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Growing Softwood Cuttings: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 23, 2024 โ™› By Melissa J. Will

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Use softwood cuttings to propagate new plants from favorite annuals and perennials. Includes recommended plants and detailed step-by-step instructions.

In late fall and winter, you can root older growth: How to Grow Plants from Hardwood Cuttings.

Diagram showing how to take softwood cuttings and plant them in potting mix.

Softwood Cutting Propagation

Plants to grow from softwood cuttings including lavender and forsythia.

This walks you through everything you need to know to start growing softwood cuttings.

I’ll show you what they are, when to take them, list examples of plants you can try this on, and provide step-by-step instructions.

Once you see how it’s done, you can use the same skill for propagating countless other plants.

Contents

  • Getting Started
  • How to Take Softwood Cuttings
  • Plants to Grow From Softwood Cuttings
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Resources

Getting Started

What is a softwood cutting?

A softwood cutting is piece of plant stem taken from a woody plant while it is still green and has not yet formed bark, typically during early or mid-summer.

Many woody plants go through these growth phases:

  1. Herbaceous (young, green growth in spring)
    Fine, pliable new growth that will bend instead of breaking.
  2. Softwood (starting to toughen up)
    May snap when bent.
  3. Semi-ripe or semi-hardwood (woody bark starting to form)
  4. Hardwood (late summer and fall)
    With its tough, protective coat, a healthy woody stem is unlikely to snap when bent.

Once mature, a woody or hardwood stem remains so for life, although that same stem may send out new green shoots.

There are pros and cons to propagating stem cuttings at each of these stages.

During the softwood phase the young stems are not as vulnerable to drying out as herbaceous stem cuttings and faster growing than semiโ€”and hardwood cuttings.

Hardwood cuttings are slower growing but tougher with (in my experience) better success rates overall.

As with all propagation, be willing to experiment and start more than you need.

Keep reading for step-by-step instructions and recommended plants to try growing from softwood cuttings.


Apple tree blossoms.

Related: Getting Started With Plant Propagation


How to Take Softwood Cuttings

Lilac is one example of a stem you can grow from softwood cuttings.

This is a generalized version of what I do for all types of cuttings from softwood to hardwood.

Youโ€™ll notice lots of variations between gardeners but ultimately if enough of the growing conditions are met, we each succeed.

Depending on the plant, apical (main) shoots or lateral (side) shoots work best.

The parts that can form roots are the nodesโ€”the areas on stems where leaves and/or lateral shoots originate from.

In the diagrams below, you’ll notice the cuts are always below a node for this reason.

Supplies

  • Potting mix, soil-less
  • 6-8โ€ณ flower pot (clay or plastic) | plastic works best
  • Rooting hormone powder (optional)
  • Garden snippers
  • Scalpel or sharp, clean knife
  • Plastic food bag and damp paper towel
  • Softwood cuttings (6 per pot)

Steps

1Prepare Pot for Planting

Flower pot
  • Have your flower pot and organic soil-less potting mix ready.
  • Water potting mix thoroughly and top up as needed.

2Take Cutting from Donor Plant

Diagram showing where to take a softwood plant cutting from main plant.
  • Obtain your cutting in the morning, if possible, when stems are fully hydrated.
  • Choose a new growth stem (from the current growing season) that does not have any buds or flowers.
  • Use a sharp, clean knife and cut just above a leaf node.
  • Be careful never to crush or squeeze the stems.
  • Wrap cutting in damp paper towel and place in plastic bag or bin until next step.
  • You can root up to 6 cuttings in one pot, so get a bunch of them.

3Remove Lower Leaves

Diagram showing where to remove leaves from softwood plant cutting.
  • Remove lower leaves.

4Trim Stem

Diagram showing second cut on softwood plant cutting for propagation.
  • Trim stem directly below leaf nodes (where you just removed the lower leaves).

5Apply Rooting Hormone if Needed

At this stage in a plant’s growth, rooting hormone is generally not needed unless the stem is getting fairly tough or woody.

