Growing new plants from cuttings is a smart way to get more of the plants, perennials, shrubs, and vines you love. This seasonal calendar shows some of the plants you can propagate by softwood, semi-ripe, and hardwood cuttings throughout the year.
If you are interested in sowing seeds, also see Seed Starting 101 which shares how I start many plants from seed indoors under an inexpensive homemade grow light setup.
Plant Propagation: The Secret to Free Plants
Would you like to grow more / new / free plants from the ones you have?
One of the easiest methods is to take cuttings and root them for new plants.
Not only is it faster than sowing from seed, but there are opportunities to take cuttings from spring to fall.
Sowing from seed or growing from starter plants is great for annuals like veggies and single-season flowers.
Growing from cuttings is smart for many of our perennial plants, shrubs, and vines, as you’ll see in the lists below.
Once you try rooting plants from cuttings, you may realize a few things like I did.
First, I wondered why I ever paid for young starter plants, since they are one snip away in the garden.
Next, I realized that plant propagation opens up a whole other dimension of gardening, nature, plant observations (seeing how they grow and change), and being outside. It’s a ticket to indulging more in a great love.
How to Take Clematis Cuttings
When to Take Plant Cuttings
Spring is the time for softwood cuttings from many plants, perennials, shrubs, and vines. These young cuttings are eager to root but also at high-risk for drying out without proper care. See How to Take Softwood Cuttings for step-by-step instructions.
Summer is the time for semi-ripe cuttings, where the base of the shoots are hardening up (maturing) but the tips are still nimble.
By autumn, the plant growth is mature. Fall and winter hardwood cuttings can be slow to root but more stable than tender young cuttings, allowing over-wintering in a cool greenhouse or under some protection outdoors. See How to Take Hardwood Cuttings for step-by-step instructions.
The method is the same no matter what time of year you take the cuttings.
Other propagation methods include:
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- Starting from seed
- Division
- Cuttings
- Layering
- Grafting
Recommended Resources
Once you find a plant propagation book you like, it will last the rest of your gardening years. I started with the Carol Klein book and it’s still my favorite. Look for one where the photos and diagrams are easy to follow.
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| AHS Plant Propagation | Amazon | Grow Your Own Garden | Amazon |
If you have access to used books, also look for The Plant Propagator’s Bible by Miranda Smith (Reader’s Digest). It’s a small book and packed with great info.
Mid-Spring to Early Summer | After Last Frost
Take cuttings from new growth.
How to Take Softwood Cuttings tutorial
Here’s some suggestions. Some plants can be rooted at various stages of growth and appear on more than one list.
| Coleus Soenostemon Clematis Clematis Dogwood Cornus Elderberry Sambucus Forsythia Forsythia Fuchsia Fuchsia Gardenia Gardenia Geranium Pelagonium Hibiscus, Chinese Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Hydrangea Hydrangea See tutorial here |
Lilac Syringa Mock orange Philadelphus Mock strawberry Potentilla Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus Rose Rosa Sage Salvia Viburnum Viburnum Weigela Weigela Wisteria Wisteria |
Summer Semi-Ripe Cuttings
Take cuttings on maturing stems (base is hard, tip is soft) in late summer.
The method is the same as softwood cuttings.
Here’s some suggestions:
| 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 Firethorn Pyracantha Solanum Solanum Spirea Caryopteris Star Jasmine Trachelospermum Viburnum Viburnum |
Fall & Winter Hardwood Cuttings
Take cuttings from mature stems in autumn after leaf drop but before ground is frozen or late winter just before bud-burst.
You can see my tutorial and step-by-step video on taking hardwood cuttings here.
Here’s some suggestions:
| Abelia Abelia Anemone Anemone Bittersweet Celastrus Blueberry Vaccinium Broom Cytisus Butterfly Bush Buddeja Currants Dogwood Cornus Deutzia Deutzia Elder Sambucus Euonymus Euonymus Fig Ficus Flowering currant Ribes Forsythia Forsythia Gooseberries Ribes Grape Vitis Honey locust Gleditsia triacanthos Honeysuckle Lonicera Hydrangea Hydrangea Ivy (various) Jasmine Jasminum |
Laburnum Laburnum Mock Orange Philadelphus Mulberry Morus Ninebark Physocarpus Plane Platanus Poplars Populus Privet Ligustrum Pussywillow Salix Quince Chaenomeles Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus Rose Rosa Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia Sand cherry Prunus Spiraea Spiraea Snowberry bush Symphoricarpos Trumpet creeper Campsis Virburnum Virburnum Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus Weigela Weigela Willow Salix |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to take cuttings?
For time of year, you can take cuttings any time the plant is actively growing from spring to fall.
For time of day, it is recommended to take cuttings in the morning when plants reach their peak hydration levels for the day.
How long do cuttings take to root?
We name the cuttings by the growth stage.
- In spring stems are green and flexible. These are softwood cuttings and can root fairly rapidly, taking a few weeks.
- By fall, stems start to become woody. These are hardwood cuttings and are slower to root, taking months or a year.
Can you take cuttings from bedding plants?
Yes. The plants listed here are all perennials. Some annuals like basil, geraniums (Pelargoniums), and tomato plants can be propagated from cuttings. The key to success is to learn which part of the plant can grow roots and at what stage of growth it is most viable.
How do I take plant cuttings?
Very generally, taking cuttings involves identifying a suitable plant shoot, cutting it off with a sharp, clean knife or pruner, at a specific location near a leaf node, and placing it in growing medium. Use of rooting hormone is sometimes recommended.
  Rooting Hormone | Amazon |
  Fiskars Snips | Amazon |
This article on How to Grow Shrubs and Vines from Hardwood Cuttings has a step-by-step video if you would like an example to follow.
Specific instructions depend on the plant species and the time of year. Methods and opinions vary.
Fortunately, gardeners with different approaches often both get good results.
It is best to look up the plant you want to propagate and follow specific instructions for that species and method.
For example, try searching (in Google or Bing), ‘How to propagate lilac from cuttings’, and see your options.
Depending on whether it’s a softwood, ripe-wood, or hardwood cutting, there are a few different things to know.
Alternately, plants like begonias propagate nicely from leaf cuttings, so a specific tutorial is best.
Nature is a survivor. In the old days, gardeners propagated favorite shrubs by taking cuttings and sticking them in the ground. If conditions were right, they grew.
Be willing to experiment and have fun with it.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
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