21 Plants that are Easy to Grow and Sell Like Crazy
The following 21 plants are really easy to grow and they sell like hot cakes. They always have been really good sellers and they always will be really good sellers. And this list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to plants that you can grow and sell that people want to buy.
My original list was supposed to be 21 plants, but ended up at something like 37 but then Our Members added a lot more to the list. Enjoy! -Mike McGroarty
- Forsythia
- 2. Red Weigela
- 3. Varigated Weigela
- 4. Pink Flowering Weigela
- 5. Red Twig Dogwood
- 6. Fragrant Viburnums
- 7. All Flowering Viburnums
- 8. Potentilla
- 9. Dappled Willow
- 10. Pussy Willow
- 11. Daylillies
- 12. Hosta
- 13. Huchera
- 14. All kinds of Perennials
- 15. Armeria
- 16. Boxwood
- 17. Japanese Hollies
- 18. English Hollies
- 19. Rhododendrons
- 20. PJM Dwarf Rhododendron
- 21. Hydrangeas
- 22. Rose of Sharon
- 23. Dwarf Alberta Spruce
- 24. White Dogwood trees
- 25. Chinese Dogwoods
- 26. Blue Rug Juniper
- 27. Gold Flame Spirea
- 28. Gold Mound Spirea
- 29. Ornamental Grasses of all kinds
- 30. Crimson Pygmy Barberry
- 31. Rosy Glow Barberry
- Okay, that’s 31 and I could go on forever.
Here are some plants for warmer zones, 8,9, and 10
Fragrant Tea Olive
Gardenia,
Camellia,
Azalea,
Jasmines
Palm trees
Tropical Hibiscus
Burgundy Chinese Fringe Flower
Bogainvilla
Owari & Hamlin Oranges
Satsuma
Kumquat
Azalea (out the wazoo down here)
Crepe Myrtle (ditto)
Lilies
Camelias
amaryllis
hybrids such as Blossom Peacock and Papillo
Japanese Pieris
Satsuma’s
Star gazer lilies
Crape Myrtles of all kinds
Gardenia varieties-evergreen
Azalea varieties-evergreen & deciduous(native)
Camellia varieties-evergreen
Fragrant Tea Olive-evergreen
Nandina varieties-evergreen
Loropetalum/Chinese fringe flowers
Chase Tree
Abelia -so many new exciting varieties -good for zones 6-10!
Viburnums
Daphne
Cleyera-evergreen
Burning Bush/ Euonymus varieties…
Spirea -especially Bridalwreath, Little Princess, Goldmound…
Butterfly Bushes
Jasmines (vines-Carolina, Confederate)
Confederate Rose
Lady Banks Rose
Anise (check out Florida Sunshine)
Holly-Soft Touch/Sky Pencil/Youpon/Burfordii….
Crape Myrtles
Japanese Magnolias(Saucer, Betty, Royal Star…)
Southern Magnolias
Dogwoods
Red Buds
Japanese Maples
Evergreen hedge trees/shrubs
Leyland Cypress
Murray/Arborvitae
Japanese Cedar(cryptomeria)
false cypress(Chamaecyparis…)
Junipers-Blue Rug, Sargentii, Blue Point,…
Trees:
Chinense Pistache
Fruitless Mulberry
Weeping Willow
Live oak
Red oak
Catalpa
Vitex (or Chaste Tree)
Desert Willow
Shrub:
Nellie R Stevens
Wax Myrtle
Red Tip Photinia
Korean Boxwood
Radicans Gardenia
Loropetalum
Yaupon Holly
Perennials:
Salvias
Sedums
Butterfly Bush
Reeves Spiraea
Van Houtti Spiraea
Vines:
Honeysuckle (coral)
Crossvine
Star Jasmine
Gary Lovett shared this list for zone 7
If I have the following on hand, I expect to sell everyone. My spelling might not be good. But you will recognize them.
