Trochodendron

( tro - koh - DEN - dron )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Wheel Tree, this genus of evergreen trees and shrubs needs full sun or light shade and regular water. They have handsome foliage, and are native to Korea and Japan, reaching 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide. These plants have a horizontal branching pattern and dark green, glossy leaves. Flowers bloom in clusters and are bright green, followed by fruit pods. The genus includes just one extant (living) species, Trochodendron aralioides, and is the type member of the plant family Trochodendraceae. Wheel Tree grows well in zones 4-9 and 14-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map).

Caring for and pruning trochodendron Trees

Grow Trochodendron shrubs and trees in full sun or light shade. They are great landscape shade trees, or can enjoy the filtered shade of other taller plants. The best sun exposure for optimal growth and flowering is between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day. Direct afternoon sun should be avoided, however, as it can scorch leaves. Ensure that soil is well-draining before planting these trees; if local soils are compacted or clayey, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic material and/or sand to improve drainage and structure. These shrubs and trees prefer organically rich soil, so an addition of organic material is usually recommended before planting regardless of soil structure. They prefer soils to be slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH of between 5.0 and 6.5. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of trees to suppress weed growth, increase soil moisture retention, and help to regulate soil temperatures.

Prune trees and shrubs in late wintertime to early springtime to shape it and remove any damaged, diseased, dying or crossing branches. Avoid heavy prunings to lessen the risk of disease and/or pest problems.

Propagation

Trochodendron can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Trochodendron tree or shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Trochodendron by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
In early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Trochodendron by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
Harvest your seeds. Seed pods are left behind after flowers have faded for the season, and will dry and open up once they are ready to release seeds. Once they have begun to open, clip the inflorescence from the shrub and place it into a paper bag. Harvest as many seeds as possible, and bring the bag inside.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.