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If you’re looking to expand your garden and keep your plants multiplying, stem cuttings might be the way to go. There are so many beautiful plants that grow from stem cuttings. Gardening with cuttings can be fun and easy to do. Plus, it will save you money on seeds and supplies. The satisfying feeling of growing a brand new plant using supplies from your own garden is worth the effort.
There are four categories of plant cuttings you can use to grow new plants. Softwood, greenwood, semi-hardwood and hardwood are classifications that speak to the type of plant and stem. These categories can help you determine the best methods and times for cutting and replanting.
No matter which one you choose, raising plants that grow from stem cuttings is a fun and rewarding project for your garden.
Softwoods are plants that regrow best from fresh, new stem cuttings. These stems tend to grow from spring into early summer and are easy to cut and replant. These plants range from sweet-smelling flowers to earthy herbs and everything in between:
Hydrangeas are gentle, bushy flowers that span a variety of colors. They look lovely in yards and gardens.
These adorable purple and yellow flowers radiate classic springtime energy. There are hundreds of species of asters, so you can easily find one that suits your fancy.
Butterfly bushes are beautiful, wild-looking and easy to grow. The easier the growing process, the less effort you have to expend when creating your garden.
Lilacs are yet another purple blooming bush, and they look and smell beautiful in any yard or garden.
Basil smells wonderful and can be abundantly useful in the kitchen. These plants are easy to grow and can be used in many recipes, spicing up your future meals.
Greenwood cuttings are from plants without woody stems. Just like softwoods, these plants aren’t too difficult to cut and manage. Here are a few notable examples of the greenery in this category:
Gardenia flowers are beautiful white blooms with a wonderful smell, sure to delight any garden visitors.
Boxwoods are charming little shrubs that are easy to keep neat and tidy. They’re a perfect plant to garden with or add to a row of pots.
Dahlia flowers are unique and striking in their bold, hot pink hues, sure to be the star of any yard they populate.
Semi-hardwood stems are stiffer and more mature. It’s often best to trim and replant them in early fall for the best results. There are plenty of unique and beautiful plants in this category, each sure to make your garden shine:
Honeysuckle flowers are striking in their appearance. From their branches to their blooms, honeysuckles are natural works of art.
Azaleas bloom in sweet crowds of bushes, livening up any garden with their stunning raspberry color.
Camellia flowers are big, bright and symmetrical, which makes them look like something out of a fairytale — perfect for a whimsical all-natural environment.
Hardwood plants have the hardest, thickest stems. These are often the most difficult to plant, as the family consists of harder herbs and larger greenery like bushes, shrubs, trees and vines. Here are some examples of this class:
Rosemary is a tasty-smelling herb that proves just as delicious in the kitchen. It’s both lovely and useful, making them a fantastic garden staple.
Roses are a classic flower, sure to have any garden visitor completely love-struck. Roses can also be regrown from softwood cuttings, depending on what your preferences are and what you have available.
Lavender looks beautiful in any garden, and it has multiple uses throughout the household. From aromatherapy to creative recipes, you can’t go wrong with this unique floral beauty.
This beautiful green plant is a true charmer. With unique, thick leaves and treelike branches, this plant grows both big and small. Maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll catch it blooming one day.
If you’re just getting started, there’s a lot of planting knowledge you can study up on before you start snipping. Softer-stemmed plants are much easier to cut and regrow, so they’re a great place to start.
Remember to find a healthy part of the plant and remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting. You can dip the stem into a rooting hormone to help it retain its health and grow better before planting it in water or soil. What you plant your cutting in will depend on the cutting type and plant itself.
Moisture is an important part of growing plants from stem cuttings, and some plants will flourish with a plastic bag covering them to trap in the humidity. It’s always a good idea to look up the needs of your specific plant so you can give your garden the care it requires to grow and thrive.
It’s truly amazing what plants can do! Watching brand new plants that grow from just a stem cutting is a fun and intriguing project, fit to make your gardening skills blossom even brighter.
