Top 10 Easiest to Grow from Cuttings

You can search by plant name and it will tell you all the alternatives to propagate it!

Rob, thanks for sharing that info!

I felt it was such good info, I HAD to share!
Planolinda, I checked the book on chrysanthemums for you and it says you can grow them from seeds! Sow in spring or fall, depending on your climate. Hope this helps!

thanks--i think i will give them a try!

I want to root Duranta. How long of a cutting do I get? Do I put it in rooting soil or water? Do I strip all the leaves off the stem after I cut it off the shrub?
Thanks

I will check for you tonight when I get home!

Rob, why would we buy the book when we have you? JK, lol.

Does the book cover anything about misting systems? Was considering putting in a small scale misting system, just not sure if it's worth it.

LOL!
No, it doesn't mention a misting system....but I did find out (in the book, of course!) that just placing a plastic dome over your cuttings will preserve the moisture all day long...

Thanks Rob. I've tried the baggie methods and it gets too hot here in the Summer for them...seems to steam cook my cuttings.lol I was thinking the mister might cool the surrounding air too. I may need that book anyway:0)

Lulu, I always keep my cuttings in the shade. They will cook in the sun, you're right! Are you putting your cuttings in the sun?

I keep all my cuttings in the shade - an even with close to 3 digit temps - I am still able to propogate. Having GREAT success with persion sheild - a true shae lover here in TX.

Wish I could too, Liz. I do my cutting in the shade, but once the temps start getting this hot my percentage goes way down, hence a mister. It's funny tho, the more I talk to local propagators/gardeners, one thing will work in one yard and not the next...you got to find that "magic area". lol

I have my cuttings in my basement under lights - quite cool and very humid!

Magnolia Grandifloria. from Christmas decorations into trees.

At a historic house here the local clubs decorate for Christmas. The open house is around December 10. The women love to decorate with Magnolia leaves, broken off at about maybe 10 inches, and stuck together with a red plastic bow. The magnolia branches were stuck in cement planters bordering the front steps. The dirt in the planters have been there for years.

By the time I got around to cleaning up all the Christmas decorations - Maybe by the end of January I found the magnolia branches had roots.
I potted them up and they are now little Magnolia Grandiflora trees!

Thank Seandor, that's one place I haven't tried...great idea.

Congrats Gloria, My first thought was what a great fundraising idea for the Historic groups! Or Christmas presents!

I wasn't allowed to sell them (State property) but I gave away most of them.

I'm a real amateur at this, but have what I call my nursery beside our bedroom window in FL. It is shaded. If I am trimming my gardenia, brugmansias, or hydrangea I always put a few cuttings in pots by this window. We have an automatic watering system that takes over until the summer rains come. When we return in the fall, I always take a look to see what has rooted -- perhaps I have lost some mostly due to curious raccoons knocking the pots over, then comes another dilemma -- where do I plant them. I also recycle my ziplock bags by using them as mini-greenhouses in the sunroom in AR during the winter. Soil dries out pretty fast and when you can't be there for a couple of weeks to tend to your cuttings the bags can be a lifesaver. Make sure the soil is moist, not soggy, put your pot the bag, place in a shady area, zip up the bag and when you return, you will usually find your cutting rooted and happy. I know all of you experienced and professional gardeners will probably groan and roll your eyes, but it works for me.

Cocoa-lulu: my bad, the book DOES talk about a misting system! I guess in my eaguerness to go straight to the plants I wanted to check out I skipped a couple pages!
I told you that book had EVERYTHING! LOL!

Not sure if anyone mentioned this or not, but my favorite thing to propagate from any sort of cuttings (pups) are any of the Aroids.

Alocasia, Colocasia, Zanthosoma--all of the Elephant ears, if given enough space in your garden, or in a large enough pot, will create a "pup." Store these some place, after you slice them off, and replant the following spring. I live in Winter Wonderland...I usually save any shoe boxes I get, or will ask Dominos/Pappa Johns if I can have a few unused pizza boxes for the smaller pups...sawdust/perlite/vermiculate, and store in a nice cool (not cold) place for all the pups.

I usually pot these up, for me, about March-ish, in ProMix BX (I swear by this stuff)...I have been using the same method for Elephant Ears for a few seasons now. I pot them up, keep them well watered (not moist), usually the roots take a few weeks to form, and after about 3 weeks or so, you will get a leaf popping up out of the soil. I place these near a window in the house, and let the leaves unfurl. To date, no nursery, garden center, or home owner has Elephant Ears as big as mine. At the moment they are HUGE outside.

