Propagation Techniques for Landscape Plants

I am going to give you suggested propagation techniques for a variety of different landscape plants.

 Arborvitae: Cuttings taken in mid to late summer can be rooted in coarse sand under intermittent mist. Cuttings taken in the fall can be rooted in coarse sand in an outdoor frame. Cuttings taken during the winter can be rooted in coarse sand with bottom heat.

Ash Trees: Collect the seeds when they ripen and plant them out right away. Most should germinate the first season.

Azaleas, evergreen: The propagation technique used by most growers for evergreen Azaleas is the hardwood method done in the late fall with bottom heat. You can try softwood cuttings around June 1.

Azaleas, deciduous varieties: Most deciduous Azaleas are grown from seeds collected in the fall and planted immediately. I would sow them in a flat, in an area where they can be kept warm and receive some natural or artificial light. You can also try softwood cuttings, preferably under intermittent mist.

Barberry: Most varieties of Barberry can be done by either softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

 Boston Ivy: Grow from seed. Plant outdoors in late April or early May.

 European Beech: Grow from seed. Collect when ripe, plant outdoors immediately.

 Purple Leaf Weeping Beech: This variety must be grafted on to a Beech variety grown from seed.

 White Birch: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe and plant outdoors in the fall.

 Weeping White Birch: This variety must be grafted on to a Birch rootstock grown from seed.

 Boxwood: Softwood cuttings in July under intermittent mist or hardwood cuttings in mid to late fall in and outdoor frame. Winter cuttings with bottom heat.

 Burning Bush: Softwood cuttings in late May or early June, hardwood cuttings in late mid to late fall in an outdoor frame.

Burning Bush

 Weeping Cherries: Weeping cherries must be grafted on to a cherry rootstock grown from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe, stratify 150 days over winter, plant in the spring. I have also had some success with softwood cuttings under intermittent mist.

 Blue False Cypress: Semi-hardwood cuttings in late August under intermittent mist, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall with bottom heat.

 Gold Thread Cypress: Hardwood cuttings in late fall with bottom heat. You can try some semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer under intermittent mist.

 Clematis: Softwood cuttings in late spring. As with almost all softwood cuttings, intermittent mist will dramatically increase your success.

 Cotoneaster: Propagation is easy by doing softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in late fall.

 Flowering Crabapples: Most varieties of flowering Crabapple must be grafted or budded on to a rootstock grown from seed. Collect the seeds as they ripen in the fall and plant them outdoors immediately.

 Daylilies: Propagate by division in the fall or the spring.

Rosy Returns Daylily

 Chinese Dogwood: Softwood cuttings in early June or grow from seed. Collect the seed in the fall when ripe. Stratify in moist peat at room temperature for 100 days, and then in your refrigerator for another 100 days, then plant outside.

 Pink Dogwood: Softwood cuttings under intermittent mist in early June, or bud or graft on to a white dogwood seedling.

 Red Twig Dogwood: Layering in April or May, or softwood cuttings in June, or hardwood cuttings in late fall.  Propagation of this plant is extremely easy.

 Yellow Twig Dogwood: Layering in April or May, or softwood cuttings in June, or hardwood cuttings in late fall.

 Variegated Dogwood Trees: Softwood cuttings under intermittent mist in early June, or bud or graft on to a white dogwood seedling.

 White Dogwood: Softwood cuttings in early June or grow from seed. Collect the seed in the fall when ripe. Stratify in moist peat at room temperature for 100 days, and then in your refrigerator for another 100 days, then plant outside.

 English Ivy: Softwood cuttings during the summer beginning in early June.

 Variegated Euonymus Varieties: Softwood cuttings beginning in June. Hardwood cuttings in the fall outside in a frame of course sand.

 Firethorne (Pyracantha): Softwood cuttings in June, or semi-hardwood cuttings in the fall in a frame of course sand.

 Fir, Concolor: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds in the fall and store them in a cool dry place until spring. Sow the seeds outdoors in the spring. Cover the seed bed with clear plastic until the seeds begin to germinate.

 Forsythia: Layering in spring or fall, softwood cuttings in June, hardwood cuttings in the late fall or winter.

 Washington Hawthorn: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds in the fall and plant them in an outdoor seed bed immediately.

