A nearby school has this privet along the foundation.
In years past the white section was larger, but the bush was recently cut back significantly.
You can see the sports still coming back at the base.
Is this something unique? Not seeing anything this white in a quick google search.
If so, any tips on propagating the sports?
I don’t know anything about this type of plant, just suggesting a generic strategy.
Are you able to do some sort of air layering? Put some dirt around those tiny shoots. Maybe even score (w/ knife) at the bottom of a few of the shoots and sprinkle some root hormone.
If not, you can try to cut a shoot, take it inside, and put it in some moist dirt/medium with root hormone. If you put in a clear cup, you can monitor any root growth.
No, I can’t really layer it safely. Rooting cuttings was my tentative plan like you said plan
Okay then you can take a few cuttings if nobody cares and try to root them at home.
You really can’t root albino branches, they will just die. The best thing to do is to graft some small branches on the same type of tree which has the normal green leaves. You need the green leaves for it to get photosynthesis. The albino branch can’t do this so it dies by itself.
Here’s a good study of albino redwood trees, similar to any other albino branch/shoots on tree. I have successfully taken cuttings of albino lemon branches and grafted it on normal lemon (green leaves) and it is still living and even had some fruits. My carrotwood tree also has a few albino branches that I’m trying to harvest by taking cutitngs and grafting it.
Ghost Redwoods - Solving the Albino Redwoods Mystery - Sempervirens Fund
Good to know. It makes sense.
Super helpful thanks! I was tempted to call them albino too but had never heard that in reference to plants to be honest.
I actually had been wondering how they could photosynthesize…
The thought of propagating privet gives me the shudders. I think it’s the most invasive plant in the south like double the acreage of kudzu.