This explains when and when not to use rooting hormone.

โ€ข Place small amount of rooting hormone powder on plate.
โ€ข Dip stem in rooting hormone powder.
โ€ข Gently tap off excess.

6Plant Stem

Diagram showing inserting plant cutting in flower pot.

โ€ข Push stem into potting mix, approximately 2-inches deep (up to remaining leaf stems).
โ€ข The ideal position in the pot is against the inner wall.

7Plant More

Diagram showing plant cuttings rooting in flower pot.

โ€ข You can fit approximately 6 cuttings around the inside of a 6-inch pot.

8Care & Growth

Diagram showing plant cuttings growing in flower pot.

In the summer, I keep my cuttings on a covered patio. You could also keep them indoors near a window but never in direct sun.

Softwood cuttings rely on photosynthesis for energy. This means it’s helpful to have some leafy growth up top to facilitate this.

Ideally, temperatures stay between 60 and 80ยฐ F (15 to 27ยฐ C) and you follow these tips:

โ€ข Keep soil moist, not soggy. You can use a plant mister on the foliage as desired.
โ€ข Keep pot in a warm, sheltered location (to avoid drying out).
โ€ข Provide high humidity but with good air flow. Some use a greenhouse misting system.
โ€ข Growth rate varies by species and vigor of mother plant.
โ€ข Freshly cut stems may wilt and look rather pathetic for the first week or so. Donโ€™t panic: with even watering, they will perk up.
โ€ข In most cases, roots form after 4-6 weeks, which means the cuttings are ready for transplanting into individual pots.
โ€ข You may also notice new leaf growth (hooray!).
โ€ข After another month, plants should be ready for planting in the garden.

Once you see how simple it is, there are so many possibilities.

Plants to Grow From Softwood Cuttings

About Plant Patents

Some plants areย patentedย and asexual reproduction is not permitted without permission from the patent holder. Patents and trademarks are usually listed on plant tags.

Spring

Elderberries.
Elderberry
Dogwood flowers.
Dogwood
Coleus.
Coleus

Mid-Spring to Early Summer | After Last Frost

Take cuttings from new growth that is starting to toughen.

Beware that any plants you propagate are not on your local invasive species list.

Here are some suggestions (thereโ€™s lots more than Iโ€™ve listed here).

  • Coleus Soenostemon
  • Clematis Clematis
  • Dogwood Cornus
  • Elderberry Sambucus
  • Forsythia Forsythia
  • Fuchsia Fuchsia
  • Gardenia Gardenia
  • Geranium Pelagonium
  • Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
  • Hydrangea Hydrangea
  • Lilac Syringa
  • Mock Orange Philadelphus
  • Mock strawberry Potentilla
  • Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus
  • Rose Rosa
  • Sage Salvia
  • Viburnum 
  • Weigela
  • Wisteria*

*Some are invasive in parts of North America.


Empress of Dirt in the spring garden.

Related: Handy Garden Checklist: What To Do In Spring


Summer

Boxwood leaves.
Boxwood
Passion flower.
Passion Flower
Solanum.
Solanum

Summer Semi-Ripe Cuttings

Take cuttings on maturing stems (base is hard, tip is soft) in late summer.

  • Boxwood Buxus
  • Butterfly bush Buddleia *
  • Cherry laurel Lauraceae
  • Coleus Soenostemon
  • Escallonia Escallonia
  • Evergreen shrubs
  • Geranium Pelargonium
  • Dead-nettles Lamium*
  • Herbs: bay, hyssop, lavender, rosemary, rue, sage, thyme
  • Holly Ilex
  • Honeysuckle Lonicera*
  • Ivy
  • Lavender Lavandula
  • Mallows Lavatera
  • Mock orange Philadelphus
  • Passion flower Passifloraceae
  • Privet Ligustrum – – can be invasive in natural areas: check for your region.
  • Firethorn Pyracantha
  • Solanum
  • Spirea Caryopteris
  • Star Jasmine Trachelospermum
  • Viburnum

*Some are invasive in parts of North America.


