Spring is one of the best times of the year to multiply our plants through cuttings and thus fill those empty corners that remain or have been emerging in our garden. In this article, we will give you the list of plants that grow from cuttings and also tell you how to do it.
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Benefits of Using Plant Cuttings
Getting new plants from cuttings is an easy, quick, and inexpensive way to add to your garden collection. A cutting is nothing more than a portion of the stem or branch of a plant that is introduced into the soil to propagate it and is capable of taking root.
Not all plant species are capable of doing this, but if we can get it to do so, it will also grow faster than a seedling obtained from the seed. For example, if you wanted to get a wisteria from seed, it would take about ten years to see it bloom for the first time. However, the same plant obtained from a cutting will show its first flowers in two to three years.
Another advantage of multiplication by cuttings (asexual reproduction) is that it guarantees that the new plant will be the same as the original, an exact clone. While in the case of seeds (sexual reproduction) and due to genetic factors, we do not have the certainty that it will show the same characteristics that the mother plant had.
Finally, it is a technique that is very profitable. If you have gardening friends you can exchange cuttings with them and you can also get several plants from one, the mother plant is not in danger because you cut some stems as long as you do it carefully.
When to Make Cuttings
The best time to prepare and plant cuttings are in spring and fall, coinciding with the growth phase of the plants. The mild temperatures and humidity of these seasons also allow the cuttings more time to produce roots before drying out. It is very unlikely to be successful in summer because of the excessive heat, nor in winter, because the plants do not grow.
How to Make Cuttings of Plants – Materials
Before giving you the list of plants that grow from cuttings, we will explain how to propagate plants by cuttings. You will need the following:
- Container: a small pot or container with good drainage.
- Substrate: experts recommend black peat because it retains moisture well, but a universal substrate will do if you keep it properly hydrated.
- Scissors: ideally, pruning shears that are well cleaned.
- Rooting hormones: this is a product that helps root formation, but it is optional.
We use this rooting hormone (Order it here). Here is the article on how to grow roses from cuttings where we use rooting hormone.
- FASTEST ROOTING POWDER FOR PLANT CUTTINGS: Hormex rooting hormone powder is a unique product that encourages the natural process of rooting new plants from cuttings. Please check the list of plant varieties and rooting powder strength in the product photos.
- SUITABLE FOR ALL GROW MEDIUMS: Accelerate strong and healthy roots with this root stimulator for plants that are excellent for all grow mediums like Rockwool, coco, peat moss, soil, clay pellets, and more. As an added bonus, it also helps prevent root rot and sagging cuttings.
- NO BAD STUFF: Our root hormone for cuttings is an excellent powder to use even on the toughest and hard-to-root plants, like juniper, grapes, tomatoes, and more. It is made with no alcohol, dye, or preservatives, which is especially important when plants are for consumption.
How to Propagate Plants from Cuttings Step by Step
Here we explain the technique we follow to prepare the cuttings.
1- Choose a piece of branch with at least four buds, two of them will be buried in the substrate and the other two above the surface. The buried buds will give rise to roots; those that remain in the air will produce new stems.
2- Remove all the leaves, leaving only a couple of them at the top. A couple of leaves are enough for the plant to breathe without losing too much water.
3- Introduce the soil in the pot without pressing it too much. Prick with a stick in the center to open a small hole deep enough to fit the cutting.
4- Impregnate the bottom of the cutting with the rooting product (if you have decided to use it) and insert it into the hole until the two lower buds are buried.
5- Press the soil around the stem to hold the cutting in place and then water it gently.
6- Leave the pot with the cutting in a shady place and keep it moist for at least two weeks. During this period, you will see if the new plant is thriving or not and, if all goes well, continue with regular watering as you would with a newly purchased plant.
List of Plants That Grow from Cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is feasible in many species and I encourage you to try any plant you like, but if you want to play it safe, here is a list of plants that grow from cuttings and never fail.
Plectranthus verticillatus
Swedish ivy or (Plectranthus verticillatus). There is a popular belief that this plant brings abundance to our home, the truth is that from small cuttings of it we will be able to propagate it with abundance.
