Top 14+ shrubs you can easily propagate from cuttings
Take your gardening skills to the next level with this simple plant reproduction technique.
Propagating plants from cuttings is immensely rewarding. Through this easy horticulture technique, you can produce dozens of new plants from pieces of stem or twig cut from your existing shrubs. The resulting plants are genetically identical to the parent plant, so you know exactly what you’ll be developing. Propagating shrubs from cuttings is a great way to save money while increasing your stock of plant material. To be successful, it is important to understand the different types of source material and when to cut them.
Cuttings can be taken from woody growth, called hardwood cuttings, or the soft, tender shoots produced on the current season’s growth, called softwood cuttings. There is also an intermediate stage, called semi-hardwood cuttings. Some plants respond better to softwood cuttings and others to hardwood or semi-hardwood cuttings, as noted in each plant description below. Here’s what to look for with each type of cutting:
- Softwood: Take cuttings from succulent new growth May through July . Stems should snap easily when bent and still display small new leaves at their tips.
- Semi-hardwood: These cuttings are taken a little later in the season, from mid-July until early fall, as the new growth begins to harden and leaves have all reached a mature size.
- Hardwood: As the name suggests, hardwood cuttings are firm and do not bend easily. They are taken in late fall, winter, or very early spring while plants are dormant.
All three types of cuttings are rooted in the same way. Begin by cutting sections of stem measuring about 6 inches in length from healthy plants. Remove leaves from the lower one-third to one-half of the stem. If the plant has large foliage, you can cut the remaining leaves in half to reduce water loss during rooting. Dip the bottom end of the cutting in a rooting hormone (available at garden and hardware stores) to promote root production, then stick the treated end in a damp lightweight, well-draining media. Mist the plant and cover it with a clear plastic bag to prevent the plant from desiccating. Cuttings will begin to develop roots within four to six weeks. Once roots have established, the cutting can be transplanted to a container or the garden. Try this simple technique with one of the following shrubs, all of which are easy to propagate from cuttings.
Producing entire new plants from a handful of sticks is always rewarding, however, it is important to note that plant patent laws protect some plants from being propagated. Be sure to research the cultivar you are planning to propagate to determine if it is protected by a patent.
01 of 14
Camellia
- Botanical Name: Camellia species and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Partial to full shade
- Soil Type: Rich, moist to average, well-draining
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.5-6.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 9
These charming evergreens are beloved for their winter bloomers and handsome foliage. Plants reproduce well from semi-hardwood cuttings collected in June through September, or hardwood cuttings taken in November. Collect cuttings from the current season’s growth, cutting just below the fifth leaf or node.
02 of 14
Forsythia
- Botanical Name: Forsythia spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (6.0-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
Forsythias are harbingers of spring, filling the garden with their cheery yellow blooms. While forsythia shrubs can be grown from all types of cuttings, they tend to be easiest to root from softwood. Collect cuttings for rooting from fresh new growth in early to mid-summer.
03 of 14
Gardenia
- Botanical Name: Gardenia hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Rich, moist, well-drained
- Soil pH: Acidic (5.0 to 6.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Who doesn’t want to fill their garden with the heavenly scent of gardenia blossoms? These evergreen shrubs are easy to root from softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings. For the best success, take cuttings from the shoot tips in June through August.
04 of 14
Holly
- Botanical Name: Ilex spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Rich, Well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (5.5-7.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Hollies are a diverse group of plants with both evergreen and deciduous varieties common in the landscape. Cuttings of evergreen species root most any time of year, though gardeners find good success when taking semi-hardwood cuttings after the first flush of new growth hardens. It can be helpful to set the cutting tray on a heating pad to provide warm soil. For deciduous species, softwood cuttings collected in June or July root readily.
05 of 14
Flowering Quince
- Botanical Name: Chaenomeles speciosa
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Average, well-draining
- Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.5-6.2)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
Flowering quince is one of those old-fashioned shrubs grown for their gorgeous seasonal blooms. Plants tend to be very robust and long-lived, helping to solve problem areas of the landscape. Propagate flowering quince through softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings collected in late spring to early summer. Many deciduous shrubs like flowering quince can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings during the dormant season.
