Cutting Jade trunk or branches to stimulate new leaves

markciotti

I recently read somewhere that if one were to cut or nick the bark on a Jade tree, new leaves will develop at the cut sites.
About 3 months ago, I found the remains of a very large Jade tree in an alley near my home. There were no roots, but the trunk and branches ranged from about 4" to 16" in diameter.
I've cut it into sections (about 12" to 18" high/long), allowed them to callous over (for about a month or more) then placed them in perlite about 2 inches deep. They are finally rooting and some have produced new leaves/branches and tiny buds.
If what I read about inducing leafing by making cuts in the bark is true, I'd really appreciate any information on how to do it and how long it will take to get new leaves on the cuts.
My ultimate goal is to end up with very large trunk bases covered with as many leaves as possible.
While I realize Jade isn't a common Bonsai plant material, I've seen several at Bonsai Shows and found them very interesting specimens.
Thanks for any information.
Mark in San Diego, CA

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