Can shrubs be divided?

If they have more than one branch coming up out of the ground, could you just cut the whole root system in half and make two of them?

You'd have to wait for more than a few stems, but most often, the answer yes. However not necessarily so. Are you talking about a particular shrub? What is it?

Weigela and spirea. I haven't really checked to see that there are more than one main stem. The other stems would be offshoots? Like a lilac puts out?

Spireas can easily be divided, but weigelas, I just don't know either way.

These shrubs don't sucker like lilacs. All the new shoots come from the base, rather than the plant sending out stems underground that emerge away from the mother plant. Lilac suckering stems reroot easily. But with shrubs that sucker from the base, you will need to actually divide the central mass of roots.

Then you would have to prune heavily or risk losing both halves. Why don't you consider taking cuttings.

Could you explain divinding spireas? Never thought of it, but would love to try with one of mine:-)
Bev

I might try layering, but I always forget when the best time to do it is!

Dividing spireas is really no different than dividing most perennials. I would cut it back to maybe a foot or so, just to make it easy to work with, than jam a shovel right down the middle and split. Square end shovels don't work unless your Hercules (well maybe not Hercules, but you know what I mean). Must use a pointed or rounded one. I don't think I would try splitting a spirea unless it had 8 or more stems, space a bit apart so you know you will get roots on both halves.

Thanks, Leftwood! I have a Hercules with a sharpshooter spade that might be up to the task...Actually the spirea I wanted to split is a dwarf one. Golden something or other. It's been in the ground about 4 years. I wanted to get another, but couldn't find one.
Bev

I did find reference to layering for Weigela, and if you don't mind waiting a year, would be a good method. I'd scratch up the surface of the stem a bit and use some rooting hormone before placing it under soil. I'd also use a brick over the stem so it doesn't come out of the soil. Some of my books state cuttings are easily done at this time of year where they are cut to 6", stuck in sand in bundles until they callus with #3 rooting hormone and then restuck in spring in soil.