Can I split a sky pencil holly root?

[Dirtmechanic]

I would love to hear that prior to the initial planting one might cleave this root in two pieces. I have 12 plants and this could give 24.

 

[thistlebloom]

I don't think hollies are commonly divided. They do sucker up, but that might be the common holly. No idea if the Skypencils are prone to suckering, and my impression is that they don't. You could try it on a few and see. I wouldn't split all 12 until I had a feel for the outcome.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I don't think hollies are commonly divided. They do sucker up, but that might be the common holly. No idea if the Skypencils are prone to suckering, and my impression is that they don't. You could try it on a few and see. I wouldn't split all 12 until I had a feel for the outcome.

I know a little about dirt. I am learning about roots. I hope to learn more about the meristem as time goes by. Not cutting anything yet. I just need to plant them before my wife does so there is a bit of a clock.

 

[thistlebloom]

Fall is definitely the right time to experiment with it. Plants focus more on root growth rather than top growth during this time.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Having tried to remove thorny holly root, I testify to the extreme hardiness of that genus around here.

 

[flowerbug]

Having tried to remove thorny holly root, I testify to the extreme hardiness of that genus around here.

have you ever tried air layering to propagate plants? often useful for woody stemmed plants if they have
a fair number of nodes on the branches to work with. can get plants to root into medium before
removing the branch piece to plant in the ground...

i have no knowledge of this plant, but by looking at those stems i'd probably risk it for one plant if i
were to dump the plant out and look at the root structure below the surface and it seemed there
were distinct enough root systems there.

i'm pretty willing to take such risks in the name of learning about a plant. i don't usually lose too
many.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I will. I went to crank my auger and the priming bulb was so old it failed so 24-48 hour delay .....but its gonna happen that I pop them out of the nursery pots and have a look at at least one. It the roots are hairy enough I will go for it.

 

[flowerbug]

i'm just curious if that split continues down far enough that you actually may have two pieces of plant in the same pot already. can't tell until you look. if so that makes it easier as you can just chop then down through the middle with a sharp blade of a shovel or ... wish it is so. good luck.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Razor blade so as to not crush vessels. What I wonder about and really do not have any experience with would be the wisdom of using a rooting stimulant or auxin. They are acid and the root would have suffered enough that it may be best to just plant them and be patient.

 

[thistlebloom]

I would also attempt a split if it looked plausible when examining it out of the pot. But it's not something I would advise someone else to do.

When you take the pot off, snap a few pics, I'm curious if it's two plants or if it branches below the soil.