How to start an eastern wahoo from seeds or cuttings
Question: I saw dog fennel plants (eupatorium capilliforium) all over the Wisconsin State Fair last year but don’t know where to find the plants. Can you help?
Answer: Elegant Feather is the sterile cultivar of Eupatorium capilliforium
that is a frequent addition to containers and garden beds at the Wisconsin State Fair. New and unique plant varieties can be challenging to find. Several garden centers in Wisconsin sold the plant last year, and there are a few online sources, as well. I would start with a call to your local garden center to see if they are planning to sell Elegant Feather this year. Once you locate a source, plan on shopping early as they are likely to sell out fast.
Q: I would like to start some eastern wahoo shrubs from seeds or cuttings collected from my existing plants. I have tried chilling them in the refrigerator then planting outside, tried rooting cuttings, and not sure what else I can do. Any suggestions?
A: This native shrub ( Euonymus atropurpureus) needs a warm and cold period for seeds to break dormancy and germinate. In nature, the seeds drop to the ground in fall when the soil is still warm, providing the needed warm phase that helps soften the seed coat. Then cold weather arrives, breaking the seed’s dormancy so it can sprout in spring. Watch for any seedlings that may sprout near your existing plants. These can be transplanted to the preferred location. Consider protecting the small seedlings from critters and other potential damage.
You can try to mimic nature’s treatment of the seeds. Collect fruit just as the seed capsule starts to split open. Allow these to air dry for several days. Remove at least part of the fleshy seed coat, the aril, from the seed. This can be tricky as the seed beneath can easily be damaged. Some gardeners shake the seeds in a bag while others rub them through a coarse screen. Plant the prepared seeds in a flat of moist potting mix and store in a warm location for 60 days. Then move to cold storage for 60 days before placing them in a warm location to sprout and grow. Try planting a few seeds you collect directly in the garden as well as inside. It never hurts to experiment to find the method that works best for you.
Q: My wife has this unusual plant, she said it is a lemon tree, but the leaves do not resemble a lemon tree and it has spikes on the stem. The leaves consist of one large and one small leaf that look the same, just different sizes. Any ideas of this plant’s true identity?
A: This is likely a citrus and possibly a lemon. Many citrus have spines on the stems that can be cut off without harming the plant. If just stems that sprout from below the soil are thorny, these are growing from the root stock and should be cut back to the soil surface. Citrus leaves may develop a flange along the leaf stem, the petiole, that looks like a smaller version of the leaf blade.