The cuttings of this plant take three or four weeks to root in the substrate; but if we introduce them in a transparent container with water, we will stimulate the formation of roots and these will appear in two or three weeks. When we see the roots, we can plant them in the pot.
List of Plants That Grow from Cuttings – Sage
We love sage for its beautiful flowers and aroma. Salvia officinalis is the most popular, as its leaves are the ones used in cooking for seasoning dishes. But there are many varieties of sage and some have very ornamental flowers, such as Salvia microphylla.
Any of them can be propagated by cuttings in spring. I use rooting hormones and plant them directly in the substrate, they take three or four weeks to start growing.
Basil
Basil has a delicious aroma and it is always good to have a bush near the kitchen for use in pasta dishes. Cuttings of this herbaceous plant thrive easily and fairly quickly.
To cut basil we must take the small branches that come out of the main stem and we will make, with each one of them, a cutting that will root easily even without rooting product.
Learn more about how to plant basil.
List of Plants That Grow from Cuttings – Impatiens
Impatiens is a small herbaceous plant that fills the tables of nurseries and garden centers every spring. It is easy to grow and blooms continuously from spring through fall.
The stems of the impatiens are fleshy and very fragile, they break easily when handled. If you break one of its stems, take advantage of it and turn it into a cutting. Put the cutting in a glass of water for a few days to stimulate root production.
Pothos
The pothos is a popular indoor plant, with a hanging habit and very decorative. It is a very hardy species that grow quickly if it is in a well-lit location.
To make cuttings, cut small pieces of branches of about 4” (10 cm), which can be planted directly in soil or a container with water until the roots come out and then plant.
Learn more about Pothos plant care.
List of Plants That Grow from Cuttings – Spider Plant
Its leaves resemble delicate colorful ribbons that grow in a rosette form. Its ease of cultivation has made it a popular houseplant, although it can also be grown outside in warm climates.
Spider plant is easily propagated from runners, long branches that at their ends produce small seedlings identical to the parent plant. The best way to get a new plant is to support the end of a stolon on the ground, in a few weeks it will emit roots and you can cut the branch that joins it to the mother plant.
Learn more how to propagate spider plant in water.
Succulents
All succulent plants can be propagated by planting a piece of their stems in soil, but some species are also propagated from their leaves. I have tested this with echeverias, graptopetals, and some kalanchoes.
When a leaf of these succulents comes in contact with the soil, it begins to emit small roots and form a new plant at the end where it was attached to the mother plant. It is important to keep these leaves slightly hydrated, it will be enough to spray a little water on them.
In this article we talk a lot more about how to propagate succulents in water.
List of Plants That Grow from Cuttings – Geranium
Geranium cuttings are a classic, at least for me. I remember my mother collecting broken twigs of some geranium from neighboring balconies to plant them on the balcony of the house. I think that’s what started my curiosity for plants, to see that from a broken branch, my mother managed to make new plants. Geraniums are easy, and very satisfying because of how soon they start to bloom.
Hydrangea
Hydrangeas always seemed like difficult plants to me. Still, I couldn’t resist and plant one in a pot in the garden.
They propagate very well by cuttings. In this case, the idea is to make them in autumn, taking advantage of the stems that we cut to the mother plant. At that time they are stuck in the ground and left there until the following spring, during that time they take root and when the good weather arrives they begin to sprout new leaves.
In this article we talk a lot more about how to grow hydrangea from cuttings.
List of Plants That Grow from Cuttings – Roses
Roses are much easier to grow than some people think. The tricky part is keeping them free of pests: powdery mildew, aphids, caterpillars, etc.
It is also easy to propagate a rose bush by cuttings. It follows the same method that I mentioned before with hydrangeas: make cuttings with the branches that are pruned at the end of winter. The interesting thing, in this case, is to look carefully and choose stems that have at least one vigorous bud.
We hope that this list of plants that grow from cuttings will be of great help to you and that you will have success with propagation.
