Fouquieria from cuttings?

[Mike]

Does anyone have any experience of trying to root Fouquieria macdougalii?
Mine has rotted at the base but there is a 20cm length of stem that appears unaffected. Any advice apprecitated!
Cheers
Mike

[Ali Baba]

I have read that it can be done. Try, you have nothing to lose! I would go for rooting it in a damp medium.

[MikeT]

I had an accident with a Fouquieria diguetii earlier this year, with a piece being knocked off. I stuck it in a pot of Tesco cat litter granules, watered occasionally, and it soon grew some roots. It's now in a pot of my standard compost. It was leafless when broken off, now in full leaf.

The piece of Monsonia in the cat litter still hasn't rooted after 2 years - that's how I know it's cat litter. 2 more bags of Euro Car parts oil spill granules were delivered this morning, seems identical to the now unavailable Tesco cat litter granules.

[Mike]

Thank you. I'll try the cat litter. the last bags of Tesco's that I bought had much larger particles which I doubt will help rooting but I'll give it a go!
Mike

[MikeT]

Here's the accidental cutting. For scale, it's in a 2¾" pot

[kohinoor]

i believe the key is temperature and the size of cutting.

I cut my Fouquieria macdougalii in spring temp is around 15C.
They are 20 cm long.Keep 1 week to let cut dry.
I use very deep pot and stick it in soil 5 cm deep.
keep soil mildy moist. They root in summer after temp go up to 30C. 5 out of 7 rooted.

From my previous experience with bush-tree like succulent (Bursera and Decarya )
They have smaller energy reserve in twig then other thick stem Succulent like Euphorbia.
So the size of cutting matters a lot the bigger the more energy reserve it have.
Or else it will run out of energy before rooting.

I live in subtropical climate. But my Fouquieria still enter winter dormancy. They are really sensitive to cold!

[Mike]

Well I only have the one twig to try to root, and I doubt it'll get 30C, but I'll give it a shot!
Mike

[MikeT]

Well I only have the one twig to try to root, and I doubt it'll get 30C,

Mine rooted without any heat at all, just on the kitchen windowsill.