Rooting of baldcypress cuttings

A test of the rooting performance and growth of cuttings from 1-year-old and 25-to 50-year old baldcypress (Taxodium distichum L.) branch tips is reported. Rooting of cuttings from one-year-old trees averaged 75% (0.1% IBA treatment) and 88% (control), cuttings from 25 to 50-year-old trees averaged 12% in both the IBA treatment and the control treatment. Indole-3-butyric acid at a 0.1% concentration did not enhance rooting, but resulted in a significant increase in shoot dry weight on cuttings from one-year-old trees. The results of this experiment suggest that cuttings from mature baldcypres trees have the potential to root, thereby, additional rooting techniques such as girdling and stump sprouts is worthy of pursuing.