7 Softwood Cuttings to Take in June for Free Plants Next Year – Don’t Miss This Critical Window

The gardening season is in full swing, and by now, most peoples’ gardens are brimming with new growth on landscape plants, as well as their summer annuals in place. Now is a good time to propagate woody plants while they are still in the softwood stage. It is possible to root semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings in late summer and fall, but softwood tends to root the fastest and most reliably.

Softwood cuttings can be taken in spring or early summer. Timing is important, you don’t want to wait too late because the soft stems will mature and harden. Rooting plant cuttings is a simple process and only requires a few materials: sterile pruners, soilless medium, container with or without cells, and a clear cover or plastic bags.

Let's dig in to which softwood cuttings you should be taking in June.

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Basics of Softwood Cutting Propagation

Cut off a non-blooming stem tip below a growth node. You only need a 3-to-6-inch cutting. Remove the leaves on the lower half of the stem. If the leaves are large, cut each remaining leaf in half to save on moisture loss.

Dip the cutting in rooting hormone, if desired, and insert it into a prepared container of moistened soilless mix such as one-half perlite and one-half coco coir. Then enclose the container in a plastic bag or use a plastic cover. Keep the soil moist until it's rooted. You can find perlite and coco coir from Back to the Roots on Amazon.

1. Lilac

Lilacs are a fragrant harbinger of spring and a welcome addition to any yard. With the many varieties to choose from, it is easy to find one that will fit your landscape. Many types of lilacs are offered, including the common type your grandmother grew, newer hybrids and cultivars in a variety of colors that rebloom, as well as compact sizes. Traditionally grown in the cold zones, there are new cultivars bred for warm regions.

It may take six to eight weeks for a cutting to root, but be patient. And root several cuttings at a time to ensure at least one will root. The cutting should be flexible and not mature yet. Keep the soil moist and the humidity high to encourage roots.

If your lilac is grafted, as many of the tree-types are, you may think twice about propagating it. Taking a stem cutting from the scion, or canopy of the shrub, will produce a similar shrub, but it will lack the properties of the rootstock, such as size or disease resistance. It is best to root non-grafted varieties. You can tell if yours is grafted by locating the graft union, which is just above the soil line and looks like a bump or scar on the main trunk.

2. Boxwood

Boxwood is an essential evergreen for foundation plantings so of course you need more! They need full sun to light shade and only need supplemental watering during drought. Well drained soil is a must, however. The many varieties include dwarf specimens that stay under 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m), a popular size.

Take the cuttings in early summer from healthy shrubs with no sign of disease. Boxwood may take 4 to 6 weeks to root, but it is considered an easy evergreen to clone. Keep the soil moist, but not saturated. If it is too wet, leave the plastic cover off for a few hours. When the roots have formed, you can transplant the cuttings to larger pots. You may want to let them grow till the following spring, and then transplant them to a permanent location.

3. Butterfly Bush

Butterfly bush is considered invasive in a few northwestern states, but it is still a popular plant for butterfly gardens. It supplies a lot of nectar for bees and butterflies and the striking colors and lovely fragrance continues till frost. There are new cultivars that are sterile that can be planted where reseeding is a problem. Also keeping most of the spent flower spikes deadheaded helps.

You can increase your number of butterfly bushes using the standard propagating directions above. Butterfly bush is slow to kick start in the spring, but there should be new growth by late spring or early summer to take cuttings.

4. Hardy Hibiscus

Hardy hibiscus, or rose mallow, is technically an herbaceous perennial because it dies back in the fall and regrows in the spring. But I am including it with the other woody plants because it is a shrub worth repeating in the landscape. Once it starts to regrow, it shoots up quickly and is famous for its dinnerplate size flowers in vivid colors, and some cultivars boast colorful foliage as well.

You can take softwood cuttings in early summer and the rooting hormone is recommended. They should root within 4 to 6 weeks.

5. Ninebark

Ninebark shrubs flower in spring, providing food for pollinators and seeds for wildlife in the fall. Native to Eastern North America, it looks attractive in mixed shrub borders or mass plantings and several new cultivars offer colorful foliage on its arching stems such as purple, chartreuse, and yellow.

They are easy to propagate by stem cuttings and don’t need the rooting hormone to initiate roots.

6. Viburnum

Viburnum is the common name for many deciduous to evergreen shrubs and small trees with many species and cultivars. They vary in leaf shape, size, and flower form and are native to Asia, Europe, and the Americas. They typically are good for wildlife and provide nectar in the spring and drupes in the fall that birds relish.

Take the cuttings in early summer and be sure to remove any flowers or buds. Keep them in a shady location and check the soil moisture every couple of days.

7. Clematis Vines

You can propagate woody clematis vines in spring and early summer to increase your plantings. Clematis is a staple vine in many landscapes and the choices are endless. Some hybrids boast 7-inch wide flowers. They attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

Choose cuttings from new growth. Some varieties flower on old wood so be sure to avoid last season’s growth for the cutting. Keep the cuttings in moist soil and a plastic covering to retain the humidity. Check it every two or three days to see if more moisture is needed. If water droplets form on the lower part of the covering, open it to drain.