The Essential Summer Checklist

Related: Handy Garden Checklist: What To Do In Summer


Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for softwood cuttings to root?

In most cases, if the conditions are favorable, softwood cuttings should form roots in 4 to 6 weeks.

What are the easiest shrubs to propagate?

Many shrubs are easy to propagate if the cuttings are taken during an active growth phase but not while flowering. The cutting should be prepared and planted immediately to avoid drying out.

Can you put cuttings straight in soil?

Yes, you can propagate softwood cuttings directly in potting mix. Keep the potting mix consistently moist to ensure roots form.

Is it better to root softwood cuttings in water or soil?

While both methods work, some growers report that cuttings propagated direct in soil or potting mix form stronger root systems.

Can I propagate cuttings from trees?

Most tree species are difficult to root, which is whyย grafting is the favored method, but there are some exceptions such as certain elm and birch varieties that can be rooted.

Resources

Plant Propagation

These are books I like for plant propagation tips and tutorials:

Propagation book covers
  1. AHS Plant Propagation | American Horticultural Association
  2. Plant Propagator’s Bible | Miranda Smith
  3. Grow Your Own Garden | Carol Klein
  • 20 Native Plants You Can Grow From Cuttings

Good luck with your plant propagation and be sure to sign up for the free Empress of Dirt newsletter for fresh tips every two weeks.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt โ™›

Taking softwood cuttings from a long plant stem.
Print Instructions Pin It
5 from 2 votes

How to Root Softwood Cuttings

Step-by-step instructions for taking cuttings from woody perennial plants to propagate new plants.
Total Time20 minutes mins
Author: Melissa J. Will
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1 Scalpel
  • 1 Snippers
  • 1 Plastic food bag
  • 1 Organic potting mix
  • 1 Flower pot
  • 1 Rooting hormone powder

Supplies & Materials

  • 6 Softwood cuttings per pot

Instructions

Prepare Pot for Planting

  • Have your flower pot and organic soil-less potting mix ready.
    Water potting mix thoroughly and top up as needed.

Take Cutting from Donor Plant

  • Obtain your cutting in the morning, if possible, when stems are fully hydrated.Use a sharp, clean knife and cut just above a leaf node.
    Choose a new growth stem (from the current growing season) that does not have any buds or flowers.ย Be careful never to crush or squeeze the stems.
    Wrap cutting in damp paper towel and place in plastic bag or bin until next step.
    You can root up to 6 cuttings in one pot, so get a bunch of them.

Remove Lower Leaves

  • Remove each leaf and its stem.

Trim Stem

  • Trim stem directly below leaf nodes (where you just removed the lower leaves).

Apply Rooting Hormone

  • Only use rooting hormone if your cutting is tough or woody. Place small amount of rooting hormone powder on plate.Dip stem in rooting hormone powder.Gently tap off excess.

Plant Stem

  • Push stem into potting mix, approximately 2-inches deep (up to remaining leaf stems).
    The ideal position in the pot is against the inner wall.

Plant More

  • You can fit approximately 6 cuttings around the inside of a 6-inch pot.

Care & Growth

  • Keep soil moist, not soggy.Keep pot in a warm, sheltered location (to avoid drying out).
    High humidity and a greenhouse misting system can help.
    Growth rate varies by species and vigor of mother plant.
    Freshly-cut stems may wilt and look rather pathetic for the first week or so.ย 
    Don't panic: with even watering, they will perk up.ย In most cases, roots form after 4-6 weeks, which means theย cuttings are ready for transplanting into individual pots.
    You may also notice new leaf growth (hooray!).
    After another month, plants should be ready for planting in the garden.

Notes

This method works for propagating many different plants during each active growth stage.ย 
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Plants to grow from softwood cuttings including lavender and forsythia.
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Melissa J. Will - Empress of DirtWelcome!
I’m Melissa J. Will a.k.a. the Empress of Dirt (Ontario, Canada).
Join me as I share creative + frugal home & garden ideas with a dash of humor.
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