Plecanthrus are really easy to propagate also. I have clipped them back, and pieces have falled on MULCH and they rooted.

Same thing for any of the Russian Sages, I have clipped these guys back, did not pick them up, and the following spring had a virtual thicket of Russian Sages.

Variegated Dog Woods, same thing, left cuttings on the ground, and had about a dozen or so rooted V. Dog Woods the following spring!

hummmm . . . . I think I will go on the hunt for a Russian Sage!

I have found that lavender is easy to start, and currently, I have three little hydrangia from cuttings this spring.

I had forgotten about epiphyllums, they are so easy. you just leave them laying around for a couple of weeks and then put them in a pot in the shade and keep them moist. Next thing you know you have a new orchid cactus! Oh so easy!

Propagation by Cuttings makes a great Science Project for young kids. We showed how to root a pineapple "crown" from a store bought pineapple, a cutting from Begonia which can be either vertical or horizontal in the soil, and some things will even root from a leaf. We also showed the hibiscus. This was done for a private Christian school and their rules prevent the plants from going to school, so we took a lot of photographs of the process from beginning to end. We posted some on the backboard, and then made two photo albums to put on the table, one on each side of the "Report". My granddaughter won First Place for her 2nd grade class. She learned alot, plus it was a lot of fun!

My 7yr old son loves propagating! This month I transferred one of his experiments to he ground: purple sage, and it's a foot tall now!
But wouldn't the school allow plants? I didn't get that.
Rob

It's just one of their rules. I guess due to the fact that some plants are poisonous....
The photographs worked well tho.

I have something to add to our list! BRUGMANSIAS. I have never seen anything so easy to propagate from cuttings! I've done it in water and in potting soil...100% rooting in all cuttings everytime!!!
Roberta

I've definately had good luck with Brugs, as well. Love em!

Anyone hav any ideas for the desert? We have lots on land but not lots of water. I love the sages but I don't know how to propigate them. I wn on the look out of more phoenix bird f paradise seeds too. They seem like the only plant that can take our heat and get along with out water once they are established. Thy put out a lot of nice color too.
Mickey
Arizona

Mickey,
Sucullents are the easiest thing to propagate on earth, you are in luck! I don't know much about sage, but succulents all you do is let the cutting dry for a few days, stick it in vermiculite, and water sparingly until it roots!
Good luck!

Echiums are amazing. I had a few month old planting that was torn out last summer by a contractor who was doing my front lawn. The plant sat out on the lawn (roots exposed) on the south side of the house in full sun all day until I got home at around 6:30. It was completely wilted. I repotted it in a 6" plastic pot with some regular potting soil and set it in the shade under my plum tree, where it was watered daily by the sprinklers. It recovered and is now approximately 5 feet tall and about as wide in my front yard and put out an amazing display of flowers this year.

Have you ever propagated Echiums by cuttings? I love echium candicans, and they grow wild here. I always wandered if a cutting would work.

I haven't tried, but I'd imagine it would be pretty easy. I bought a variegated one at a local garden sale that was propagated by cuttings.

That's good to know. If it's feasible, I'll do it! : )

Hey you guys, what are those? I looked in the plantfiles and there weren't any in there. Echiums??

Jeanette

Jeanette, here they are! You can also go to the top where it says "search plants" instead of just browsing that list. Have fun!
Rob

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/search.php?q=echium

Thanks robcorreia!! This is fun. I'm having trouble getting any of my outdoor plants to root in water. I just got some dip n grow from a co-op today. Maybe that and soiless mix will work.

Thanks for the headsup.

Jeanette

Jeanette, some plants are easier in water than others. Just keep experimenting with it! If you're really into it, get the Propagation book by the American Horticultural Society. It's totally worth it! : )

Hey, Those echiums are gorgeous. If you have good success with the dip-n-grow, please let me know. Also does anyone know where to find clonex? Thanks, Ibartoo

I will look for it on Amazon. Jeanette

I was just told that when you try to propagate, or root cuttings, you are suppose to remove all the leaves, side shoots, blossoms etc. except the top 4 or so. I have been gardening all of my adult years and have never heard that. Where have I been all my life? Is this the way it is suppose to be done?

Jeanette

This message was edited Sep 12, 2008 9:39 PM

That's correct.