All types of Hosta, Stella de ora daliliy, happy returns daylily, viburnum carcephalum, viburnum sterile, viburnum popcorn, jane magnolia, ann magnolia, leonard messel magnolia, green giant arborvitae, emerald green arborvitae, degroot spirae arborvitae, Ogdon spirae, goldmound spirae, goldflame spirae, little princess spirae, neon flash spirae, autumn fire sedum, palace purple heuchera, red pixie lilac, miss kim lilac, Lynwood gold forsythia,kumson forsythia, peegee hydrangea, silver dollar hydrangea(my favorite paniculate), Annabelle hydrangea, phantom hydrangea(some people believes this one is better than limelight), pink diamond hydrangea, penny mac hydrangea, all summer beauty hydrangea, mock orange, all types of crapemyrtles, burning bush, boxwoods, globosa nana, pink poppett weigelia, tango weigelia, variegated weigelia, red prince weigelia, all types of azaleas, apple trees, peach trees, pear trees, nanking bush cherry, rabbiteye blueberries, blackberries, ceasear’s brother iris, Japanese maples, clematises, major wheeler honeysuckle, and roses.
I think that is fifty. I have sold all of the ones listed above except carcephalum and popcorn viburnum. I am sure there are a lot that I left out. Just taking a break from working, and thought I would start a post.
This year I have peonies and bleeding hearts. I think they will be a success. Hope this post helps someone, especially newbies looking for something to grow in zone 7. These should all work in the Midsouth.
Giving this a bump by replying, but also chiming in with flowering quince, flowering currant, escallonia, and ceanothus (California lilac) for warmer zones. They’re easy to propagate, grow fast, and sell well (for me anyway). The escallonia and ceanothus work great as either hedge or specimen plants. The quince and ceanothus tend to bloom early (April-ish) here in western WA. I think the quince and currant are good for colder zones too.
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond. Until then, by any and all means stay inspired!
I want to root some fig cuttings from a tree that the elderly lady who lived here before us had planted years ago. Is it possible to do when there are figs growing? I’m in Virginia & it’s mid-May.
Christine,
Try June. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Hi mike
Can i take cuttings from lilacs to propagate the way you show in your video.
Tamra,
Sure, Lilacs can be tricky so stick a lot of them to increase your chances of success.
HI Mike,
Thanks for the list! In your recent video, you mentioned that you only propagate via hardwood cuttings: annabelles, rose of sharon, purple flower sandcherry dappled willow and any curled willows. So would you say that the others on this list are best propagated with softwood cuttings?
Thanks for all you do!
Yes, most things are done via softwood cuttings. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Also where can I get wholesale boxwood cuttings or any kind of cuttings?
Thanks!
Alva,
The best place to get all kinds of small plants at wholesale prices is in our members area. http://backyardgrowers.com/join, you can buy in small quantities. I have other wholesale sources but I can’t share them here publicly.
Thanks! So I basically have to be a member to be able to get those benefits?
Alva,
You can test drive the members area for only $7 for 30 days to see what it’s really about and have access to all the benefits that permanent members have. I hope you understand that I’ve spent tens of thousands of hours creating and providing free content across at least 4 different websites. All available free of charge. But if you want to make money with plants there are a few things that you have to pay for. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Hey Mike, I am so excited to have found your site! What a wealth of information! I am a huge nerd when it comes to growing, gardening and the like. I can’t wait to try propagating /growing/creating this way . I’m starting my little bed for cuttings and am now reading about your watering system, (which makes so much sense, but i don’t know how to do correctly yet, still reading 🙂 ) Thank you for creating your site so that i can have step-by-step help and with no-nonsense instructions and videos. (you-tubeies, or whatever people refer to them as now) Appreciate all the advice and help on my beginner’s journey & I’ll be checking in again soon, as a member, sooo excited to learn that my fun and joy in growing can also be my paycheck……woo-hoo
Ang,
Have fun! Our Automatic Plant Propagation System is very easy and comes with two how to set it up videos. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/mikes-plant-propagation-kit/
Thank you Mike for all the info you share,I have learned alot and hopefully one day I can sell plants , I love getting my hands in the dirt ,it is my way of escaping stress!
Thanks, Mike! I’ve been having a lot of luck growing (nonpatented) shrub rose from cuttings here in Zone 8/9 northern California, and also growing Rose of Sharon from seed–frankly, they’re almost a pest–along with cuttings of spirea, crepe myrtle, etc., AND Blueberries (rabbiteye, Southern highbush)! Thanks for all of your advice and support.
