yes, it will die! Think of the branch as a water pump. It will be sucking air. With a bit of practice you can tell which way is up. If in doubt, keep the cutting wrapped until roots start to emerge.

David

Nah! Prolly won't die. What would happen: Below the soil, the plants polarity would have roots growing upward as they emerge, but they would quickly respond to positive geotropism and begin growing downward. Above the soil, shoots would emerge growing downward, but as they respond to negative geotropism, they would reverse direction and grow upward. In most cases, roots would emerge from nodes and the stem close to the soil line and grow normally while the lower roots decline. A shoot would organize and emerge from a node at or just above the soil line and grow normally while shoots closer to the original proximal end decline. IOW - the cutting establishes an axis at the soil line and sends out new roots/shoots from meristematic sites near that axis that are reversed in polarity from the cutting. There is a more complete physiological explanation, but it's even drier than what I just offered.

Al

Hi BigAl,
hope this helps give you a idea of which way is up as you propagate more scion it gets more easy to recognize.
Look at this picture near the top of stick you see what looks like a volcano crater if you look closely you can see its angled upwards thats the scar left from the leaf stem which angle upwards. Also look at the nodes of a piece of scion you can see tiny pimples directly under it. No pimples or leaf scar go down to next node you will eventually see a sign 1 or both on piece of scion. These signs tell you its right side up.

Just remember and not to confuse you some scion that had produced figs will have a bump above node where previous season it produced a fig and at node or just below it is where the leaf stem was present. Just look at the scars around the node area and you should find 1 on a piece of scion angled up or down and or the pimples i mention.
Once you have looked at enough scion it gets easier to tell.
Here is example a picture which i feel is good way to understand what i mean.The leaf scar will be pointing downwards and the pimples that circle round the node will be directly above it an indication of wrong way.
After reading this turn picture upside down and you will see how for example this stick would be facing the "wrong way" for propagating.
Hope this helps you.
{{gwi:817850}}
Martin

Thanks to all ...you guys are a GREAT resource!