propagating Romneya coulteri

I am looking for miracle methods to grow this on a fairly large scale!

I have collected seed and burned a flat..but wonder if anyone has had luck with cuttings. If so, what hormone, time of year,etc. I just took about 200 cuttings, as the cutting material looked wonderful, with one flat on bottom heat outside, and one in a greenhouse. Some of you may be laughing, if this is a futile effort. I seem to remember from years ago that they just grew lovely leaves but never rooted.

Anyway, help would be apprecaited!Karen</p>

Karen,I have had some very little luck with robust root cuttings but have not tried cuttings of above ground material. I had been warned against its futility.Still, perhaps they are wrong. Perhaps there is a miracle method out there. I hope you find it and share it! Perhaps contacting a few nurseries who grown natives would help. They might share a secret or two if approached in the right manner.

Good Luck-Dan</p>

Hi, Karen! Dan is right, and your memory is correct - Romneya cuttings will look vibrant for a long time, put out new leaves, but never a root.

Root cuttings are one way to go. This is done in the fall with pieces of root that are about the diameter of a pencil, long enough to fit comfortably in a 1-gallon or 2-gallon pot. Now, I forget how deeply to bury them - maybe 2' of soil? Many nurseries have propagated Romneya this way, but sometimes there is a reddish disease a kind of rust? that attacks the root cuttings.

Good luck,

Lori</p>