it seems like that would be a good way to propogate this plant.

Cheers!

Paul M.
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[pineislander]

Tipping the top will cause branching like any other tree.

[Daintree]

To get the sprouts you talk of, you need to coppice the tree, but I think it may need to be a more mature tree, and not just a seedling. 
Most coppicing is done at about 5-15 inches.  I have never done that to mine - it always looked so happy, I didn't have the heart! 
Now, the curly willow in my back yard is a totally different story - I coppiced that years ago and continue to get water shoots that I grow into dozens of trees for folks who plant them to use the twisty branches in decorative arts.
As far as the cinnamon tree goes, I use the pruning trimmings for tea, and I also just love to chew on a twig as I walk around the greenhouse.  I do get a few sprouts come up but I just yank them out and eat them.  It might be that you can stimulate dormant bud growth by slightly damaging the bark at the base of the trunk (why you get water sprouts after you hit a tree with the lawn mower) without having to fell the tree.

Cheers,
Carolyn

[Epicatt2]

To get the sprouts you talk of, you need to coppice the tree, but I think it may need to be a more mature tree, and not just a seedling.

Carolyn,

Guess I was not entirely clear on the adventitious growth question . . . .

I moved this seedling tree up from a 2-inch pot to a 6-inch pot and it began to grow a bit faster, but . . .

It also of its own accord sent up a little growth nearby.  I did not top the treel

That is the basis for my earlier question.

Paul M.
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[Daintree]

Hi Paul,
Sorry, I thought you wanted millions of sprouts...
Yeah, they do push up adventitious growth sometimes. If you want them, leave them in and you can harvest them. Mine does that every so often but I don't encourage it because I don't want the pot getting crazy crowded.

Carolyn

[Epicatt2]

Yeah, they do push up adventitious growth sometimes. If you want them, leave them in and you can harvest them. [sinp]
I don't encourage it because I don't want the pot getting crazy crowded.

Carolyn, Thanx for this further explanation.  It will prolly prove useful info for other cinnamon-grower novices to be aware of.

Anyway, it did seem to me that if the plant were offering up a little root sucker that eventually it could be removed and potted up separately and used for a trade, etc.

Actually when it first made a sprout that I thought that it was a weed and tried to pull it out but only succeeded in pulling the leaves off, but the half-inch long little stem wouldn't pull out.  That stem quickly turned black and died.  But I smelled the leaves that I had pulled off and found that it had a cinnamon odor.  Still, at that time I wasn't certain whether it was a late germinating seed or was coming from the roots.

But then a few weeks later another sprout appeared and this second one I have left be so it is slowly growing and now has about six leaves.  I have not decided whether to allow it to stay or eventually divide and pot it up separately.

Again thanx for all the helpful information.  It will surely help me succeed with this tree.

Cheers!

Paul M.
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