Air Layering Camellias

	Air Layering Camellias
	Illustrated guide to an easy propagation technique
(c) 2004 Mississippi Gulf Coast Camellia Society
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Air layering is an ancient Chinese propagation technique that has gotten new life from modern materials. The basic idea is to strip away the bark from a section of branch, apply rooting medium around the girdle, wait for roots to develop, and finally months later cutaway the new plant. The Chinese used special clay pots and ordinary soil to perform their layer. Today we use aluminum foil, plastic wrap and sphagnum moss to the same effect. Air layering can in theory be done any time of the year, but it is most conveniently done in mid-March (as we assume here) on camellias.

The success rate for Mississippi Gulf Coast Camellia Society members with air layering is near 100 percent, and can be an ideal way to propagate plants.

2. Allow the sphagnum moss to soak in a pail of water. (Note: it does not seem necessary but some people like to add fungicides to the water at this stage -- if you do be sure to protect your hands and so forth.)

3. Pick a camellia branch with a nice habit and about 18 inches from the tip girdle by striping away about 3/4 to 1 inch of bark with your knife. See photo. (Its been discovered that lightly applying a piers to the branch can also strip away the bark.) Once done the white of the wood should be showing through and the green layer removed.

4. Prune out any small branches in the vicinity of the girdle that will interfere with applying the sphagnum.

5. Take a handful (say about the size of an medium orange) of wet sphagnum and squeeze out the excess water so that the moss is now only sponge damp.

6. Wrap the sphagnum around the girdle, and apply a square of plastic wrap to secure it in place. The wrap should keep the sphagnum moist for six-months. See photo.

7. Take a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil (dull side out) and wrap around the plastic. Twist the ends of the foil to help secure the foil and plastic wrap. See photos.

8. If all goes well by early September roots should have grown out from the camellia into the sphagnum, and if you remove the aluminum foil layer you should be able to see them pressing against the plastic wrap. See photo.

9. Assuming roots have developed, in September sever the air-layered branch from the rest of the camellia four to six inches (say) below the sphagnum ball. (The purpose of the four to six-inches is to leave a "stick" that will help when potting up the plant. See photo.

10. Prepare a small pot with potting mix in which to grow on the camellia. Remove any aluminum foil and plastic wrap from the plant and set the camellia in the pot with the six inch stick (see step 9) resting on the bottom of the pot to help stabilize the plant. See photo.

12. Keep the plant in a shaded protected spot for the next several weeks while the air layer adjusts to its new circumstances. (A sheet of dry-cleaner plastic placed loosely over the plant may help conserve moisture.) Water as necessary.