Whether it’s butterfly bush, mock orange, or forsythia – many flowering shrubs can be easily propagated in early spring using leafless hardwood cuttings, known in European as Steckholz. Here’s how to expand your garden without spending a cent!
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Why Propagate Flowering Shrubs?
Flowering shrubs are not only a beautiful addition to your garden—they also provide food and shelter for countless insects and birds. If you want to grow more of your favorite shrubs, there’s no need to head straight to a nursery. With a little time and care, you can propagate them yourself with minimal effort.
By taking hardwood cuttings at the right time, you can grow new shrubs that, with good care, often reach about 1 meter in height within 2–3 years.
Tip: Prepare more cuttings than you need—not all will root successfully. You can always gift the extras!
Step-by-Step Guide: Propagating Flowering Shrubs from Hardwood Cuttings
Step 1: Cut Strong One-Year-Old Shoots
Choose vigorous one-year-old shoots from the mother plant. Cut them into pencil-length sections. Each piece should begin and end with a bud or pair of buds.
Step 2: Plant the Cuttings in Soil
Immediately after cutting, insert the hardwood pieces into loose, humus-rich soil in a partly shaded, sheltered spot in your garden. Only about one-quarter of the cutting should stick out above ground.
Step 3: Wait for New Growth
Now it’s time to be patient. As the soil warms in spring, the cuttings will begin to develop roots and new shoots.
Step 4: Prune the Young Shoots
Once the new shoots reach about 20 cm (8 inches) in height, trim them back. This encourages bushy growth. In June, the cuttings will sprout again and often produce at least three main shoots in the first season.
Which Shrubs Can Be Propagated with Hardwood Cuttings?
Hardwood propagation works especially well with fast-growing flowering shrubs, including:
- Forsythia
- Mock Orange (Philadelphus)
- Butterfly Bush (Buddleja)
- Bridal Wreath Spiraea (Spiraea × arguta)
- Elderberry (Sambucus)
- Common Snowball (Viburnum opulus)
- Deutzia
- Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia)
You can also try with more ornamental or challenging shrubs like:
- Flowering Cherry (Prunus)
- Corkscrew Hazel (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’)
- Ornamental Crabapple (Malus)
These are more difficult to root, so success rates are lower, but it’s still worth a try.
Tip for difficult varieties: Cover the cutting bed with plastic sheeting starting in early March. This keeps the soil consistently warm and moist, helping to encourage rooting. Only remove the cover once the new shoots have grown to 10 cm in length.
