North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

My son was raising Luna moth caterpillars last fall, which feed on cherry.  There is a Prunus pennsylvanica (so-called "pin cherry") in the yard that has dark red leaves and he cut shoots of that.  To keep them fresh, the stems were put in water.  Some of the caterpillars made cocoons in leaves on those shoots.  The whole cage was put away in a cool shed for the winter as the cocoons won't hatch until spring anyway, and when it was brought out a week ago to await hatching of the moths, the cherry shoots, which had been in water all winter, were rooted and starting to grow.
I don't know how easily the species roots from cuttings, but it's the first time I've seen anything other than willow root that easily just sitting in water for so many months.  Might be worth exploring further as a way to root other prunus.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.