 Canadian Hemlock: Grow from seed. Collect the pine cones in the fall before they open and release the seeds into the air. Place the pine cones in a paper bag to catch the seeds as the cones open. Store the seeds in a cool dry place until spring, stratify for 30 days in moist peat in your refrigerator, and plant outside after the danger of frost has passed.

 English Holly: Hardwood cuttings, late fall with bottom heat.

 Japanese Holly: Medium softwood cuttings in mid summer, or hardwood cuttings in the fall in and outside frame of sand. Or hardwood cuttings in late fall or winter with bottom heat.

 Honeysuckle: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the fall.

 Hosta: Propagate by dividing in late fall or early spring.

 Blue Hydrangea: Softwood cuttings, or division.

Nikko Blue Hydrangea

 P.G. Hydrangea: Layering in the spring, or softwood cuttings in early June.

 Junipers: Softwood to semi-hardwood cuttings in mid to late summer under intermittent mist, hardwood cuttings in the fall in an outdoor frame, or hardwood cuttings in late fall or winter with bottom heat.

Leucothoe: Softwood cuttings in June or hardwood cuttings in the fall.

Lilacs: Lilacs must be budded or grafted on to a rootstock grown from seed. Either a lilac seedling or some growers use privet as a rootstock.

Linden Trees: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe and plant immediately.

Lirope: Propagate by division.

Magnolia: Some varieties are grown from seed, and others are budded on to these seedlings.

Maple Trees: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe and plant immediately.

Japanese Maple: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe and store until late fall. Pre-treat the seeds by soaking overnight in hot water, and then stratify in moist peat for 90-120 days in your refrigerator. Then plant them outside.

Japanese Maple

Weeping Japanese Maple: This variety must be grafted on to a rootstock grown from seed.

Mockorange: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in June, and hardwood cuttings in the fall and winter.

Mountain Ash Trees: Grow from seed. Collect when ripe and plant immediately.

Blue Myrtle: Propagate by division.

Oak Trees: Grow from seed. Collect when ripe and plant immediately.

Ornamental Grasses: Propagate by division.

Pachysandra: Propagate by division, or softwood cuttings.

Bradford Pear Trees: Grow from seed. Collect when ripe and stratify in moist peat in your refrigerator for 60-90 days.

Flowering Plum Trees: Desired varieties must be budded on to a rootstock grown from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe and stratify in moist peat in your refrigerator for 150 days before planting outside.

White Pine Trees: Grow from seed. Collect the pine cones in the fall before they open and allow them to open in a paper bag to catch the seeds. Store in a cool dry place until spring, then sow them outside.

Weeping White Pine: Must be grafted on to a white pine seedling.

Austrian Pine: Grow from seed. Collect the pine cones in the fall before they open and allow them to open in a paper bag to catch the seeds. Store in a cool dry place until spring, then sow them outside.

Mugho Pine: Grow from seed. Plant them outside in the spring.

Potentilla: Softwood cuttings in June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Poplar Trees: Grow from seed. Collect the seeds when ripe and plant outside immediately. Also softwood cuttings or hardwood cuttings.

Purple Leaf Winter Creeper: Softwood cuttings in early June, or semi-hardwood cuttings throughout the summer.

Pussy Willow: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Privet: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Red Bud Trees: Grow from seed. Collect when ripe and plant outside in the spring.

Rhododendrons: Can be grown from seed. Collect in the fall and grow in a flat, indoors at 70 degrees F. with some light. Hybrid varieties must be grown from cuttings. Softwoods in early June under intermittent mist, or hardwoods in perlite peat moss mixture in the late fall with bottom heat.

Rose of Sharon: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Purple Sandcherry: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Spiraea: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce: Softwood cuttings in mid to late June under intermittent mist, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall with bottom heat.

Colorado Blue Spruce: Grow from seed. Collect the pine cones in the fall before they open and allow them to open in a paper bag to catch the seeds. Store in a cool dry place until spring, then sow them outside.

Viburnum: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Weigela: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Wisteria: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Weeping Willow: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Witch Hazel: Layering in the spring, softwood cuttings in early June, or hardwood cuttings in the late fall.

Yews (Taxus): Softwood cuttings in early July through early August, or hardwood cuttings in the fall in course sand in an outside frame, or hardwood cuttings in late fall or winter with bottom heat.

Yucca: Propagate by taking cuttings from the roots in early spring and planting outside. Just cut a piece of root about 3/4″ long and plant it below the surface of the soil about 1/2″.