Propagating Pollinator Plants

This year I *really* noticed the Western Soapberry trees in the North Texas (North of Dallas / Ft Worth MetroMess) area during their bloom, and the pollinators all over the trees while in bloom.   I suspect this was a 2nd bloom for the year.   My time really noticing them was from the end of May through the 2nd week of June 2025.

Here is some good general info on the Soapberry Trees:  https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/outdoorok/ooj/wildlife-food-thought-western-soapberry

And a good video that illustrates the differences in the Western Soapberry and the Chinese Tallow – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPdBIumKmPs

One of the properties where I manage honeybees – has several of the Western Soapberry Trees.  There is an old adage that “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago the second best time is now”.   So  – NOW is the time to start propagation to get more pollinator-feeding trees planted in areas where they have not been before.

This tree is the Western Soapberry – it’s blooms, leaves, and berry

I took cuttings of relatively young growth, along with 1 year old wood, as well as leaves.   My truck was full!

Once home, I started cutting the appropriately aged wood to 6″-8″ (15cm-20cm) lengths, with a node just above each bottom cut, and a node at the top if possible.  I made approximately 100 cuttings of woody material, and appx 15 cuttings from leaves – just as an experiment to see if the leaflet stalks will root.

I soaked the bottom end of all the cuttings in rainwater for about 36 hours…   then prepared a damp sand mix into several containers, to provide beds for mass rooting production.   Each container was filled with damp sand to have a depth of about 4″ (10cm), and I used an old writing pen to make holes in the sand – where the cuttings would be dropped into.   Before dropping each cutting into it’s hole – I dipped it into the powdered rooting hormone – to give it a thick coating of the hormone.  Then, each one was dropped into it’s own hole in the sand – and was patted by hand, so that there should be no air voids next to the under-surface portion of the cuttings.

The containers of cuttings were then placed into white trash bags – and the tops tied, so that they will act as a terrarium – holding in water / moisture, and maintaining a damp environment.

• 6-9-2025 – Made cuttings from original trees / evening – cut to 6″-8″ lengths – set bottom ends in rain water
• 6-10-2025 – added rooting hormone powder to the water
• 6-11-2025 – put cuttings in pots after dipping into rooting hormone powder / pots into white trash bags for water retention
• 6-19-2025 – I pulled 7 random cuttings and rinsed off – none had developed any root, yet.   I reapplied rooting hormone powder, and put back into the sand.