Hardwood Cuttings

Curtis Swift, Ph.D., Colorado State University Extension

Cuttings from your favorite or unusual trees and shrubs, to include roses, can be taken any time of year. In this manner you can increase the number of plants for your own landscape or give these away as gifts to those who have admired a particular plant in your garden.  Softwood cuttings taken from new growth are collected and rooted during spring and summer before the tissue becomes woody.  Hardwood cuttings are collected after the tissue hardens through the winter months.. 

Hardwood cuttings are taken from mature wood about the diameter of a pencil with one or more sets of leaves or buds.  Even a bud with a piece of stem attached can be used as a cutting.  You can cut off the old leaves or leave them on.  Either works. Cuttings should always be taken with a very sharp knife or set of pruning shears.

The following photographs demonstrate the process of rooting cuttings collected from a thornless blackberry.

taking cuttings from a blackberry

Cuttings were collected from a healthy blackberry plant.

Collecting cuttings from a blackberry plant

At least one bud is required per cutting

Callus tissue forms at the cut

Callus tissue from which roots develop is less likely to form on crushed tissue.  In addition, disease organisms are more apt to invade crushed tissue than sharply-severed tissue.  If you leave any leaves on the cuttings be sure to remove those from the container as they decay.

Trim the stem off about one-quarter inch below the bud.  The more vigorous roots will develop from the bud so the bud needs to be covered with about one-half inch of soil.  If a longer section of stem is left below the bud, the stem will develop roots but before that can happen the stem must develop callus tissue and that tissue can take quite a while to develop.

Cuttings can be put in a pot, plastic shoe box or other clear container.  The main thing is to use new potting soil that is slightly moist not saturated. Cuttings are sometimes started in water but I prefer soil for the rooting medium as roots that develop in water are not the same as the roots required for soil. When a water-rooted cutting is planted in soil, the plant has to develop a new set of roots for the soil so why not start with soil to begin with. In addition, some cuttings will rot in water as oxygen is needed for root growth. Insert the cuttings into the soil ensuring the bud is covered. Use plastic wrap or a clear plastic bag to cover the container to hold in moisture. 

If conditions are correct the cutting will develop roots. Roots in the above photo have grown from the bud at the end of the stem. The bud was buried in moist soil.

aerial roots on a cutting

Under humid conditions aerial roots may develop from buds several inches above the soil.  These buds can be cut off and potted to produce even more plants.

Placed on the Internet December 28, 2009