06 of 14
Loropetalum
- Botanical Name: Loropetalum chinense cltvs.
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Rich, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (4.5-7.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Create a gorgeous hedge of Loropetalums from just one plant by rooting cuttings from your favorite bush. Take cuttings in July as the softwood is just beginning to harden. Take care to use a well-draining rooting medium to prevent the stems from rotting before they take root. Providing bottom heat while keeping the foliage cool can hasten the process.
07 of 14
Pieris
- Botanical Name: Pieris japonica
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Rich, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acid (
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8
Pieris can be slow to root, so patience is key. Collect firm softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings in mid-summer and provide bottom heat to hasten the process. Protect the plant from direct sun which will dry out the cuttings. Your efforts are well worth it to reproduce this four-season beauty.
08 of 14
Rose
- Botanical Name: Rosa spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Soil Type: Rich, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (5.5-7.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
Roses respond well to all types of cutting, however semi-hardwood cuttings are easiest to root. Take cuttings of the current season’s growth as it matures, around mid-July to August, and place the bottom end in water immediately to prevent the stem from drying out. If the stem has spent flowers or buds on the tip, remove these, cutting back to the first set of leaves. Many modern roses are grafted onto a disease resistant root stock. Be aware that cuttings will develop their own roots which may not be as robust.
09 of 14
Mock Orange
- Botanical Name: Philadelphus spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Rich, moist, well-draining
- Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (6.5-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Mock orange is an old-fashioned favorite adored for its citrus-scented blooms. This deciduous shrub roots best from softwood cuttings taken in June and July or semi-hardwood cuttings collected in late summer. Mock orange makes a lovely addition to mixed boarders near patios and other outdoor rooms where their fragrant spring blooms can be enjoyed.
10 of 14
Spirea
- Botanical Name: Spirea spp. and hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Average, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (6.0-8.0)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Spirea can be propagated from softwood cuttings collected in June to July or hardwood cuttings taken when plants are dormant. Spirea can also often be propagated by division, much in the same way you divide perennials. This is done during winter dormancy.
11 of 14
Pittosporum
- Botanical Name: Pittosporum tobira
- Sun Exposure: Part sun to shade
- Soil Type: Medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (5.0-8.0)
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: 7 to 10
This fast-growing evergreen shrub makes a great screen or hedge. You can produce numerous plants for massing by collecting semi-hardwood cuttings from mid to late summer. Select firm stems and use a well-draining potting media to root cuttings, such as a 50-50 mix or peat and perlite.
12 of 14
Azalea
- Botanical Name: Rhododendron hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Partial shade, dappled sun
- Soil Type: Rich, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic (4.5-6.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Evergreen azaleas are among the easiest plants to propagate from cuttings. Collect semi-hardwood stems beginning mid-summer. Be sure to collect stem segments from the lush, new growth found at the ends of existing stems rather than thick stems emerging near the base of the plant. Native azaleas are harder to root. Take softwood cuttings of fresh new growth very early in the growing season.
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Boxwood
- Botanical Name: Buxus hybrids
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Moist, well-draining
- Soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.5)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Boxwood is most easily rooted from semi-hardwood cuttings collected in late summer after the current season’s growth has matured to become firm and woody and the leaves are fully developed. Remove foliage from the bottom half of the stems to reduce moisture loss during rooting. Be sure to only collect boxwood cuttings from healthy, disease-free plants.
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Viburnum
- Botanical Name: Viburnum spp. and cltvs.
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Soil Type: Average, medium, well-draining
- Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (6.0-8.0)
- USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 to 8
Most viburnum species are easy to root from softwood cuttings, but some species can be challenging. For those that seem resistant to establishing, wait to transplant them from their rooting containers until after they have gone through a dormant period. Viburnum shrubs can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings collected in late fall or winter after plants go dormant.
