Question
I had a very handsome Tiger Eye Rhus typhina laciniata in a pot which I planted out when big enough.  Today I found the top of the plant and all the leaves chewed off and all the bark of the two main branches stripped off. My questions are a) if I cut it down to two or three inches and put a cage over it will it sprout again from the bottom and b) I have rescued some of the foliage which was lying on the ground and put it in a vase.  Can I take cuttings from this?    Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hello Anthea

Oh dear!!  If all the bark has been stripped from those 2 main branches, I'm afraid that they will definitely die!  

Will it grow again if you cut it down?  I honestly don't know, but nothing ventured, nothing gained!  Give it a try!

Cuttings - as long as you have a good 3-4 inches from the tips of a few shoots it could be possible to root some cuttings now:

1.  Cut just below a leaf joint, trim off all but the top 2 leaves.

2.  Dip the bottom of the stem in hormone rooting powder and insert into a pot of compost mixed 50/50 with sharp sand - this is washed river sand available from any garden centre.  You can put 3-4 cuttings into a 4 inch pot, but make sure that the leaves are not touching each other.

3. If you have a cold frame the cuttings can be kept there over the winter.  Otherwise keep them in a cool, but frost free, light place -a porch is ideal - until they have rooted, which should be by next spring - you will know there are roots when you see new growth at the tips of the cuttings.

4. Once the cuttings have formed roots they can be potted on into individual pots and grown on until they are big to plant outside (with suitable protection against the attention of the deer, of course!)

I really hope you are successful with this!

Gill