How to Propagate Sweet Scarlet Goumi Elaeagnus multiflora

This post gives details on How to Propagate Sweet Scarlet Goumi Elaeagnus multiflora.  We provide basic plant information followed by details on how to go about Propagating Sweet Scarlet Goumi.

The Basics

Sweet Scarlet Goumi, with a Latin name of Elaeagnus multiflora, is a Ukrainian variety of goumi hardy down in USDA hardiness zones 4-8.  It is a perennial, deciduous small shrub that likes a well-drained site with at least a half-day of sun.  Goumi is suitable for light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, but prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.

Sweet Scarlet Variety

The sweet scarlet goumi grows 4-6ft. tall and wide. It is self-fertile and produces fragrant creamy white flowers in May followed by tasty little red berries the size of small pie cherries in late June. It has olive shaped leaves and silvery under tones. The wood of the plant is a rich red brown.

Hardy Plant

It is not bothered by pests or diseases and begins bearing 2 to 3 years after planting. They are very drought and wind resistant.  It is a nitrogen fixer and helps other plants that are growing around it.

Good For You

Goumis’ are filled with vitamins A and E and contain more of the heart-healthy nutrient lycopene than even the tomato.

Propagation Basics

Goumi can be propagated by seed, softwood and hardwood cuttings.  For seeds, a warm stratification for 4 weeks followed by 12-weeks cold stratification can help the seeds germinate. Softwood cuttings of 2 ½ – 4 inches can be taken in July/August. Hardwood cuttings of the current year’s growth, 4 – 5 inches with a heel, can be taken in November in a frame. Leave in the ground for 12 months before transplanting.

Softwood Cuttings

We are going to take softwood cuttings.  Softwood cuttings are this year’s growth, the growth that started in the spring.  This wood is usually a little more reddish color and last year’s wood is a little browner in color.

Make the Cut

Cut the softwood branches off of the plant. Then cut the branches down so they have two to four internodes.  Internodes are any place a branch or leaf comes out.  I usually go with three or four.  Leave two leafs at the top and remove the bottom leafs.

And now the Special Sauce

Dip the bottoms of the cuttings in rooting hormone.  I use dip and grow liquid hormone because I only need the one product and I can mix it as strong as I like.  You generally use more solution on harder wood and less on softer wood.  Powder rooting hormone will work, but you may need to get several different products for different concentrations.

Cuttings in the Ground

Now it is time to place the cuttings into the ground.  Push them into your planting medium about two inches down.  Your planting medium should be something that drains freely and easily.  You do not want to saturate the soil where disease and pathogens will proliferate.

Keep Them Wet

These little cuttings will die if the dry out.  You don’t want to soak the ground, but you do want to keep the leaves wet.  The best way to do this is with a mist irrigation system that automatically comes on.  I use the Galcon 8056 and have it programmed for 10 seconds on and 5 minutes off.  This runs all day, but shuts totally off from 9 PM until 6 AM.

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The Video

Check out the video titled Propagating Sweet Scarlet Goumi below.

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