I bought your cd’s some years ago. I have gotten a knee replaced last August and am now having tome for garden and greenhouse. I have 3 plus acres to grow shrubs, plants and do cuttings and grafting and a small greenhouse. I am interested in joining your associated group. I need a source for root graft stock to graft fruit trees. Any sources??
Phillip,
We have several sources of root stock material available just for the asking in the members area. http://backyardgrowers.com/join This has been a pretty hot topic in the past few weeks with a lot of great info.
I’m moving to Arkansas from Mexico in a few months. I would like to try this. Does anyone have a problem with authorities telling you that you can’t do it, or regulating it?
Thanks,
👩🌾 🌻
Kit
Kit,
We have a number of super successful members, http://backyardgrowers.com/join, in Arkansas. All growers must be licensed in each state and of course I hope you move into an area where the zoning is not super restrictive. We have members in areas where zoning is an issue and there is always a solution. But having favorable zoning is much easier.
Hey Mike, I saw that you had fragrant Tea Olive on your list. My Mom had one years ago and I would love to get some cuttings. Any suggestions on who sells them?
Thanks,
Pops
John,
I’m sure we have members that grow them, that’s how they ended up on my list.
Man, I’m having a ball rooting plants with my grandkids! We started with Elderberry and Forsythia, black Walnut, fig, butterfly bush and whatever we could find. The Elderberries are out performing my expectations and doing great. My 7 YO grandson sees dollar signs already and wants to know when he can start selling them. 50+ years ago in college I worked at a nursery and we rooted English Ivy in buckets of sand. One weekend I delivered 12,000, yes thousands, cutting to one buyer! Any suggestions for me and my grandkids?
Thanks,
John Fulton, aka Pops
John,
Best advice I have is test drive our members area for 30 days. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
It’s only $7 for the first 30 days and you’ll get more information from very knowledgeable people.
I have had a flowering quince that I moved here from my mom’s 35 years ago. I’m in CT (Zone 6 or 6A). It is right by the foundation and one year my husband cut it t0 about 3 inches and I was wild. The following year, just as he said, it grew back as beautiful as ever. The only complaint is all the runner shoots that start away fro the plant. Almost impossible to dig them out. Still, the flowers are a pretty salmon. The ‘apples’ are for the animals if they want them. I heard that they are very sour.
My Granny used to make Jelly from the apples! Great taste but needs lots of sugar.
You mentioned that you can’t sell plants that are patent plants. How do we know if we are legal selling the plants we grew from cuttings?
Eloine,
You should only be rooting cuttings from plants that you purchased and were properly tagged. Patented plants are clearly marked on the tag that they are patented. See this, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2021/11/what-is-a-plant-patent-and-how-do-they-work/
Of those plants listed, Mike, are there any copyright issues with any of them?
Bob,
For instance I listed things like Hosta, Weigela, things like that. Some hosta are patented, most are not. You have to check the tag on the plant that you are propagating. See this, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2021/11/what-is-a-plant-patent-and-how-do-they-work/
I have a TON of landscape plants in my yard, that is very established…..they came with the house when we moved in. I was not the original purchaser of the plants/trees/hedges, etc. So…can I not propagate any of them? I could have an entire nursery just with cuttings!!
Stacey,
I hate to say this, but you’d have a entire nursery of mis-labeled plants. Start off on the right foot and propagate only from things for which you have the tag. Trust me, you’ll be so glad to did it the right way. And you cannot look at photos to identify things. It just doesn’t work, there are way too many varieties that are really, really similar.
Is it easy to root boxwood cuttings? If so what are the best steps?
Alva,
It is, do them in the summer as softwood cuttings. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
I need 23 new Glen St. Mary Eleagenus shrubs and I have 3 fully grown ones that I can get cuttings from. Any tips? Ease of rooting? Timing? I just discovered you on youtube. By the way, I live in zip code 38834 and its early April 2022.
Chad,
Try them in late spring as softwood cuttings. See this, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/